Beyond the Garden: Navigating Relationships and Culture in Therapy 

Manifesto

Our identities are formed at the intersection of two powerful forces: the world of our closest relationships and the often demanding world of cultural norms. From the beginning, our early attachments provide the blueprint for how we connect with and need others, while our culture creates the script for how we see ourselves and how love should go.

The trouble is that these cultural scripts often make it hard to truly love ourselves and others. We get caught trying to follow a "right" story written by society rather than honoring the complex, human realities of bonding and being. It is the struggle depicted in the original Garden: the pressure to stay in a perfect, safe ideal versus the hearty work of being cast out into the real world. My goal is to help others navigate the pressures of life and love.

Growth, change, compassion, healing- are now common wellness buzzwords that have lost their underlying soulfulness. Our culture quietly demands perfection while also serving up endless 'wellness' trends to try (have you tried EMDR yet?), leaving many of us anxious and on the constant search for some aspirational version of ourselves, our partners, friendships, homes, careers— our lives. Achievement and optimization-centered cultural values leave many of us unprepared for the reality of life’s suffering and the complexities of our inner lives. We’ve learned some of the language and ideas of self-improvement, but we haven’t yet developed the capacities to encounter and accept ourselves. It can also be difficult to actually know how to experience self-esteem and wellness in a culture that benefits from self-demand and perfectionism. My hope and mission, at least currently, is to find ways back to the soulfulness of change, growth, healing, compassion without the pressure to be good, better and perfect.

About

Woman with short curly hair and bangs wearing a floral blouse, sitting on a green chair, with a plant in the background.

Jennifer Stridh, LMFT, CCTP

Founder & Psychotherapist

(She/Her)

Approach

Guiding Values

honesty . curiosity . authenticity . transparency . mutuality . compassion . commitment . reliability . courage . accountability . connection . trust . reclamation. acceptance . humor . empathy . truth . coherence . symbolism . integration . reverence . individuation . consciousness

Hello & Welcome to my therapy practice. I’m glad you’re exploring options for support and considering entrusting me in the process.

I recognize that taking care of one’s self is an on-going choice, and often a complicated or difficult choice to make or know how to be in relationship to. I help individuals and couples work through impacts of traumatic experiences and difficult life transitions. I am dedicated to co-creating a therapeutic relationship that is supportive and personal to clients. My intention is to support clients in discovering and developing new capacities in relationship to themselves, loved ones and the challenges they face, no longer merely coping or trying to fix them. Therapy can be about much more than symptom management or meeting a goal (sorry!). Therapy can also be a dedicated space offering respite from the outside noise to begin to explore a life, or a relationship, rooted in your genuine values. In the most basic sense, I believe therapy offers a process of being in more conscious dialogue with the experiences of your life, both past and present. In my work with couples, I believe relationships should be good for all persons involved; Together we explore what supports and gets in the way of that.

My practice is integrative and relational. I support moving away from self-judgment and toward a genuine curiosity about ourselves and why we do what we do. I use an integrative approach—looking at your history & complexes (Psychodynamic), how your body engages with stress and emotion (Somatic), what social contexts are at play (Systemic & Socio-Emotional) and how you relate to yourself & others (Relational). I would describe myself as a warm & direct therapist. I look forward to the possibility of meeting you and learning about your story as well as your hopes and wishes for yourself.

Qualifications & Trainings

  • Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in the states of Illinois & Colorado

  • MSc- Marriage & Family Therapy - Northwestern University

  • BM- Vocal Arts & Performance - Manhattan School of Music

  • Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP)

  • Clinical Fellow - American Association of Marriage & Family Therapists

  • Member: MFTs in Trauma - American Association of Marriage & Family Therapists

  • Clinical Practicum -The Family Institute’s Bette D. Harris Family & Child Clinic

  • Clinical Training Program in DBT & RO-DBT -The Family Institute’s Mindfulness & Behavior Therapy Program

  • Post-Graduate Clinical Training in Analytical Psychology - The Salomé Institute of Jungian Studies

  • Post-Graduate Advanced Clinical Training & Consultation - Chicago Center for Integration & Healing

  • Post-Graduate Clinical Consultation - WomenCare Counseling & Training Center

  • 10 years experience practicing in clinic, private group & solo practice settings in Chicago

Clinical Specialties

  • Areas of Specialization: Relationship Therapy, Complex Trauma, Relationship to Self, Family of Origin, Toxic Shame, Perfectionism, Difficulty Trusting Self & Others, Life Transitions, Pre-Marital Counseling, Clinical Consultation (Please see offerings & services tab for a full list of clinical topics)

  • Framework: Relationally-Centered, Insight-Oriented, Compassion-Focused and Trauma-informed.

