Chicago Anxiety Therapist
Helping people pleasers rebuild their self-confidence in Illinois
Hi, I’m Shirley Khong.
Anxiety therapist in Chicago, IL
I see you—anxious people-pleasers who are juggling too many responsibilities and roles. You’re often the peacemaker or problem-solver in your family, and while that’s a strength, it can also leave you feeling constantly drained.
You put your needs last, and with no time or space for yourself, burnout, irritability, and feeling lost become familiar. You want to find calm and balance so that you don’t pass on these same struggles to the next generation—whether you have children now or plan to start a family.
You may come in feeling panicked, "under appreciated", or that you're "not good enough". My goal is to have my clients leave therapy feeling confident, curious, and more connected, even in conflicts. I don't want you to be in therapy forever.
If you’ve ever felt like…
Your emotions are all over the place, whether you’ve been “numbing out” or you’re angry. all. the. time.
You wake up one day and realize you’re a shell of someone you used to be.
If you’re a parent, or thinking of being a parent one day, you know deep in your heart that your kids deserve someone who is emotionally present.
You don’t want to be a burden by sharing your needs. Or worse, made to feel guilty for having them in the first place.
You’ve come to the right place.
Okay, so tell me how does therapy work with you?
In therapy with me, here are my three values: courage, collaboration, and kindness.
In every session (whether you’re new to therapy or have tried it before), it’s not easy or even comfortable to open up to someone so I always make sure to start with where you’re at.
We collaborate together and talk about what I can help you with - whether that’s having better communication, building self-esteem/confidence, setting boundaries, etc.
Some people find relief in shorter periods of time, while others use therapy as an on-going outlet. You’re in the driver’s seat and decide when you’re ready to stop.
So…how do I know therapy is working for me?
I know it sounds cliché but, everyone is going to see progress differently. That being said, many of my clients have noticed these shifts during our time together:
Self-awareness: navigating uncomfortable, intense feelings or conflicts without pushing them away
Self-exploration: giving themselves permission and time to try new things, even if they might not be good at it at first
Self-confidence: communicating when and how they would feel comfortable stepping in and help others
