Vanessa Nagel, LCPC, NCC
Pronouns - she/her
Vanessa is currently accepting new clients and is in-network with Aetna, BCBS PPO, and soon to be United.
“Rather than asking, “What’s wrong with you?” I’m more interested in exploring, “What happened?” and “What has your mind and body been trying to help you survive?””
I work with individual adults navigating relational trauma, complex PTSD, anxiety, depression, grief, self-esteem concerns, life transitions, and neurodiversity exploration. Many of the people I work with feel disconnected from themselves, overwhelmed by life's demands, struggling in relationships, or carrying ways of coping that once helped them survive but no longer support the life they want to live.
As a neurodivergent and chronically ill therapist, I also bring lived experience to this work. While no two experiences are the same, I understand what it can be like to move through systems and environments that aren't always built with diverse minds, bodies, and needs in mind. I know how meaningful it can be to work with someone who holds both professional knowledge and personal understanding.
My work is rooted in person-centered therapy and draws from relational-cultural and attachment theories, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and mindfulness-based practices. These approaches inform how I think about healing, but I don't believe people fit neatly into models. Instead, I tailor therapy to your unique experiences, strengths, values, and goals.
Education and Training:
I have a B.S. in communication from Illinois State University and an M.A. in clinical mental health counseling from Northeastern Illinois University. I am expecting my clinical licensure in July 2026. My therapy experiences include working with children, teens, adults and families in home, schools, and outpatient settings in Illinois. I am certified in Mental Health First Aid and cognitive processing therapy.
3 Things I love:
My adopted pitbull Boogie, dancing, and that moment someone is laughing so hard they can’t finish telling the story!
Vanessa can be reached at: vanessa@amandaatkinschicago.com.
Approach to Therapy:
“Human being, being human.”
This simple phrase guides both my life and my work as a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC). I believe many of the thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and coping strategies people struggle with make sense when we understand the experiences that shaped them. Rather than asking, "What's wrong with you?" I'm more interested in exploring, "What happened?" and "What has your mind and body been trying to help you survive?"
I see therapy as a collaborative relationship grounded in authenticity, curiosity, and respect. You are the expert on your own life. My role isn't to tell you who you are or what you should do, but to walk alongside you as we make sense of your experiences, deepen self-understanding, and create meaningful change together.
I also understand that healing doesn't happen in a vacuum. Our relationships, identities, communities, cultures, and the broader systems we live within all shape how we experience ourselves and the world. I welcome conversations about identity, neurodiversity, chronic illness, power, privilege, oppression, and the many intersecting experiences that influence wellbeing because these realities are part of being human.
One of my core values is transparency. I strive to make the therapeutic process feel collaborative by checking in regularly, seeking ongoing consent, and inviting honest feedback about what's working and what isn't. I believe some of the most meaningful moments in therapy come from genuine relationship—including moments of misunderstanding, repair, and growth. When clinically appropriate, I may also share thoughtful observations or limited personal experiences if I believe they will support your process.
Above all, I hope to create a space where you don't have to perform, minimize, or explain yourself away. A space where every part of you is welcome. Together, my hope is that therapy helps you cultivate greater self-understanding, self-compassion, and self-trust so you can move through the world with more authenticity, connection, and choice.
Clinical Interests: