(773) 219-2152Client Portal

FAQ

Where is your practice located?
My practice is located at 2217 N Lincoln Avenue, Chicago, IL 60614. There’s easy pay parking on the street and access to public transportation.

How do I contact you or make an appointment?

You may call or text me at (773) 219-2152 or e-mail me at leilaypsychoanalysis@gmail.com to schedule a 20-minute free consultation to check if we are a good match.

How much do you charge?
My fee is $150 per session. A sliding scale fee is available upon request.
Do you take insurance?
I’m in-network for BCBS and out-of-network for other insurance companies, meaning that I can provide a superbill for you to request reimbursement from other plans.
What should I expect on my first visit?
You will find a place where you can freely and securely talk about what is currently blocking you from living the life you wish for. We can either start to work right away on the issues that are leading to your bothersome symptoms or take time to build a comfortable space where you don’t feel judged and get ready to work.
What is your approach? How are sessions conducted?
Sessions of analysis and psychoanalytic psychotherapy are conducted through a psychoanalytic lens, meaning that principles of free association, transference, and unconscious are at the core of the session’s conduction. It is a method of working that goes beyond behavior and thought process modifications, but in which the modifications initially aimed will come as a consequence of the process.
Should I lie down on the couch for sessions?
Not until you feel ready for that, or you can also choose not to at any moment of treatment.
What is your professional training and experience?

I graduated with a master’s in clinical psychology from Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo in Brazil. I’ve been living in Chicago since 2014 and attended classes at the University of Chicago to complement my curriculum and become a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in llinois.

I have over 12 years of experience working in mental health institutions, therapeutic schools, and private practice, combining my work in Brazil and in the US. Since my graduation, I’ve been involved in diverse study groups themed around psychoanalytic concepts. These groups are, at the moment, connected to Lacanian Compass, Houston Freudian Field Library, or Chicago Psychoanalytic Circle. I’m also a member at Chicago Center for Psychoanalysis.

Aside from working in my private practice, I’m also supervising and collaborating with building a clinic devoted to a more humanized work with psychosis and extreme states.

How long does therapy last?

It lasts as long as you feel you’re benefiting from it.

What is your canceation policy?

If sessions are not canceled at least 24 hours in advance, a late cancellation fee will apply.

Brazil or US?

Both are places I call home, where I would retire happily. Although, I don’t believe I will ever retire because I truly love this job and feel deeply connected with each person I work with.