A space to be seen, understood, and supported
My name is Michelle Guevara (she/her/ella) and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of Illinois where I provide culturally-aware therapy for adults navigating anxiety, cultural identity, and trauma.
As a daughter of immigrants and a Latina woman, I carry a deep understanding of how culture, family, and lived experience shape everything including how we think about asking for help. For many of us, therapy wasn't something we grew up seeing modeled. It didn't always feel safe, affordable, or like it was made with us in mind. I became a therapist in part because of that gap and because I believe everyone deserves a space where their full story is understood and honored.
My approach to therapy
Therapy with me is a collaboration. It's relational, human, and built around respect for exactly who you are.
There's no performance required here. No need to arrive with the perfect words or a clear sense of what you want to say. Whether you come in feeling overwhelmed, unsure, or a little closed off, you're allowed to take up space just as you are.
In our work together, we might:
Slow things down enough to actually hear what you're feeling beneath the noise
Explore the parts of your identity, relationships, and patterns that feel worth understanding
Gently move through trauma and anxiety at a pace that never feels forced
Develop tools that are practical, personal, and actually useful in your daily life
I'll bring honesty, warmth, and genuine curiosity to every session and I'll also offer gentle challenges when they might help you grow. Because I believe healing is nonlinear, and that the pace that's right for you is the one that matters most.
I'm trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy and may weave it in alongside relational and trauma-informed approaches, depending on what feels most aligned with your needs and goals.
I work with adults carrying things like:
Anxiety or depression that lingers beneath the surface, even when life looks okay from the outside
Questions of identity, what it means to belong, to straddle cultures, or to feel caught between family expectations and your own sense of self
The echoes of intergenerational trauma, patterns, pain, and stories that were never really yours to carry alone
Struggles with boundaries and relationships, and the deep exhaustion that can come with them
My approach is anti-oppressive, person-centered, and trauma-informed. In practice, that means I see you as the expert on your own life. I bring curiosity, not assumptions. And I'm committed to helping you feel more grounded in yourself, more clear in your mind, and more at home in who you are becoming.
Books that have shaped my practice:
The books I recommend aren't just reading material. They're mirrors, maps, and invitations to understand yourself more deeply. Here are a few that have meant something to me, both personally and professionally.
Set Boundaries, Find Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab
The Pain We Carry by Natalie Y. Gutierrez
What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing by Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Bruce D. Perry
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
I am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L Sanchez
My Grandmother's Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies by Resmaa Menakem
For Brown Girls with Sharp Edges and Tender Hearts: A Love Letter to Women of Color by Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodríguez
Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents: How to Heal from Distant, Rejecting, or Self-Involved Parents by Lindsay Gibson
Outside of the therapy room
Outside of my work as a therapist in Illinois, I’m someone who deeply values everyday moments.
When I'm not in the therapy room, I'm usually at home with my husband and our two bunnies, spending time with the people who fill my cup, or getting lost in a good book or show. Coffee is almost always involved, and there's a good chance music is playing somewhere in the background.
Start here
Starting therapy is a courageous act of care toward yourself. If you're ready or even just curious and you're looking for a therapist in Illinois, I'd love to be in your corner.