Joanna Vergoth
LCSW, NCPsyA
Pronouns: She/Her
Licensed Psychotherapist| Trauma & Relational Health Specialist
Therapy for Adults Healing from Complex Trauma, Shame & Deeply Rooted Patterns
Warm, depth-oriented support to help you understand yourself more fully — and finally feel at home in your own life.
Let’s Start Here
You've been carrying something for a long time. Maybe it's a heaviness you can't quite name — a pattern of pulling away when things get close, a voice inside that's relentlessly critical, or a feeling that no matter how much you understand about yourself, something still feels stuck.
You might notice that certain situations trigger reactions that feel bigger than the moment itself. That relationships feel complicated — full of longing and also fear. That you want to feel more settled in who you are, but your sense of self shifts depending on who you're with or what's happening around you. What you're experiencing makes sense, given what you've been through. And you don't have to keep navigating it alone.
What would you say to someone who’s nervous or unsure about starting therapy?
Hi, I'm Joanna Vergoth, a therapist at Tides Mental Health. Starting therapy — especially when you're carrying something heavy — can feel like a lot. You don't need to have the right words, or know exactly what you need. We'll take things at a pace that feels right for you, and we'll figure it out together. I'm really glad you're here.
What would you say to someone who’s nervous or unsure about starting therapy?
Hi, I'm Joanna Vergoth, a therapist at Tides Mental Health. Starting therapy — especially when you're carrying something heavy — can feel like a lot. You don't need to have the right words, or know exactly what you need. We'll take things at a pace that feels right for you, and we'll figure it out together. I'm really glad you're here.
What It’s Like to Work Together
Our sessions are warm, unhurried, and genuinely collaborative. You won't be pushed to go anywhere you're not ready to go — and you'll never feel like you have to perform or have the right answers. This is a space where you can slow down, explore what's really happening beneath the surface, and start to make sense of it. Together, we'll use Internal Family Systems (IFS) — a way of exploring the different "parts" of you that may feel in conflict, the ones that protect you, and the ones still carrying old pain. This approach helps you relate to yourself with more clarity and compassion, rather than self-criticism. We'll also work with Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to gently examine the beliefs that past experiences have shaped — and begin to shift the ones that no longer serve you. We'll also tune into what your body is telling you. Through somatic awareness, you'll build a stronger relationship with your nervous system and develop tools for feeling more grounded — not just in sessions, but in your everyday life. The work is both deep and practical. You'll leave with real insight and real tools.
What can clients expect it to feel like in a session with you?
Sessions with me feel like a real conversation — grounded, honest, and at your pace. There's space to go deep, and there's also room to just be where you are. I'll be present and engaged with you — asking questions, reflecting things back, and helping you slow down enough to notice what's actually happening inside. You set the pace. I'm here to walk alongside you.
What’s one reason you’re passionate about the work you do?
Over more than two decades of doing this work — including years supporting immigrant survivors and communities navigating gender-based trauma — what keeps me here is the same thing: watching people move from surviving to actually living. So many of my clients come in believing something is fundamentally broken in them. What I get to witness, over time, is that it was never broken — it was adapted. Helping someone reconnect with themselves and with others in a way that feels real and lasting — that's the work I was meant to do.
Clinical Specialties
- Complex trauma and PTSD
- Anxiety and emotional overwhelm
- Shame, self-worth, and chronic self-criticism
- Relational patterns and attachment challenges
- Interpersonal difficulties and boundary-setting
- Identity, fragmentation, and self-understanding
- Trauma related to sexual abuse — including its impact on intimacy and sexuality
- Life transitions and deeply rooted behavioral patterns
- Mood concerns and emotional dysregulation
- Cross-cultural and immigrant mental health experiences
Treatment Modalities
- Internal Family Systems (IFS) — explore the different "parts" of yourself to build self-understanding and compassion from the inside out.
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) — work through how traumatic experiences have shaped the beliefs you hold about yourself, others, and the world.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) — notice and gently shift the thought patterns that drive how you feel and behave.
- Somatic Awareness — tune into your body as a source of wisdom, building nervous system regulation and grounded emotional processing.
- Psychodynamic & Psychoanalytic Approaches (Jungian-informed) — explore how early experiences and unconscious patterns shape your present-day emotional and relational life.
- Mindfulness-Based Approaches — slow down, notice what's happening inside, and respond with greater intention and choice.
Populations Served
- Adults
- Individuals navigating complex or developmental trauma
- Survivors of sexual abuse and gender-based violence
- Immigrant and refugee communities
- Adults working through long-standing relational and attachment patterns
- People experiencing anxiety, emotional dysregulation, or fragmented sense of self
- Adults seeking deeper self-understanding and longer-term, insight-oriented work
- Individuals navigating major life transitions
Training & Credentials
- Education: Master of Social Work (MSW), Academic Honors — Loyola University Chicago
- Licensure:Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) — Illinois
- Nationally Certified Psychoanalyst (NCPsyA)
- Certification: Psychoanalysis (Jungian Concentration) — Westchester Institute for Psychoanalysis
- Depth Psychology — Pacifica Graduate Institute
- Languages Spoken: English
- Availability: Offering in-person sessions in Chicago and telehealth throughout Illinois
- 27+ years of clinical experience in private practice and community settings
- Former Founder & Director — forma, a nonprofit providing trauma-informed care to immigrant survivors of gender-based trauma (Chicago, 2013–2024)
- Pursuing additional training in Brainspotting and Trauma-Informed Yoga
You don't need to have it all figured out to reach out. If you've been living with the weight of past experiences — feeling stuck in patterns that don't serve you, disconnected from yourself, or exhausted by the gap between who you are and who you want to be — this could be a meaningful place to begin. Joanna will meet you exactly where you are, with patience, depth, and genuine care. Your sense of safety and readiness will guide the pace. You don't have to carry this alone. If you're ready to explore whether working together might be a good fit, she'd be honored to connect with you. Click below to schedule a free 15-minute consultation.
Insurance We Accept
We accept most major insurance providers and offer several convenient payment methods to ensure accessibility for your care. We also offer various payment methods, including credit cards, bank transfers, and electronic payments.
