Stephanie Rehor, LCSW
I’m Stephanie (she/they) a queer, neurodivergent therapist who specializes in relational therapy approaches for adults, adolescents, and children navigating trauma, identity work, ADHD/Autism, & more
Who I work with
For individual therapy, I work with folks who have experienced various types of trauma including sexual and medical trauma. I work with folks who are apart of the LGBTQIA+ community, and those who are neurodivergent including ADHD and Autism. I also work with adults, adolescents, and children who have experienced challenges in with their families of origin including those with complex trauma and children/teens who are apart of the foster care system.
I specialize in providing supportive and affirming care to high risk youth and teens including queer, trans, and gender non-conforming youth.
I also specialize in play therapy for children who have been impacted by trauma. I support children and families using play as the medium of communication. As apart of play therapy, I also support parents/guardians through parent consultations so families can bring the support home.
We might work well together if…
If you are an adult: You’re looking for someone warm and genuine that will build a true connection with you. You want someone who will challenge you but who will also honor your unique life path and all the wonderful things you offer this world. You don’t mind someone who is more laidback and uses humor and (maybe) some swear words. You are ok with having coloring supplies, fidgets, and good beverages (I always have tea and sparkling water on hand!) as a part of your therapy experience.
If you are a teen or adolescent: You’re looking for someone who will listen to you and understand all you’ve been through. Someone who knows your teenage years are an important time to discover who you are and who you want to become. I support my teen clients in their growth and my space is one where you can fully be yourself! I also provide lots of coloring supplies, fidgets, and want to see every cool, funny, informative viral video you bring to session!
If you are a parent/guardian with a child: If you’re looking for someone who knows how to help children process and understand their experiences and emotions. You are ok with your child having access to a lot of different types of toys and will honor your child's innate ability to show what they are feeling and experiencing through play. You want someone who will support you as well and provide lots of comic relief, teachings, and will show you the power of play (it's real!)
TL;DR: I am a therapist who brings genuineness into the therapy space and builds deep relationships with my clients and honors them, their unique experiences, and where they are in life to support them in their growth and healing.
How I help
I work through a relational lens. This means: The relationship we create together in therapy is the main source of growth and healing. I value developing strong relationships with folks and I collaborate with clients to tailor my approaches to the unique person in front of me. I also use holistic approaches including attachment-based, emotion-focused, strengths-based, and trauma-focused, and harm reduction; all while using a social justice, feminist, intersectional, and systemic framework.
For children I use child-centered play therapy where I utilize a non-directive approach and let child tell their story through play. I use tracking, reflections, limit-setting and structure to create a safe and free space for the child to explore their experiences and emotions.
A little about me personally
When I’m not in session, you’ll probably find me hanging out with my animals (I have a full house with a dog, cat, and leopard gecko), my best friend, or my loud Italian family. I enjoy exploring different forest preserves, coffee shops, and vegetarian restaurants. I am a lover of swimming, astrology, tattoos, my very eclectic selection of music, and wearing comfy clothes (I own way too many pairs of pajamas.)
I also believe in doing my own healing work and I see a lovely art therapist (shout out to her!) My own experience as queer person and a survivor leads me to be someone who shows up authentically in my work.
Beyond being a therapist, I also enjoy teaching and serve as an adjunct instructor at a university. I’m also involved in professional groups, including the Association for Child and Adolescent Counselors of Illinois (ACACI), and I meet regularly with other experienced therapists for professional consultation. I truly love being a therapist and wouldn't want to be doing anything else!
“I think everybody longs to be loved and longs to know that he or she is loveable. And, consequently, the greatest thing that we can do is to help somebody know that they’re loved and capable of loving”
I identify as a white, queer, non-binary, Sicilian-Italian American. I recognize and value the knowledge, traditions, and labor that come from African, Asian, Latin American, and Indigenous cultures that have shaped the healing practices that I currently use in therapy.
I value accountability and I commit to actively recognizing where my therapeutic knowledge comes from and to giving back to the communities from which it has been taken. This includes providing reparations to Black and Indigenous communities and organizations, offering low-cost services when possible, and engaging in ongoing accountability rather than symbolic statements.
I believe everyone deserves to feel safe and respected in their body. I support bodily autonomy, reproductive rights, and gender-affirming care. I recognize that our ideas about ‘health’ have often excluded or harmed marginalized communities, especially Black and Brown individuals, people with disabilities, and people in larger bodies. I’m committed to challenging weight stigma and other forms of bias so I can provide affirming care for all bodies.
Identity & Values
Let’s keep in touch :)
No spam, just vibes!