Anxiety, OCD and Eating Disorder Therapist in Chicago, Illinois
Hi, I’m Beatrice!
Many of my clients are the ones who look like they have it all together, but they’ve already replayed that conversation twice since they woke up this morning. They are high-achieving, responsible, thoughtful people who care deeply about doing things “right.” They often seem really capable or successful to others, but they also struggle with intrusive thoughts, constant self-doubt, food and body image stress, or the quiet pressure of feeling like they’re never quite doing enough.
If any of that sounds familiar, I want to remind you that you are far from alone or broken. And life does not have to be this way.
I’m the founder of Always Blooming Counseling and a therapist who works primarily with teens and young adults navigating anxiety, OCD, eating disorders, chronic dieting, perfectionism, and the messy in-between seasons of life.
My goal as a therapist is to create a space where you can step out of the constant pressure to perform, fix, or prove yourself and start building a life that actually feels like yours.
My Connection to This Work
I didn’t come to this work by accident.
Like many of the clients I work with, I understand what it’s like to have a brain that runs really fast. The kind that replays conversations, questions decisions, and gets stuck in “what if” loops. I know how loud intrusive thoughts can feel and how exhausting it is to constantly negotiate with your own mind.
I also understand how complicated relationships with food and body image can become. Growing up in a culture that constantly tells us how we should look, eat, and exist in our bodies can leave lasting marks, especially for people who already tend toward perfectionism or high self-expectations.
And if you’ve always been the responsible one, the high achiever, the person who pushes through no matter what (even when you want to scream or cry), it can be surprisingly hard to admit when things feel overwhelming.
While everyone’s story is different, my experiences give me a real understanding of what it feels like when anxiety, intrusive thoughts, or perfectionism start to take up too much space in your life.
Therapy, at its best, is not about sitting across from someone who has never struggled. It’s about working with someone who understands the weight of these experiences and knows that meaningful change is possible.
How That Helps Me Support Clients With Anxiety, OCD and Eating Disorders
Because I understand these patterns from the inside, I know how convincing they can feel.
Anxiety tells you that if you just think about the problem a little longer, you’ll finally figure it out.
OCD tells you that if you just check one more time or ask for reassurance one more time, the discomfort will go away.
Perfectionism tells you that if you try harder, push more, or control things better, you’ll finally feel calm.
But most of the time, those strategies just keep the cycle going.
In therapy, we work together to break those patterns.
Many of my clients come in feeling stuck in cycles like:
Constant overthinking and rumination
Intrusive thoughts that feel impossible to ignore
Rigid food rules or body image struggles
Perfectionism that makes every decision feel high-stakes
People pleasing that leaves them exhausted
Feeling “behind” during major life transitions
Therapy is where we start loosening those knots.
Instead of trying to eliminate every uncomfortable thought or feeling, we focus on building flexibility, resilience, and a stronger sense of direction. My role is not to tell you how to live your life, even if that would sometimes make this feel easier! My role is actually to help you figure out what truly matters to you and support you in moving toward it, even when anxiety or self-doubt shows up along the way.
I want YOU to be in the driver’s seat.
Not anxiety, not OCD, not the eating disorder or diet culture.
YOU.
My Therapy Modalities for Anxiety, OCD and Eating Disorders
I use ERP for OCD
ACT and CBT for anxiety and values-based work
Intuitive Eating-informed approach for food and body image
The modality should match the problem, not the other way around.
My Therapy Values
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Compassion
You will not be judged for your thoughts, behaviors, or patterns. We’ll meet them with understanding not shame.
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Accountability
I will support you, and I will also challenge you. Staying in the same patterns that keep you stuck is not the goal.
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Values-Based Living
We’re not building a life around avoiding anxiety. We’re building a life around what actually matters to you.
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Psychological Flexibility
You don’t need to control every thought or feeling. I’ll help you learn how to respond in a way that allows for more freedom.
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Growth Over Perfection
You don’t have to do therapy perfectly. Showing up and trying is more than enough.
What Anxiety, OCD and Eating Disorder Therapy With Me Is Like
Therapy with me tends to be active, collaborative, and practical. We do also tend to laugh a lot.
Yes, we talk about your experiences and emotions! And, we also build skills, experiment with new ways of responding to anxiety or intrusive thoughts, and practice strategies that help you create change outside of sessions.
Clients often tell me they appreciate that I am both warm and direct, as well as non-pathologizing. I will validate how hard things feel - because they are! But I will also challenge the patterns you show up with that keep anxiety, OCD, or perfectionism in control.
Therapy should feel supportive, but it should also move you forward.
Outside the Therapy Room
I am a relational therapist, which means I do not believe in being a blank slate. Real therapy work happens when you can genuinely connect with your therapist, and you can’t connect with a robot.
Outside of the therapy room, I am a wife, a sister, a daughter, a friend, a gamer, a reader, a dog owner, a maximist, a plant lover, a concert goer.
A few things about me…
I am a HUGE football fan and college women’s basketball fan. My favorite teams are the Detroit Lions and The University of South Carolina Lady Gamecocks.
I am obsessed with the Throne of Glass series. My favorite book genres are fantasy, romantasy, mystery, and thriller.
I regularly go to concerts and music festivals. I have been to Electric Forest 8 times and seen my favorite jam band, The String Cheese Incident, about 30 times!
I have been a gamer since childhood. My favorite video games are Red Dead Redemption 2, The Witcher 3, Tomb Raider, Uncharted and the Assassins Creed franchise. I play on Playstation.
I love plants, gardening, and spending time outside. Yes, you won’t ever have to yell at me to “touch grass,” I’m already on it! I also love walking (usually with my dog) and riding my bike.
I play Dungeons and Dragons and love board games.
These interests help keep me grounded and remind me of something I often talk about with clients:
life should include joy, creativity, and connection, not just productivity.
If You’re Feeling Stuck With Anxiety, OCD or Eating Disorders
If anxiety, intrusive thoughts, food struggles, or life transitions have been making your world feel smaller, therapy can help you expand it again.
Anxiety, OCD, and diet culture have been really loud.
You don't have to let them stay in charge.
FAQs
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Bachelor of Arts in Psychology | DePaul University 2015
Master of Social Work | University of South Carolina 2018
Certificate in Drug and Addiction Studies | University of South Carolina 2018
Licensed Social Worker | 2018
Licensed Clinical Social Worker 2021
Illinois License: 149023254
Indiana License: 34011454A
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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD and anxiety
Intuitive Eating–informed approaches for eating disorder and chronic dieting recovery -
In network with Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO, Blue Choice PPO, and Anthem PPO plans
In network with Aetna PPO Plans
Out Of Network Provider - will gladly provide SuperBills
Intake Rate: $190
Follow Up Session Rate: $165
Sliding Scale is available
