7 Chicago PTSD & Complex PTSD Therapists [No Waitlist]
Grief can feel so consuming that it's hard to imagine therapy making a difference. While there is no shortcut through loss, weโve seen firsthand how therapy helps people carry grief in ways that feel less isolating and overwhelming.
At Watch Hill Therapy, our Chicago trauma specialists understand that grief is, at its heart, a relational experienceโit lives in the bonds we've lost and the ones that hold us now. Together, weโll create a safe, trusting therapeutic relationship where you can process what youโve been through and move through grief with intention.
Thereโs more than one way to grieve.
For many people, grief isn't just sadness. Loss can come with the full range of emotions, from anger to numbness to relief and everything in between. And when loss touches old wounds, or the loss itself was traumatic, grief can tangle with the body's oldest survival responses. As trauma specialists, we hear that weight in the things our clients tell themselves:
"Everyone else has moved on. Why can't I?"
"I feel numb one minute and completely underwater the next."
"My body is exhausted, but the second I lie down, my mind won't stop."
"I should be over this by now."
"If I let myself really feel this, I'm afraid I'll never stop."
We hear all of theseโand moreโfrom the folks we support who are navigating loss. In therapy, we wonโt rush you past your grief, but rather help you move through it with someone who understands both loss and the trauma that so often lives underneath it. That's the work we're trained to do.
Jump to a therapist
Aspen Fultz: Good fit for teens, young adults, LGBTQIA+ clients, and new parents grieving a loss or life transition
Sabrina Mirza: Good fit for BIPOC adults carrying grief alongside systemic oppression or ethnocultural stress
Angie Zara: Good fit for adults navigating grief complicated by substance use or relationship struggles
Caitlin Lawler: Good fit for adults grieving losses tied to abuse, violence, or relational traumaโespecially those interested in EMDR
Kaitlyn Rippel: Good fit for children and adolescents, including kids on the autism spectrum
If youโre unsure which therapist to choose, please contact us so we can help match you.
Meet our Chicago grief counselors
Aspen Fultz
Good fit for teens, young adults, LGBTQIA+ clients, and new parents grieving a loss or life transition
Grief doesn't only show up after the death of a loved one. It can also come with the loss of an identity, a relationship, or a version of the life you expected. I work with teens, young adults, LGBTQIA+ clients, and new parents moving through losses that others may not fully recognize or understand.
My approach is exploratory, deeply relational, and free of assumption. If your grief feels invisible to the people around you, I offer a steady, safe space where it can finally be seen.
Credentials: Licensed Social Worker
Specialty Areas: Grief and loss, LGBTQIA+ identity, new parenthood, developmental and relational trauma, PTSD, teens and young adults
Availability: Virtual and in-person in Chicago
Sabrina Mirza
Good fit for BIPOC adults carrying grief alongside systemic oppression or ethnocultural stress
Grief is shaped by culture, community, and the systems we live within. I specialize in supporting adults whose losses are compounded by BIPOC identity experiences, ethnocultural expectations, or systemic oppression.
My anti-oppressive framework means your grief is honored in its full context, never flattened or pathologized. Sessions with me are driven by consent, collaboration, compassion, and curiosity so you can mourn in a way that's true to who you are.
Credentials: Licensed Clinical Social Worker #149026874
Specialty Areas: Grief and loss, complex trauma, BIPOC and ethnocultural experiences, systemic oppression, depression, anxiety
Availability: Virtual and in-person in Chicago
Angie Zara
Good fit for adults navigating grief complicated by substance use or relationship struggles
Loss can leave us reaching for anything that dulls the ache, and I meet that reality without judgment. I work with adults from diverse backgrounds whose grief is entangled with substance use, relationship struggles, anxiety, or depression.
Working from a harm reduction perspective, I help you honor your loss while building self-esteem and tapping into your inner resources. My strengths-based, warm approach means we move at your pace, toward change that actually feels sustainable.
