Jason Waller, Licensed Professional Counselor

I work with adolescents (15+) and adults experiencing depression, anxiety, relationship difficulties, identity concerns, life transitions, trauma, and related emotional struggles. I understand therapy, first and foremost, as a genuinely nonjudgmental space—one in which you can show up as you are, without pressure to perform, explain yourself perfectly, or be anyone other than who you are. I approach therapy as a process of deep listening and sustained reflection on your experience. Rather than rushing toward quick solutions, I work collaboratively with you to understand your unique history, emotional life, and the patterns that shape how you relate to yourself and others. Recovery, as I understand it, is not simply about managing symptoms, but about developing insight and self-understanding—recognizing how emotional pain took shape, what keeps it in place, and how it can begin to loosen its hold. This kind of understanding makes meaningful and lasting change possible. I hold an MA in clinical mental health counseling, studied psychoanalytic theory at the Chicago Psychoanalytic Institute, and am a licensed professional counselor (LPC). I am also a doctoral candidate at the Institute for Clinical Social Work (ICSW) in Chicago, where I am completing my PhD in clinical social work with a focus on psychodynamic therapy. Before entering clinical practice, I had a successful academic career as a philosophy professor and earned a PhD in philosophy from Purdue University. My decision to leave academia was shaped by my own experience of depression and the meaningful relief I found through therapy—an experience that led me to pursue clinical training and dedicate myself to understanding and treating psychological suffering.