Carolyn Cole, MA, LCPC, LMFT, NCC

Do you feel like something is missing in your life or relationships? Maybe you find yourself feeling stagnant and unsure how to create change. If you are ready to get unstuck - we should talk! I am passionate about helping you create the life you want. You're tired of feeling like things are just not working like you hoped they would. It seems like no matter what you do, your life, maybe your relationships, are not as fulfilling as you'd like and you've had enough of this. Maybe you're recovering from a painful break-up. Perhaps you feel you've "lost yourself" in a relationship and want to "find yourself" again. Or, maybe you're searching for meaning as part of a spiritual journey, midlife crisis, existential crisis, or journey back to your authentic self. You may be on a journey of self discovery, which may involve understanding how to not only like yourself, but even love who you are and the life that you're creating for yourself. You're looking for understand yourself better and are ready for change. You may also find yourself feeling a bit stuck - maybe you feel you're at the very beginning or middle of this process. I get this! Feeling stuck and unsatisfied is not a comfortable feeling to sit with. I believe the most important relationship you have is the one with yourself. It not only sets the tone for your other relationships and experiences but it's also the one relationship you have for your entire life. Life will feel so much better if this relationship, the one you have with yourself, is one that feels good AND this relationship is also a pivotal factor in creating the changes you're seeking. So, one of my first questions is typically "How well do you 'really' know yourself?" Together we will get to know you and examine the many layers of who you are. We'll look at how you can improve the relationship with yourself to improve your satisfaction with your life. We'll explore ways you can learn to like yourself a bit more. We'll examine the patterns that are showing up in your life and relationships and interrupt the ones that aren’t serving you. And, we will look at possibilities rather than allowing obstacles and limitations to continue to stand in the way of your dreams. We'll also do some deep diving and become a bit more familiar with those inner subconscious wounds and patterns to see how they are playing a role in what you're experiencing and work to ease some of the pain and discomfort they may be causing you. These wounds and patterns may be keeping you safe, stuck in some familiar patterns, instead of helping you to thrive in the way you are daydreaming about. I help you see possibilities rather than getting stuck on obstacles and limiting beliefs. If you're ready to do some self exploration work to begin creating the changes you seek in your life, your next step is to contact me so we can get started!

I am passionate about helping you discover who you are and create the life and relationships you want. We'll work together to explore what's holding you back. You are worth it! You deserve to receive the love and compassion you show others. Deciding to see a therapist is the first step. Take the next step and give yourself the chance to feel better and positively change your life and relationships. If you are interested in couples work, let's look at what's working and examine those unserving patterns that are preventing you from experiencing the relationship you desire. We'll look at understanding what's happening "underneath the surface" where different subconscious parts of both of you become activated in your relationship which might lead you to react in certain ways. Maybe you find anxious and avoidant attachment styles are also complicating your relationship a bit - what if I told you they don't have to. A deeper understanding and awareness of what's happening is what helps to create change! I am certified in Prepare-Enrich if you are seeking pre-marital counseling. I am a Gottman Relationship Check-up Approved Member if you're interested in taking the Gottman Method assessment to take a deeper dive into your relationship. I am also Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and Internal Family Systems (IFS) informed within the couples work I do. As a tennis player, I additionally enjoy working with athletes on the mental side of their game, including resiliency, recovering from setbacks, mental focus and rehearsal, and discipline. I believe skills learned as an athlete transfer over to valuable life lessons as well. My practice is telehealth so I am able to work with you if you live anywhere in the state of Illinois (it's not limited to those just living in the Chicago area).