  • Individuals: We work one-on-one to deepen your self-understanding, explore current and past impactful experiences, and foster capacities needed to face life’s challenges with clarity and agency.

  • Couples: I help partners understand their relational patterns, moving away from cycles of conflict or disconnection toward greater intimacy, and "real" connection.

  • Families: I work with adult family members (parents and their adult children, or adult siblings) to repair unresolved ruptures, establish healthy boundaries, and improve communication patterns.

Modalities

  • Humans rely on attachment to a safe, secure other as an essential part of staying alive. The quality of our earliest bonds serve as a "working model" for how we view ourselves, form attachments to others and how we interact with the world throughout our lives

  • One of the most unique aspects of this work is that we use our relationship as a tool for healing. In the safe 'relational field' of our sessions, old patterns of relating often emerge naturally. By observing how we interact in the 'here and now,' we gain a living example of how you navigate intimacy, conflict, and trust in the world. This allows for a corrective emotional experience—where you can try out new ways of Being in a safe, secure relationship in therapy

  • Depth oriented therapy is founded on the idea that the "Soul" or "Psyche" has layers, and that healing requires descending into the parts of ourselves we have ignored or suppressed. Depth oriented psychotherapy engages in bridging the unconscious and conscious realms through symbolism, mythology, imagery, dreams, complexes, archetypes and the Relational Field 

  • Identifying the nature of our ‘inner system’ by being in relationship to and integrating the world of inner complexes, or “parts” of the system. Parts Work isn't about fixing yourself; it’s about unburdening your parts so that your Core Self can take the lead again. When the Self leads, the 'inner system' moves from conflict to harmony

  • Somatic & Biologically-oriented therapies integrate the body into the healing process of talk therapy by focusing on the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS). When we experience trauma or chronic stress, our bodies often get stuck in states of 'fight, flight, fawn or freeze.' Through gentle awareness and regulation techniques, we help the nervous system return to a place of resilience, allowing you to move from a state of 'reactivity/alert' to a state of presence

  • Psychoeducation is the practice of providing you with relevant psychological information and tools to help you understand your mental health, such as psycho-social-bio understandings, skills, and pattern mapping. In our sessions, this means I won’t just listen; I will also explain the "mechanics" of your experiences.

    By learning about how the brain and body respond to stress, trauma, or relationship patterns, you gain a clearer perspective on your symptoms. It moves therapy from "What is wrong with me?" to "How does this process work?"

  • Systemic therapy operates on the belief that no one exists in a vacuum. We are all parts of larger "systems"—families, cultures, workplaces, and societal structures—that constantly influence how we think, feel, and behave

  • The felt sense of Here & Now; At its core, Gestalt Therapy is about radical awareness. It’s based on the idea that we cannot change until we truly accept who we are in this moment

  • The posture and practice of Gentle, Loving-kindness in the face of suffering

  • The practice of non-judgemental, present-centered awareness of thoughts, feelings, sensations, stimuli, and the surrounding environment

  • EFT is based on the idea that most relationship conflict is actually a protest against disconnection. When we don't feel safe, seen, or secure with our partner, we go into a "relational panic"

    At its heart, EFT asks three essential questions of each partner:

    Availability: Can I reach you?

    Responsiveness: Will you react to me emotionally?

    Engagement: Do I know you value me and will stay with me?

  • SERT is based on the belief that our emotional well-being is tied to fairness and connection. When our relationships—with partners, family, or even our work—are unbalanced or governed by "roles" we didn't choose, we end up feeling exhausted, empty, or anxious.

    How it Works (The 3 Cs)

    Instead of "fixing" you, SERT focuses on three main areas:

    • Context: We look at the "unspoken rules" of your life. Are you playing a role (like the "fixer" or the "strong one") because of social or family pressure? Understanding this context helps you stop blaming yourself for feeling drained.

    • Connection (Attunement): We build the skill of "tuning in." This means learning how to truly sense your own needs and the needs of others, creating a bridge between your internal world and your external relationships.

    • Capacity: We move away from just "coping" with problems. Instead, we grow your internal "muscle" to handle life’s challenges. You learn how to stay grounded and connected to your values, even when things get difficult.

“You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in your joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.”
― Margery Williams, The Velveteen Rabbit

Location

Offering in-person appointments in the Lincoln Square-North Center neighborhood of Chicago, and offering HIPAA-compliant telehealth appointments to Illinois & Colorado residents. 

4256 N. Ravenswood Ave., Suite 219

Chicago, IL