shirley-headshot

Shirley Khong

(She/Her/Hers)

Self Compassion Counseling

LCPC

Currently accepting new clients. 

Telehealth Availability:

Telehealth availability: Mondays - Thursdays: 10 am - 4 pm, and Fridays: 10 am - 1 pm.

Clients I Work With

If you have spent years putting others first, as a high-achiever, a people-pleaser, or a caregiver who keeps showing up for everyone else while quietly running on empty, you are exactly who I work with. I specialize in working with women who have recently experienced a breakup or divorce and are exploring their sexuality, rebuilding their sense of self, and navigating new relationships. They are often afraid of being a burden to others, struggle to prioritize their own needs, or have spent years putting their partner’s needs before their own. They’re ready to make changes so they don’t repeat the same patterns, especially if they’ve often betrayed their own needs to keep the peace, maintain a relationship, or avoid disappointing others. Together, we can explore what they want from their relationships and their lives, while learning to trust themselves and honor their needs without the guilt.

Approach

You don't have to perform or present a polished version of yourself here. We slow down to understand what happened, the patterns that played a role, where they may have come from, and what you actually want your life and relationships to look like going forward. Using an IFS-informed and psychodynamic approach, we explore the parts of you that have learned to keep the peace, meet others’ needs, avoid conflict, or protect you from disappointment. Together, we’ll develop a deeper understanding of what you need and want for yourself, while building the skills to communicate your needs and boundaries. You can begin telling a new story, at your own pace, in a space where your emotions, questions about relationships and sexuality, and uncomfortable experiences won’t scare me away.

Beliefs & Lived Experience

This work is deeply personal to me. Growing up as a second-generation Chinese-Vietnamese American, I was always curious about why certain emotions felt so overwhelming and how unspoken pain could lead to conflict, distance, or broken relationships. I saw it in my own family and community, where seeking support, let alone therapy, was often viewed as a weakness or met with “you’re crazy.” I knew there had to be a better way, so I followed my heart and curiosity to unlearn unhealthy behaviors and create safe spaces for myself, to be a better spouse to my partner and parent to my future children. I saw how destructive these patterns could be, and I didn’t want negative self-talk, fear-based beliefs, or the unspoken pain to continue. This experience shapes how I show up as a therapist: you can honor where you come from while choosing what you want to carry forward.

Additional Credentials & Training

Internal Family Systems training: IFS in Challenging Times (completed 8/21/26) Suicide Assessment and Prevention training (completed 7/27/26) Stress, Trauma, and the Pelvic Floor: What Mental Health Clinicians Should Know (completed 7/22/26) Trauma and Trance: From Shamanism to Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy (completed 7/10/26) From Trauma to Transformation: Somatic Practices for Individual and Collective Grief (completed 5/15/26) 2025 IFS Healing the Trauma-Addiction Cycle: Key IFS Strategies (completed 1/2/26)

Ages Served

Adults (18+)
Older Adults (65+)
Young Adults (18-25)

Services Provided

Couples Therapy
Individual Therapy

Specialized Experience

Artists & Creative Professionals
Asian / Asian American clients
BIPOC clients
Biracial / Multiracial clients
Caregivers
Entrepreneurs & Executives
South Asian clients

Gender Identity

Woman

Languages Spoken

Cantonese
English

Faith Communities Served

Buddhist
Christian

Specializations

Modalities

Attachment-Based
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Psychodynamic Therapy

Specialties

Aging
Anger Management
Anxiety
Attachment
Burnout
Depression
Divorce
Grief
Highly Sensitive People (HSP)
Immigrant & Refugee Mental Health
Life Transitions
Men’s Mental Health
Panic
Perfectionism
Relationship Issues
Self Esteem
Trauma & PTSD
Women’s Mental Health

Insurance and Payment

Payment Accepted

Cash
Credit
Out of Network (Superbills Provided)

Session Fees

$150
-$310

Insurance Accepted

Blue Choice PPO
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL)

State Licensed In

Illinois