Work With Briana Booker, LSW
Online Therapy for Women, Moms & Couples Navigating Anxiety, Burnout, Trauma & Relationship Challenges
Compassionate, culturally responsive care for adults, young adults, teens, first-generation clients, and couples throughout Chicago and Illinois.
Hi, I’m Briana (she/her)
I'm really glad you're here.
Whether you've been thinking about therapy for months or you're just beginning to explore it, I'm honored you're here and taking a few moments to learn more about me.
I'm a Licensed Social Worker (LSW) providing online therapy for women, moms, young adults, teens, and couples throughout Chicago and Illinois.
I specialize in helping women, moms, and couples better understand themselves, quiet anxiety, heal from past experiences, strengthen relationships, and move through life with greater confidence and self-compassion.
If your mind never really slows down, even when everything looks "fine" from the outside, you're not alone.
Maybe you've become so used to overthinking that you don't even notice you're doing it anymore.
You replay conversations long after they've ended.
Wonder if you said the wrong thing.
Worry about disappointing the people you love.
Feel responsible for making sure everyone else is okay.
Lie awake thinking about tomorrow before today is even over.
Maybe you've gotten really good at holding everything together on the outside while quietly wondering why everything feels so much harder than it looks.
Maybe becoming a mom has changed you in ways you never expected, and while you love your children deeply, you're quietly wondering when you'll start feeling like yourself again.
Or maybe you're noticing these same patterns showing up in your relationships.
The same arguments.
The same misunderstandings.
The same feeling that no matter how hard you're trying, you still don't feel heard, understood, or truly seen.
If any of that feels familiar, I want you to know something.
It makes sense that you're feeling this way.
Your experiences deserve understanding, not judgment.
Together, we'll slow things down, make sense of what's happening beneath the surface, and help you feel calmer, more connected, and more confident in yourself and your relationships, so you can move through life with greater clarity, self-compassion, and a renewed sense of yourself.
Meet Briana
Who I Help
You might see yourself here if any of these feel familiar. You don't have to relate to every one of these experiences. If even one feels familiar, therapy can be a place to begin making sense of it.
Your Mind Rarely Gets a Break
You replay conversations long after they've ended, overthinking, second-guess your decisions, worry about disappointing the people you love, and find it almost impossible to turn your thoughts off. Even when everything looks "fine" from the outside, your mind rarely gets a chance to rest.
You're Carrying More Pressure Than People Realize
Whether you're a college student, young adult, or professional trying to balance school, work, relationships, or family expectations, you're exhausted from constantly feeling like you have to keep up. You may be overwhelmed, emotionally drained, or stuck in cycles of procrastination, perfectionism, and self-doubt.
You've Been Taking Care of Everyone Except Yourself
Maybe you're carrying the invisible mental load of motherhood that no one else seems to notice. Maybe becoming a mom changed you in ways you never expected. Maybe you love your children deeply but can't remember the last time you felt rested, or like yourself. Maybe anxiety feels louder than anyone realizes, or guilt creeps in every time you try to take care of your own needs.
Whether you're navigating postpartum emotions, fertility challenges, burnout, or simply trying to find yourself again after becoming a mother, therapy can become a place where you finally have space to breathe.
You Keep Wondering Why the Past Still Shows Up Today
Maybe trusting people feels harder than you wish it did. Maybe you apologize even when you haven't done anything wrong. Maybe conflict feels overwhelming. Maybe you find yourself repeating relationship patterns you promised yourself you'd never repeat.
Healing isn't about blaming yourself.
It's about understanding how your past experiences shaped you, discovering why certain patterns keep showing up, and learning that new ways of relating, to yourself and to others, are possible.
You Love Each Other, But Keep Missing Each Other
You care deeply about one another, but lately it feels like you're having the same conversation over and over again. Maybe one of you shuts down while the other keeps trying to talk. Maybe small disagreements turn into bigger arguments, and neither of you feels truly heard.
Couples therapy offers the opportunity to slow those moments down, better understand what's happening beneath the conflict, strengthen communication, and rebuild connection together.
You're Looking for a Space Where You Can Fully Be Yourself
Whether you're exploring your identity, navigating life as an LGBTQIA+ individual, or you're neurodivergent and tired of feeling misunderstood, therapy can be a place where all parts of you are welcomed with curiosity, respect, and affirmation. You don't have to mask who you are here.
My goal is to create a space where every part of your story is met with curiosity, respect, and compassion.
No matter which part of your story brought you here, you don't have to fit neatly into one category to benefit from therapy.
Together, we'll start with your story, not a diagnosis, and work toward helping you better understand yourself, strengthen your relationships, calm your nervous system, and move through life with greater confidence, clarity, and self-compassion.
If you're looking for online therapy in Chicago or anywhere in Illinois for anxiety, burnout, trauma, relationship challenges, or life's overwhelming seasons, I'd be honored to support you.
What Therapy Looks Like With Me
Therapy should help you understand yourself, not just your symptoms.
Coping skills are important, but they're only part of the healing process.
What interests me most is helping you understand what's happening underneath the anxiety, overthinking, relationship patterns, or emotional overwhelm.
Because when things finally start making sense...
Lasting change becomes possible.
Together we'll explore:
why your mind never seems to slow down
how your nervous system learned to protect you
what past experiences may still be influencing today
how to create healthier boundaries and relationships
practical tools that help life feel more manageable outside of therapy
I don't believe healing comes from pretending everything is okay.
It comes from understanding yourself with compassion instead of criticism.
I take an integrative, holistic approach that includes:
Internal Family Systems (IFS): understanding the different parts of yourself and what they’re carrying
CBT & DBT: building practical tools for managing thoughts, emotions, and stress
Relational & Trauma-Informed Therapy: understanding patterns shaped by your past and how they show up in relationships
Grounding & Nervous System Support: Grounding practices like breathwork, mindfulness, and sound to help you feel calmer, more connected, and more present in your body.
You don't have to know exactly where to begin.
You don't have to organize your thoughts before we meet.
You don't even have to know what you need yet.
We'll figure that out together.
How I Support You: From Survival to Feeling More Like Yourself
Anxiety & Overthinking: Quiet the constant mental loop and feel more calm and present
Burnout & Mental Overload: Whether you're balancing work, relationships, or the invisible mental load of motherhood, we'll work toward helping you feel more rested, present, and connected to yourself again.
Trauma & Relationship Patterns: Understand and shift patterns like people-pleasing and trust struggles
Relationship & Couples Work: Improve communication, understand recurring conflicts, and rebuild connection in a way that feels more supportive and less exhausting
Life Transitions: Feel more grounded when everything feels uncertain
Disconnection from Yourself: Reconnect with your needs, your voice, and your sense of direction
Areas I Commonly Support
Every person's story is unique, but many of the clients I work with come to therapy for support with:
Anxiety and chronic overthinking
Burnout and emotional exhaustion
Trauma and relationship patterns
Relationship stress and communication challenges
Couples feeling disconnected or stuck in repeated arguments
Women's mental health, motherhood, and postpartum challenges
People-pleasing and difficulty setting boundaries
Low self-esteem and self-doubt
Major life transitions and identity changes
ADHD, neurodivergence, and overwhelm
LGBTQIA+ affirming care
Cultural identity, family expectations, and first-generation experiences
If you're not sure whether what you're experiencing "fits" into one of these categories, that's okay. Therapy begins with your story, not a perfect label.
What It’s Like in Session With Me
You don’t have to come in with a plan. You don't have to know exactly where to begin, either.
You don’t have to explain everything perfectly.
In our first session, we focus on helping you feel comfortable, supported, and understood.
We’ll talk about what brought you here and what kind of support feels right for you, whether individually or as a couple.
I’m:
warm and grounded
honest and real
gently reflective, with directness when it’s helpful
supportive while still helping you grow
For couples, my role isn't to decide who's right or wrong.
It's to help both of you slow the conversation down enough to understand what's happening underneath the conflict.
Often, the argument you're having isn't really about the dishes, the text message, or the forgotten errand.
It's about feeling unheard, disconnected, overwhelmed, or alone.
Together, we'll identify those deeper patterns and build healthier ways of communicating, repairing conflict, and reconnecting.
Some sessions are emotional. Some are calm and grounding. Sometimes we even laugh, because healing doesn’t have to feel heavy every moment.
Everything happens at your pace. It’s never rushed, never forced.
You don’t have to figure this out alone.
Why This Work Matters to Me
I became a therapist because I’ve always been someone who notices what’s happening underneath the surface, not just what people say, but what they’re actually carrying.
