About Us
Luminations Psychotherapy and Wellness is a group psychotherapy practice that provides services to adults through a variety of frameworks. We take a holistic approach to mental health and wellness, focusing on the mind body connection. Our therapists are trained in both traditional psychotherapy, as well as integrative mind body psychotherapy and practices, including craniosacral therapy, yoga, mindfulness and meditative breath work.
In addition to our mind body approach, we are dedicated to providing LGBTQ affirming services and have over 10 years of experience of LGBTQ activism and psychotherapy. Located in the heart of Andersonville, our offices provide a safe and welcoming environment for the community.
Our therapists include psychologists and counselors who are grounded in various theoretical orientations, including psychodynamic, humanistic/existential and person centered approaches. We are also trauma informed and work with a wide range of presenting issues including but not limited to:
Depression
Anxiety
Bipolar Disorder
PTSD
Identity struggles
Coming out struggles
Transitioning struggles
Relationship issues
Work struggles
Self-esteem issues
Stress management
Our Values
At Luminations Psychotherapy and Wellness, we not only believe in a holistic mind body approach to wellness, we practice this ourselves. Through our own mind body practices, we have come to appreciate and experience how the mind and body influence each other, and how balance is essential in obtaining and maintaining a sense of wellbeing. This is especially true when dealing with trauma. Physiological markers are often present in individuals who have experienced trauma and chronic stress. Traditional talk therapy does not always restore physiological balance in ways that more integrative approaches are able to, including yoga, meditation, breath work, and craniosacral therapy. Clients are free to choose, however, whether their therapist at Luminations takes an integrative approach to psychotherapy or sticks with a more traditional approach.
We also believe that real therapy and healing cannot take place unless clients are truly seen and respected. That is why we are dedicated to understanding all cleints’ lived experiences and take seriously, LGBTQ affirming services. We have seen how LGBTQ rights have shifted over the past several years and how the ever shifting social climate has impacted LGBTQ individuals and their families. We also understand and are sensitive to the many ways in which transgender and gender non-conforming individuals may choose to transition, whether it be socially, medically, or both. We have helped many navigate the complicated systems involved in transitioning, including working with people through the process of gender confirmation surgery and insuring that all WPATH requirements are met if needed for insurance coverage.
Lastly, we believe that good therapy begins with a therapist’s solid foundation in a theoretical orientation rather than a haphazard approach. Our therapists are grounded in psychodynamic, humanistic/existential and person centered approaches. We have taken our training and knowledge beyond our graduate school training, and actively engage in continued learning and growth.
Fees
Luminations is committed to providing access to services for underserved and underinsured clients. Our staff offers sliding scale fees when possible for clients who do not have insurance or are otherwise unable to pay the full fee. We receive several inquiries regarding sliding scale services, so we cannot guarantee that we will be able to accommodate your request. Please do not let this discourage you from inquiring though, as we do our best to accommodate.
Forms of payment accepted for services include, all major credit cards, cash, and checks. Payments are made at the time of service.
Insurance Accepted
Luminations therapists are in-network providers with Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO and Blue Choice PPO. This means, clients with these policies are only responsible for paying copays for each session after their deductibles are met. Prior to your first appointment, our staff will verify your benefits with Blue Cross Blue Shield so you know how much your copays will be. We will also submit claims for you as well.
We will also work with you to receive reimbursement if you have out-of-network insurance. We will provide you with a detailed invoice that you can send to your insurance company, which typically results in some form of reimbursement paid to you.
Services
Adult Psychotherapy
Luminations therapists offer both traditional talk therapy and integrative psychotherapy for adults, which integrates traditional talk therapy with craniosacral therapy, both grounded in a psychodynamic and humanistic/existential framework. Although we offer both types of therapy as standalone treatment options, integrating mind body treatments can be very beneficial in balancing the nervous system and restoring a sense of calm while processing difficult emotions during talk therapy. Whether you choose to engage in traditional or integrative psychotherapy, each session is 55 minutes and meeting times typically occur once a week, although some clients meet twice a week or more. Our therapists have flexible schedules and have appointments available in the morning, afternoon, and evening.
