Our therapists are well equipped to work with clients around issues of depression, anxiety, life transitions, identity, interpersonal and systemic trauma and abuse, sexuality and gender, body image concerns, monogamous and polyamorous relationships, familial relationships, chronic pain and illness, pregnancy, fertility and parenting, among other topics. If you would like to know more about any of these topics or you are curious about our experience in other areas, please send us a message (connect@rootworkpsych.com).

The answer depends on what you need and feel ready to explore.

Individual therapy focuses on your self-relationship and how it affects every area of your life, from managing anxiety and depression to naming and processing trauma, improving the quality of significant relationships, developing and pursuing your life’s work, loving and caring for yourself and resisting and healing from the effects of systemic oppression.

Relationship therapy supports both your relationship with yourself and your loved one/s, as you explore many of the same themes covered in individual therapy and practice more generative, safe and connected ways of relating to your loved one/s in real time.

Group therapy expands your community of support beyond a therapist to other group members with compatible lived experiences, strengths and challenges. Rootwork offers groups around particular therapeutic needs, especially navigating race- and gender-specific challenges, romantic relationships and new parenthood.

Because we are often meeting virtually, all clients must have access to a strong internet or phone connection. We recommend having a private or semi-private space where you feel comfortable sharing your thoughts and feelings. Headphones can be great to support a private space. Also, you will need to have a credit or debit card to pay for sessions online through our client portal. 

We recommend you bring curiosity about what therapy may provide for you. Getting started can feel daunting or uncomfortable and we do not believe you have to feel ready for change or excited about the prospect in order to start. We ask that you bring into sessions whatever it is that you’re feeling and thinking and we will start there. 

Before your first session, you will receive an email with instructions to log into our client portal and complete the intake forms. We are happy to answer any questions or concerns and we will work with you to clarify and explain all aspects of the intake forms during the first session. If you feel uncomfortable submitting any information that is asked of you, please share that directly with your therapist and they will work with you to make the process as smooth as possible.

If you have questions or access needs we have not addressed here, please reach out at connect@rootworkpsych.com. We are committed to making therapy at Rootwork inviting, open and accepting and we would love the chance to work with you on this.

For therapy, most Rootwork clients meet with their therapist once weekly for up to 55 minutes each session, based on their needs and the therapist’s individual practice policy. Occasionally, Rootwork therapists offer sessions every other week to accommodate financial needs or scheduling conflicts. At Rootwork, we believe that meeting frequently and consistently allows for much more supported and transformative work.

Emily currently offers in-person sessions on the Northside of Chicago (either Andersonville or Ravenswood), in addition to virtual sessions. Jasmine currently offers virtual sessions only. If you have a preference for in-person or virtual sessions, please share that in your initial email (connect@rootworkpsych.com) or scheduled consultation call. 

At this time, Rootwork therapists only are in-network for Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) PPO plans for individual, group and relationship therapy. Clients without BCBS PPO insurance plans may be eligible to receive reimbursement for out-of-network services and should contact their insurance providers to learn more. 

If clients are self-paying without insurance, sessions cost between $150 and $200 each. We offer a sliding scale for those in need of a lower fee. If cost is a barrier, please reach out. Sliding scale spots may be available with one of our therapists or we can refer you to other practices with lower fee options.

At Rootwork, we believe that you primarily have the relationship with your insurance provider and, beyond billing to insurance for our sessions, we get involved in that relationship only if there are snags we can help troubleshoot using our experience with insurance providers. We recommend calling your insurance provider before the first session to clarify your benefits. Insurance can be unwieldy and confusing and we find that getting ahead of it can be stress relieving in the long run.

As a courtesy to your therapist, we ask that all clients provide at least 48 hours’ notice for session cancellations. Otherwise, the client will be charged the full session fee. Of course, we understand that emergencies happen, so we will not charge a fee for sessions that are missed because of emergencies. We have found that this policy is the best way to respect the time and financial needs of the therapist, while being respectful of our clients’ lives and changing schedules.