Credentials: Licensed Professional Counselor
Specialty Areas: Grief, trauma, substance use, relationship issues, anxiety, depression
Availability: Virtual and in-person in Chicago
Caitlin Lawler
Good fit for adults grieving losses tied to abuse, violence, or relational traumaโespecially those interested in EMDR
Grief can be complicated. Maybe youโre mourning someone who hurt you, a childhood you never got to have, or have mixed feelings about losing a challenging relationship. I specialize in exactly these types of losses.
As an EMDR-trained counselor, I help adults process grief that may coexist with childhood abuse, domestic violence, sexual violence, or relational trauma.
When grief lives in the body as tension, sleeplessness, or unease, my somatic and attachment-based approach helps you rebuild internal safety and self-trust.
Credentials: Licensed Professional Counselor #180018041, EMDR trained
Specialty Areas: Complicated grief, childhood abuse, domestic and sexual violence, attachment trauma, EMDR
Availability: Virtual and in-person in Chicago
Kaitlyn Rippel, MA, LCSW
Good fit for children and adolescents, including kids on the autism spectrum
Children grieve differently than adults, often through play and behavior rather than words. I specialize in helping kids and teens process grief, loss, and attachment wounds using play therapy, mind-body integration, and skills tailored to each child's developmental needs.
My background as a school social worker deepened my expertise with trauma and Autism Spectrum Disorder, so neurodivergent kids are especially welcome here. My first priority is always being a safe, trusted relationship for your child.
Credentials: Licensed Clinical Social Worker #149026332
Specialty Areas: Grief and loss in children and teens, play therapy, attachment wounds, trauma, Autism Spectrum Disorder, anxiety, depression
Availability: Virtual and in-person in Chicago
What sets our practice apart from other Chicago PTSD treatment providers
In a city with hundreds of therapists, finding the right trauma specialistโone who truly understands the difference between general stress and the kind of deep, structural wound that PTSD and complex PTSD leave behindโcan feel almost impossible. Watch Hill Therapy was built specifically to change that.
13 years of trauma specialization. We've been Chicago's dedicated trauma practice since 2012, long before "trauma-informed" became a trend.
Beyond trauma-informed care. Our team doesn't just understand trauma; they are trained in advanced modalities, including TREโข, structural dissociation, parts work, somatic integration, and relational trauma treatment.
A diverse team of clinicians. Our therapists reflect a wide range of identities, cultural backgrounds, and clinical specialties, so you can find someone who truly gets your world.
Hybrid availability. We offer in-person sessions in the heart of downtown Chicago, along with telehealth care, including evening and weekend hours.
Systems-oriented. We treat individuals, couples, children, and families, because trauma doesn't stop at the individual; it moves through systems
Bilingual services. Spanish-language therapy is available with our bilingual clinician, Joseline.
BCBS PPO accepted. We can bill your BCBS PPO plan directly or provide a superbill for out-of-network reimbursement if you have a different provider.
FAQs about therapy for grief and loss
-
There's no single "right" way to grieve, so the best therapy is one tailored to you. Our clinicians use a range of different modalities, always through a trauma-informed lens so we can get to the root of your experience instead of treating symptoms alone.
-
Grief therapy isn't only for the death of a loved one. We support clients through many forms of loss, including:
Death of a family member, partner, friend, or pet
Sudden or traumatic loss, including suicide
Divorce, separation, or the end of a relationship
Miscarriage, infertility, and pregnancy loss
Loss of health, ability, safety, or identity
Estrangement and the grief of childhoods marked by abuse or neglect
If it feels like loss to you, it counts. Every loss deserves support.
-
Therapy offers a steady relationship where your grief can be fully witnessed without pressure to "move on." A therapist helps you process painful emotions, tend to grief held in the body, navigate waves of sadness and anger, and slowly rebuild a life that honors both your loss and your future.
-
They serve different needs, and many people benefit from both. Support groups offer community and the comfort of shared experience. Individual counseling offers personalized depth, especially when grief is complicated by trauma, old wounds, or symptoms like anxiety and sleeplessness. If you're unsure, we can help you decide.
-
Yes, insurance often covers grief counseling. Watch Hill Therapy accepts BCBS PPO insurance. If you have a different plan, we're happy to talk through private pay options and answer your questions about cost during your free consultation call.