Therapists
Amy McNew
Amy (she/her) is not currently taking new clients, inquire about her waitlist through our form.
Dr. Amy McNew is a licensed clinical psychologist and craniosacral therapist, as well as the founder of Luminations Psychotherapy and Wellness. Her doctoral education included five years of LGBTQ affirming training and psychotherapy, and she has been an active member of the LGBTQ community for over a decade.
Dr. McNew takes a holistic, collaborative approach to helping clients heal by using a combination of psychotherapy and craniosacral therapy to help clients move toward a sense of peace and balance in their lives. For many, this means working together with Dr. McNew to heal from past traumas, overcome symptoms of depression and anxiety, learning to be more self-accepting, cultivating more fulfilling relationships, and finding a deeper sense of self and meaning in life.
Dr. McNew works within an Existential/Humanistic and Psychodynamic framework. She offers individual psychotherapy for adults, and for those interested, she integrates craniosacral therapy and psychotherapy. Blending bodywork with talk therapy can benefit clients by helping both the body and mind to heal from trauma and stress and achieve a deeper state of relaxation. She also offers craniosacral therapy as a standalone treatment.
In addition to Dr. McNew’s above stated therapeutic orientation, she believes that the therapeutic relationship between client and therapist is also essential for healing and transformation. She is dedicated to providing affirming services to the LGBTQ community and supporting clients of all identities through the process of self-actualization.
Kate zucker
Kate is a radical social worker guided by the practices of person-centered, trauma-informed therapy. The importance of validating and honoring peoples’ experience is central to their practice and to developing a strong therapeutic relationship. Working within a client-centered framework emphasizes the expertise that a person has over their own life, while placing the therapist’s role as supportive and curious. Kate uses humor along with a nonjudgmental approach as the core tools to develop a strong working relationship. Ultimately they believe that it is the care and trust that is established between the counselor and the client that can help guide people towards real change.
Kate’s central area of focus has been working with those in the queer community to navigate non-traditional relationships, coming out, experiences and experimentation with gender, and everyday life. Their practice is also focused on acknowledging the privileges and differences that exist in the room and encouraging those to be challenged and discussed. The work of therapy is full of trial and error and often, it can be intimidating to offer feedback, but they work to create a space where the therapeutic journey is a partnership and where different approaches are welcomed.
Kate has experience working with clients presenting with anxiety, depression, disordered eating, self-harm, and intrusive thoughts. In their previous role at Chicago Women’s Health Center, they were able to work with adults on an individual level. They have worked with both teens and adults in a variety of traditional and non-traditional settings. When not at the office, they enjoy drinking coffee, watching movies, crocheting, and hanging with their dog, Benny.
LYZANNE MALFITANO
Lyzanne is a trauma-informed therapist who enjoys helping her clients experience healing, growth, and connection in their lives. She has over five years of trauma-informed counseling training, and is also experienced in providing LGBTQ affirming therapy. She believes that all clients have the capacity to heal and grow, and she takes a holistic approach to her work with clients.
It is important to a person’s well-being to have satisfying interpersonal relationships with others, which is the foundation of relational therapy. This way of working begins with the therapeutic relationship between the client and therapist. Lyzanne takes a collaborative, person-centered approach to create a trusting and safe partnership with her clients. This work also integrates how identity and cultural issues impact individuals’ relationships, with respect to race, ethnicity, gender identity, and sexual orientation.
People experience the world not only though their thoughts and emotions, but also simultaneously through their bodies. Utilizing this body-centered orientation, Lyzanne can blend talk therapy with mindfulness and breathing exercises for clients. These techniques can offer clients different tools to better cope with the effects of trauma or chronic stress.
