Individual therapy · Chicago & online
Therapy for first responders in Chicago
When your work asks you to respond quickly and stay composed, it can be difficult to shift into a different pace at home. Therapy offers space to explore what you carry after a shift, including stress that may be hard to explain to the people around you.
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Does any of this feel familiar?
- Difficulty settling down, sleeping, or feeling off duty
- Irritability, emotional distance, or relationship strain
- Grief, difficult calls, and cumulative stress
- Feeling responsible for outcomes outside your control
- Changes in identity, motivation, or connection to your work
You do not need to relate to every item. We begin with what matters to you.
How I work
Curiosity, collaboration,
and practical change.
We begin with what feels most useful and manageable to you. You will not be required to recount difficult experiences in detail before you are ready. We can work on recognizing stress patterns, developing ways to settle after work, and reconnecting with your emotions and relationships at a pace we decide together.
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 how work stress shows up in everyday life
02
Find ways to transition from duty to rest and connection
03
Build language for your needs and experiences
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.
This is individual therapy, not a fitness-for-duty evaluation. We can discuss confidentiality, its limits, and questions about the therapy process before you decide to begin.
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 a session might begin
We might look at an evening when you wanted to be left alone and your family wanted to connect. What was happening inside you before the disagreement? Were you still on alert, physically worn out, or worried that talking would bring more of the shift back?
We could work on noticing those reactions sooner and describing what you need without disappearing from the relationship. That might include a plan for settling after work and returning to a conversation, rather than leaving others to guess what your silence means.
At other times, we may explore a difficult memory, grief, or the expectations you hold about being able to handle things. We will discuss the pace together. You can ask why we are considering an approach and tell me when something is not helping.
Questions you may be asking
Do I have to describe difficult calls in detail immediately?
We can begin with the effect those experiences have on you now. We will talk about the purpose and pace of exploring details as the work develops.
Is this a fitness-for-duty evaluation?
This page describes individual mental health therapy. If you are seeking an employment-related evaluation or have questions about documentation, raise that before scheduling so the service and scope are clear.
Can I ask about confidentiality first?
Yes. We can review confidentiality and its limits, records, and any specific privacy questions you have before treatment begins. Your initial inquiry can remain brief.
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.