A Breakup Specialist Who Helps You Find Yourself Again
You’ve been feeling too much after the breakup/divorce. Life is NOT what you expected after the relationship ended. Today is one of those days when you’re drowning in your shame and guilt for leaving an unhealthy relationship.
You want to tell someone and get it out of your system. But you hold back because you’re afraid of being a burden, especially the person who retells the same story over and over again.
Maybe you'll try therapy. Everyone keeps saying to. And here you are, considering it. You don’t want to stay stuck forever.
Hi, I’m Shirley!
Want to learn more? Click the link below!
Anxiety therapist and breakup specialist in Chicago, IL
I work with women who are recently divorced to explore their sexuality and new relationships.
They are often afraid of being a burden to others.
They want to find the confidence to set boundaries and reconnect with their emotions.
They want to create real change in their lives and relationships.
What Post-Breakup Therapy Looks Like at Self Compassion Counseling
Recognizing the patterns that have kept you stuck in relationships that drain you
Building the language and confidence to communicate your needs without guilt or fear
Developing a relationship with your own emotions so they inform you rather than overwhelm you
Releasing the belief that needing support makes you a burden
Finding your way back to yourself to explore other parts of your identity
With each step, my clients feel more confident, more grounded, and more at home within themselves.
The work is not always easy, but it is yours. And it moves at a pace that respects exactly where you are.
Women who work with me learned to sit with grief, fear, anxiety, anger, and resentment without being consumed by them.
Who This Therapy Is For
If you have spent years putting others first, as a high-achiever, a people-pleaser, or a caregiver who keeps showing up for everyone else while quietly running on empty, you are exactly who I work with.
The work we do together is not about forcing you into a shape that was never yours to begin with. We focus on the strengths you already carry, the ones that make you uniquely you, and build from there.
You don't have to perform or present a polished version of yourself here.
Clients have said, “I learned to trust myself and my body's signals to spot abusive behaviors within MONTHS, instead of years.”
You don't have to have it all figured out to reach out. You just have to be a little bit ready. And it sounds like you already are.
You don’t have to keep carrying this alone.
Getting over someone as fast as possible after a breakup/divorce takes time. We slow down to understand what happened, what patterns played a role, and what you actually want your life and relationships to look like going forward.
You don't have to keep retelling the same story for fear of judgment. You can start telling a new one, with support, at your pace, in a space where you are genuinely welcome.
Schedule a free consultation. Let's talk about breakup therapy in Chicago and what you are hoping to reclaim for yourself after this relationship ends.
You don't have to keep retelling the same story.
Let’s help you write a new one.
FAQs for Breakup Specialist
-
As a breakup specialist, I help women move through the grief and confusion that follow a breakup or divorce, not just to feel better, but to understand themselves more deeply.
Using a psychodynamic and IFS-informed approach, I work with you to explore patterns, reconnect with your own needs, and build a clearer sense of who you are going forward.
-
If you are a woman who has recently gone through a breakup or divorce and you feel stuck, lost, or unsure of who you are outside of that relationship, this work was designed for you. You do not need to be in crisis.
Many of my clients want a thoughtful space to process what happened and figure out what they want next, including in their sexuality and future relationships.
-
Absolutely. Breakups and divorces often open up questions about identity, desire, and what we truly want from intimacy. This is something I welcome into the therapy room directly.
Whether you are questioning your sexuality, curious about new kinds of relationships, or simply unsure what you want, we can explore that together in a nonjudgmental space.
-
The first session is a conversation. There is no pressure to share everything at once. We spend time getting to know each other, exploring what brought you in, and beginning to get a sense of what you're carrying.
Many clients say they feel genuinely heard and relieved after that first meeting, sometimes for the first time in a long time. You set the pace from day one.
-
That experience is more common than you might think, and it matters. Not every therapist is the right fit, and not every approach works for every person. My work is relational, meaning we move at your pace and build trust over time.
You won't be pushed into anything before you're ready. If you've had a frustrating experience with therapy before, I encourage you to bring that into the room. It's useful information, and it's welcome here.
-
Yes, I see all of my clients online, so if you are in Chicago or anywhere in Illinois, we can work together without you needing to commute.
Many women find that online sessions actually make it easier to open up, since you can join from your own home, on your own schedule, when you are already in a private and comfortable space.
-
I encourage you to reach out directly for current fee information, since rates and insurance participation can change.
The best first step is to schedule a free consultation so we can talk through the practical details alongside what you are looking for in therapy. I want the process of getting started to feel as easy as possible.