Individual therapy · Chicago & online
Therapy for doctors in Chicago
Being relied on can leave little room to acknowledge your own needs. You may finish a shift and still carry the decisions, emotions, and expectations of the day. Therapy offers space to talk about your experience without having to be the one with all the answers.
Request a consultation
Does any of this feel familiar?
- Emotional exhaustion and difficulty recovering between shifts
- Guilt about rest or feeling you should be doing more
- Perfectionism, self-doubt, and fear of letting others down
- Grief, difficult experiences, or a changing relationship with your work
- Strain in relationships and limited time for yourself
You do not need to relate to every item. We begin with what matters to you.
How I work
Curiosity, collaboration,
and practical change.
I begin by understanding your experience, both inside and outside medicine. We can explore the beliefs that keep you pushing past your limits, work with anxiety and self-criticism, and develop ways to stay connected to your values and relationships. Your concerns set the pace.
Depending on your needs, I may draw on CBT, ACT, psychodynamic exploration, and IFS work. We will talk about what feels helpful and adjust our approach together.
What we can work toward
01
Recognize your needs before you reach a breaking point
02
Create more space for recovery and connection
03
Explore meaning, boundaries, and identity beyond medicine
Your goals will be individual to you. Therapy is a process we shape together, and outcomes vary.
Meet Sam Rustum, LCPC.
I’m a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in Chicago. I work with people navigating anxiety, perfectionism, burnout, and relationship challenges.
My aim is to offer a thoughtful, collaborative space where you can understand yourself more clearly and try new ways of responding.
Our work can focus on your emotional experience without including identifying patient information. We can discuss confidentiality and its limits during your consultation.
Getting started
One-hour sessions
In-person therapy in Chicago and online sessions subject to location and eligibility. Contact me to confirm availability and discuss payment or insurance questions.
A free 15-minute consultation
We can talk about what you are looking for, your questions, and whether working together feels like a fit.
How we might work together
A session might begin with the moment you return home from a shift. We could look at what you carry through the door: physical tension, unfinished decisions, sadness, or a need to be left alone. What do you expect of yourself next? How do the people around you understand your response?
That gives us several possible directions. We might work on finding words for a reaction before it becomes an argument, examine a harsh conclusion about yourself, or explore how responsibility has become tied to your identity. We can also consider a transition between work and home that fits your actual schedule.
Some sessions may call for practical planning. Others may involve staying with an experience you have repeatedly set aside. We will choose the focus together and review what is useful as circumstances change.
Questions you may be asking
Do I have to be burned out to reach out?
You can contact me when a pattern is affecting you, even if you continue to meet your responsibilities. We can discuss what has changed and what you hope therapy might help you understand.
Can we discuss confidentiality first?
Yes. We can review confidentiality and its limits, records, and payment questions before beginning. We will discuss your concerns directly rather than assuming what privacy means to you.
What if I am unsure how therapy would fit my schedule?
Use the consultation to ask about appointment options and current availability. We will discuss what is workable, including location and eligibility for online appointments, before arranging sessions.
A place to begin
Let’s make room for what you need.
A free 15-minute consultation gives us a chance to talk about what is difficult, answer your questions, and consider whether working together fits what you need.