Rossie Schwartz

The way you think, feel, and respond has a context. Therapy can be a place to understand that context more deeply, notice the patterns that have developed over time, and decide what you want to change, accept, or approach differently.

I work with individuals, couples, and families navigating anxiety, depression, relationship and parenting challenges, and life transitions. My style is warm, genuine, and collaborative, and I like to make room for humor. I work from a feminist lens and try to look beyond symptoms or what is “wrong” to understand how certain patterns developed, what purpose they may have served, and how they may be connected to your relationships and experience.

My approach is influenced by Narrative Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). In practice, that means we may explore where certain stories and patterns come from, how they are showing up in your life and relationships now, and what you want to do differently moving forward. We may also work on relating differently to difficult thoughts and emotions, strengthening communication, clarifying your values, and making choices that feel more aligned with the life you want to build.

I see my clients as capable of growth and change, and I believe therapy works best when it feels collaborative. My role is not to tell you who you should be or what you should do, but to bring curiosity, perspective, gentle directness, and support as we work toward greater understanding, flexibility, and a stronger sense of what feels meaningful to you.

Before becoming a therapist, I earned a master’s degree in teaching history from UIC and worked as a high school teacher and family photographer. Motherhood and other major life transitions also shaped my path into counseling and continue to influence how I think about identity, relationships, and change. These experiences inform my appreciation for people’s stories and the many contexts they bring with them into therapy.

Starting therapy can feel unfamiliar or uncomfortable, especially if you are not sure where to begin. You do not need to arrive with the right words or a perfectly defined goal. We can figure that out together. My hope is that therapy becomes a space where you feel understood and respected, while also becoming more able to move through life in ways that feel aligned with who you are and what matters to you. Please reach out to schedule a free 15 minute phone consultation to see if we would be a good fit! I look forward to meeting you.