Chris Budin, LPC
“He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.” -Friedrich Nietzsche
If any of these issues felt familiar to you, I'll be here when you're ready.
Things my clients are working on in therapy:
- learning to identify and express emotions
- how to accept different parts of our identity we might try to hide
- establishing and maintaining healthy boundaries in relationships
- mindfulness work to increase self-awareness and intentional action
- overcoming procrastination (though most clients prefer to save this part for last…IYKYK)
- the impact of people pleasing and unrealistic expectations has on our mental health
- getting comfortable expressing guilt and shame, understanding where these emotions come from and what they’re trying to tell you
- how past trauma experiences can influence current behaviors and thinking patterns.
Therapy with me is...
Therapy with me is all about the relationship, which means establishing trust. I believe that to develop trust with you, as my client, I can’t just show up and expect you to be authentic and vulnerable. I, myself, have to show up for you in the same way. How would someone feel comfortable opening up and sharing their personal challenges if they believe their therapist is not being genuine with them? This means, as your therapist, I will do my best “to meet you where you’re at” in this therapeutic process.
Most importantly, I want to create a space where you feel you are being seen, heard, and accepted, without any judgment or fear of being yourself. I hope to provide an environment that allows you to take a break from your norm. A place that you can leave the expectation of what you should be, say, or do at the door. A place where you don’t have to answer any “how are you today?” with a quick “good, you?” A place where you can take up as much space as you want. Space to express your feelings and fears, and ultimately, learn how to accept and love all the parts that make up the incredible human being that you are and will continue to be, while we work on reaching your therapeutic goals together.
Therapy with me is not...
I am not the kind of therapist who is going to assign you “therapeutic homework” each week. I will not print out a list of coping skills you need to practice 4 times a day before our next session. And I definitely will not pressure you to talk about your trauma, or make you feel like you are at a job interview or interrogation (e.g., asking a million questions).
I am not the kind of therapist who has an agenda before you ever walk in the room. As long as you are giving me the privilege of being your therapist, I vow to be open-minded, culturally sensitive, transparent and honest with you, and to fight with you to advocate for what is in your best interest, always.
“The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.” - Carl Rogers
About me
- I LOVE Batman (and luckily, my wife supports this love) and I regularly read comic books/graphic novels in my free time
- I love playing and now mostly watching sports. More specifically, basketball, baseball, football, lacrosse, and golf.
- Huge fan of the Cubs, Bulls, and Bears.
- Favorite athlete is the “GOAT,” Michael Jordan
- I enjoy almost any type of music and can play guitar
- Favorite band is The Beatles
- I love fishing, being outside, and hiking!
- I have and always will be a dog person
- I have an 8-year-old “hound”, Bridget that I adopted when I lived in Chicago. And, yes, she was a flower girl at our wedding.
I became a therapist because..
Like many folks, the COVID-19 Pandemic took a toll on my mental health. I was working as a medical supply sales representative and started recognizing signs of potential burnout impacting my personal and professional life. I also saw the significant amount of stress the pandemic was causing my customers (e.g., nurses, doctors, hospital administrators) and the patients that they served in their communities. It was during this time I started to reflect and prioritize my well-being through meditation, self-care activities, and resuming individual therapy which ultimately led to pursuing my master’s in counseling. I have always had a passion for helping others; and I owe a lot of that passion to the helpers that have been in my life, particularly my therapist when I was a young boy. So, with the love and support of my wife, family, and close friends I was able to make my dream of becoming a professional counselor a reality.
The Boring (Important) Stuff
I attended the University of Dayton in Ohio (GO FYLERS!) for my undergraduate degree where I graduated with a double major in Marketing & International Business with a concentration in Sales & Entrepreneurship. Upon graduation, I spent the next 7-8 years in various sales roles that eventually led to what I thought at the time was my dream job which was working as a medical sales representative at Medline Industries. During my time at Medline, I obtained an incredible amount of sales experience and learned a great deal about the healthcare industry.
However, I felt like something was missing in my career and I knew I needed to find out what it was. So, I decided to make a major change by pursuing my master’s in counseling at Adler University, where I graduated in the summer of 2023. I quickly realized the skills I learned and developed while in sales were transferable to my new role as a mental health counselor. Each customer has different wants and needs and the same holds true when working with clients who are seeking therapy. Thus, I was able to build on my strengths as a sales representative such as active listening, identifying obstacles and barriers, showing empathy, and treating others with respect and applying these skills within the therapeutic setting.
