Josh Won,
he/him
Therapy has the potential to be a transformative and empowering experience for individuals. I believe the relationship between the therapist and client is the most important element of our work.
Similar to a childhood playground, therapy provides us with a secure environment designed with structures to help us explore our inner selves, thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and relationships. It permits us to foster creativity, self-discovery, awareness, and transformation. I believe that therapy is a relational process with a trained and trusted professional which provides a refuge for navigating discomfort and conflicts within us and around us. Ultimately, it is an intentional pursuit for profound personal exploration and growth.
Specialties:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Relationship issues
- Trauma and PTSD
- Life Transitions
- Men’s Issues
- LGBTQIA+
- Complex family dynamics (Religious concerns, immigrants, multicultural conflict, AAPI)
I work with a diverse range of individuals, couples, and families. I have a special interest in multiculturalism, relational dynamics, and family-of-origin issues. As a queer, first-generation Asian-American, I have navigated the unique challenges of having to reconcile clashing cultures and diverging identities. As such, I believe in helping clients become more aware of their truths and learn how their values and identities shape their realities and relationships. Working in collaboration with my clients, I strive to tailor our sessions based on their needs while fostering a secure and restorative space where we can manage healing, discover insight, and build the courage to embark on a journey toward growth and acceptance.
My approach is grounded in being trauma-informed, client-centered, culturally sensitive, and affirmative. My primary focus is on cultivating a strong therapeutic relationship, building rapport, and creating a secure space for individuals to kickstart their unique journeys. I tailor my methods to align with each client's specific goals, drawing from diverse therapeutic modalities including relational psychodynamic perspectives and cognitive-behavioral therapies like CBT, DBT, and ACT. I stay informed about the latest research in mental health and am inspired to integrate varied practices, such as IFS and mind-body approaches, into my evolving framework.
I earned my Bachelor's degree in Psychology from UCLA, and later pursued a Master's degree in Clinical Social Work from the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice at the University of Chicago. As a graduate intern, I dedicated my efforts to the Section of Infectious Diseases at UChicago Medicine, providing care for both newly diagnosed and preexisting HIV+ patients residing in marginalized neighborhoods in South Side Chicago. I am also a Fellow at the Chicago Center of Psychoanalysis.