Lyzanne offers individual psychotherapy and couples counseling for adults. She has a passion for providing LGBTQ affirming therapy, and welcomes the exploration of gender identities, transitions, and non-heteronormative relationships. In her clinical experience, Lyzanne has worked with presenting concerns including depression, anxiety, trauma, sexual concerns, family of origin issues, and life transitions. Her work is greatly influenced by her work with communities focused on sexual violence recovery, racial justice, and LGBTQ equality.
Emily Lopez
Emily (she/her) is currently accepting new clients, inquire about working with her through our form.
Emily is a trauma-informed, client-centered, and anti-racist therapist who has been working with clients of all ages for over 5 years. She is currently working with teenagers and adults from a Narrative Therapy framework – every person’s life is a story or a book. In order to understand where you are now, it’s important to understand your backstory, identify themes, reframe past experiences, and help you to write the rest of your story in an empowering way.
It's important to Emily to help her clients in their personal goals and emphasizes that clients are the experts in their own lives and that her role is to walk alongside people in their journeys, while providing support and empathy utilizing a trauma-informed approach. As a queer Mexican-American cisgender female, Emily acknowledges her privilege and works to provide a safe space for LGBTQ+ folks, BIPOC folks, those in non-cis/het relationships, those in the kink community, and those with any level of neurodiversity.
Life is hard! It can be difficult to reach out for support when we live in a country that normalizes the grind, minimizing our own needs, fatphobia, non-cis/het judgments, among a myriad of stressors impacting those of us in the US. Emily is a member of the LGBTQ+ community, BLM, pro-choice, sex-positive, kink positive, and body positive. She loves Disney, true crime, musicals, metal, animals, video games, geeky stuff, reading, knitting, and tons of other things! If this sounds like a good fit, please reach out! It can be difficult to find a therapist that fits exactly with what you need, but reaching out is the hardest part - you got this!
Elizabeth selph
With years of experience as a Licensed Professional Counselor, I've helped individuals make desired changes, often revealing undiscovered needs. My diverse background spans mental health and business, informed by living in three countries. If your life feels overwhelming, I'm here to help you cultivate emotional and mental flexibility for a fulfilling life.
My Approach:
Therapy is an empathetic journey, offering professional support to free you from emotional barriers. I see behaviors as adaptive, not bad, shaped by past experiences, family dynamics, and culture. I am rooted in phenomenology – where we work on discovering how to experience yourself in the world and ways you feel you want to experience yourself and others. Healing is possible, and change is attainable. Let's gently navigate your pain, learned patterns, and disruptive responses and develop a sense of agency and resilience into today’s chaotic world.
Embracing Your Soul Journey:
I bridge the gap between learned self-perception and a soul-driven connection, empowering you to fulfill personal desires and dreams.
Plant Medicine and Psychedelic Integration:
I assist individuals in integrating plant medicine and psychedelic experiences for lasting change in everyday life. The experiences provide insight and shift perspective. Integration therapy helps you apply those insights and perspectives to your life in ways that affect lasting change and ways of experiencing yourself and others.
Specialty - Overcoming Feelings of Brokenness and Otherness:
My expertise lies in depression, anxiety, childhood trauma, and overcoming feelings of "otherness." I partner with people grappling with identity issues, feeling other than or broken (i.e. who am I and what is my expression in this world). I come from a phenomenological perspective where our subjective experience matters – in a world where object experience is held high, I partner with you to understand your subjective experience of yourself and others to promote well-being and emotional flexibility for yourself.
Areas of Specialty:
Depression
Integration psychotherapy (psychedelic, ketamine, and plant medicine)
Anxiety
Trauma
I hold a master's degree in clinical psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology and an MBA from Rutgers Business School, Singapore. Proficient in English and German, conversational in French.
Interested in joining our team? Learn about applying by clicking here.
Contact Us
If you are interested in our services, please call, email or complete the form below:
Our location
1454 W. Winona Avenue
Suite 1
Chicago, IL 60640
Phone
917.518.5907
luminationspsychotherapy@gmail.com