Nashat Ali

I trained in medicine before I became a therapist, and it changed what I listen for. When a client tells me her chest tightens before every meeting, or that she can't stop thinking about a diagnosis, I take the physical side of that seriously.

I hold a PhD in health psychology and I'm a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in Illinois and Florida. My published research is on post-traumatic growth in women. Since 2020 I've also taught graduate counseling and psychology as an adjunct professor.

I see adults dealing with trauma and complex trauma, chronic illness, health anxiety, depression, grief, and major life transitions. I work with women through perinatal and postpartum struggles and through fertility challenges. I also see adolescents.

I speak English, Hindi, Arabic, and Urdu. If you're dealing with immigration, acculturation, or family expectations that don't translate easily, you won't have to explain that context to me first.

I match the work to the person rather than running a fixed protocol. I draw on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), psychodynamic therapy, narrative therapy, and solution-focused brief therapy.

Some sessions are practical and skills-based, aimed at relief from something specific like panic or a thought loop you can't get out of. Others go slower, into the pattern underneath. Most people need both at different points.

My medical training means I ask about physical symptoms and treat them as real information rather than something to interpret away. If your body is part of what's going on, it belongs in the conversation.

My research background is in post-traumatic growth, so expect me to ask what you want your life to look like a year from now.

The first session is mostly me listening. I'll ask what brought you in now, what you've tried already, and what you'd like to be different. You set the pace, and you don't have to tell me the hardest part on the first day.

I'll also ask about your physical health and any medical history that feels relevant. That's a deliberate part of how I work.

Near the end we'll pick one or two things to start with, and I'll tell you what I think about fit. If I'm not the right therapist for what you need, I'll say so and help you find someone who is.