ACT
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Psychological flexibility: staying present, open, and guided by your values.
Karem Muksed, LCSW · Chicago & online throughout Illinois
Therapy for relationship distress, interpersonal trauma, and emotional gridlock.
I specialize in working with individuals, couples, and families who are stuck in repetitive relationship patterns, emotional gridlock, trauma, or other forms of distress. As a highly trained psychotherapist, I have created a therapeutic method called The ACT Crucible, designed to help people loosen the grip of distress, adapt to life's challenges, and enhance their relationships, and live more meaningful lives.
Relationship Therapist · Chicago & Online Throughout Illinois
LCSW · Relationship therapist
Therapy for the relationships that shape your life
I help individuals, couples, and families move beyond distress, improve connection, and create a life they love.
Populations I serve
I work with clients in four ways
01
Couples Therapy
I work with couples move beyond recurring conflict and emotional distance, and helping them rebuild trust, communication, and intimacy.
02Individual Therapy
I help individuals find what keeps them stuck and reconnect with what matters. For anxiety, trauma, depression, and relationship distress.
03Family Therapy
I help in navigate parent–child conflict, adult family dynamics, estrangement, and cultural or generational differences.
04Relationship Intensives
I offer extended, focused sessions for couples and families in crisis or ready for accelerated growth.
Specialties
More than relationships.
Although much of my work centers on relationships, people come to therapy for a wide range of concerns. I work with individuals, couples, and families across these areas.
- Relationship distress
- Trauma and PTSD
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Family conflict
- Estrangement
- Life transitions
- Emotional gridlock
- Substance use
- Self harm
- Suicidal ideation
- Identity & cultural concerns
My approach
I tailor therapy to your own learning history and needs
My approach centers on helping you understand your experience at a deeper level and develop core psychological skills to transform your life.
Read more about my approachDBT
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Practical therapy for regulating emotions, tolerating distress, and creating a life worth living
Crucible
The ACT Crucible
A method I developed that integrates ACT with Crucible Therapy: A pragmatic approach to build extraordinary relationships
Crucible Therapy
Crucible Therapy
Building differentiation and intimacy: the capacity to stay connected to yourself while emotionally engaged with others.
CNT
Crucible Neurobiological Therapy
Integrating neuroscience with differentiation to address how the brain and nervous system shape relational patterns and trauma responses.
Multicultural & Arabic-speaking therapy
Therapy in Arabic, English, Spanglish, with cultural fluency.
I'm an Iraqi-American therapist who grew up in Chicago and have lived across Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East. I offer therapy in Arabic, English, and some Spanglish.
My international experience shapes how I work with clients navigating family expectations, cultural identity, belonging, and intercultural relationships.
Why work with me
I am experienced, trained, and I regularly receive on-going expert supervision
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
- The University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice
- Advanced training in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Fellowship training in DBT
- Creator of The ACT Crucible
- Experience with individuals, couples & families
- Receives ongoing expert supervision and consultation to provide high quality care
Therapy in Chicago & across Illinois
In person in Chicago. Online throughout Illinois.
I provide couples therapy, individual therapy, and family therapy in Chicago, with online sessions available to clients anywhere in Illinois. As an LCSW, ACT therapist, and DBT therapist serving Chicago, I work with relationship counseling, marriage counseling, trauma therapy, PTSD treatment, anxiety treatment, depression, and family counseling across a wide range of life situations.
Whether you're searching for a Chicago therapist, a couples counselor in Chicago, a family therapist, or a trauma therapist offering online therapy in Illinois, the goal of the first conversation is to see whether you think we're a good fit.
Book a session
Starting therapy is not easy
Therapy is a big investment in your life. I take this responsibility seriously, and I would be honored to be your fellow traveler on your journey to live more fully and meaningfully.
Book a session