Over time, I realized I didn’t just want to understand that, I wanted to help people make sense of it in a way that feels supportive and grounding.
This work is personal to me. I understand what it’s like to keep going while holding a lot internally and not always having space to slow down or process it.
What matters most to me is creating a space where:
you don’t have to hold it all together
things start to make sense
and what you’re carrying feels less heavy
Healing isn’t about pushing harder. It’s about finally having space to slow down and hear yourself.
A Culturally Responsive Space Where You Don’t Have to Explain Everything
As a Black woman and first-generation professional, I understand what it’s like to carry responsibility while still feeling like you have to keep going.
That really shapes how I show up for people who are always showing up for others but don’t always have space to pause and take care of themselves.
I also use an intersectional, more radical social work lens, which means I pay attention not just to what’s going on internally, but also the bigger picture like family, culture, race, gender, and access, and how all of that impacts the way you cope and move through life.
Because of my lived experience, I’m really intentional about creating a space that feels real and human.
This is a space where:
you don’t have to perform
you don’t have to explain everything perfectly
you don’t have to have it all figured out
You can just show up as you are.
A Few Things That Keep Me Grounded
Outside the therapy room, you'll usually find me spending time with my family, getting lost in a good book, listening to music, traveling whenever I can, or slowing down with simple things like being in nature, tending to my plants, practicing yoga or meditation, and cooking a good meal.
I believe the small moments…quiet mornings, fresh air, meaningful conversations, and time with the people we love…often become part of what helps us reconnect with ourselves.
Education, Training & Supervision
Education
Master of Social Work (MSW) — Tulane University
Bachelor of Arts (BA), Psychology — Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Clinical Training
Skilled in trauma-informed counseling, culturally affirming therapy, and strengths-based therapeutic approaches
Clinical experience in case management
Experience supporting clients navigating anxiety, trauma, life transitions, women’s mental health, and relationships
Professional Credentials & Licensure
Briana Booker, LSW is a Licensed Social Worker in the state of Illinois.
She provides therapy under the clinical guidance of Dr. Aretha Steele, PsyD, Licensed Clinical Psychologist and founder of Mindful Healing Counseling, in accordance with Illinois professional guidelines.
Briana provides online therapy to clients in Chicago and throughout Illinois, supporting individuals navigating anxiety, trauma, major life transitions, and relationship struggles.
Online Therapy Throughout Chicago & Illinois
I provide secure online therapy for clients throughout Chicago and across Illinois, including:
Chicago neighborhoods like Hyde Park, Bronzeville, and West Loop
Suburbs including Oak Park, Evanston, Naperville, Tinley Park, and surrounding communities
Communities throughout Illinois via secure virtual therapy
Insurance & Payment
Mindful Healing Counseling is in network with Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO and Aetna PPO. We also accept private pay, out-of-network benefits, and offer a limited number of sliding-scale appointments.
Before your first session, our team will verify your insurance benefits and answer any questions about your coverage, costs, or payment options so you know exactly what to expect.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Many people who come to therapy feel this way. On the outside, things may look stable, but internally you might feel anxious, mentally overloaded, or stuck in overthinking. This often happens when your mind and body have been in survival mode for a long time. Therapy helps you understand why this is happening and how to start feeling more grounded and supported.
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Therapy can help you quiet overthinking, feel less anxious, improve focus, and better understand patterns in your relationships. It’s not just about talking. It’s about feeling different in your day-to-day life, like being able to rest, think more clearly, and respond instead of react.
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Sessions are warm, supportive, and at your pace. You don’t have to come in with a plan or share everything all at once. We focus on helping you feel comfortable while also gently exploring patterns and building tools that help outside of session.
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Yes. I work with couples who feel stuck in communication patterns, disconnected, or unsure how to move forward. Therapy helps you better understand each other, slow down recurring conflicts, and rebuild connection in a way that feels more supportive and less overwhelming.
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Yes. I provide virtual therapy for clients across Chicago and throughout Illinois using a secure video platform.
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That’s completely normal. Many people feel unsure at first. You won’t be judged or pressured. Therapy is a space where you can go at your own pace and start where you feel ready.
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We are in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO and Aetna. Coverage varies by plan, and we’ll help verify your benefits before your first session.
Ready to Get Started?
You’ve been carrying a lot for a long time.
You don’t have to keep doing that alone.
Whether you’re coming in as an individual or a couple, support is here.