Anna Clay
She/Her
“I'm inspired by the kindness I see in random strangers who run after someone to return a lost item or the tons of small acts of kindness that show me the world is full of people who choose to be kind to others even when things are chaotic.”
My top feel good songs
About Me
My name is Anna Clay and I am a Mental Health Therapist here at Ashé Counseling and Coaching LLC. My goal as a therapist is to create a space with my clients that is open, authentic, and safe for the client to discuss their thoughts and concerns. My clients would describe be as understanding, funny, and reliable. I am here to help clients process, understand, and help gain control of their feelings, thoughts, behaviors, and experiences. My therapy is person centered, and uses attributes from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Mindfulness and relaxation techniques. I have experience working with clients who are experiencing anxiety, depression, chronic illness, self esteem concerns, relationship concerns, Bipolar disorder, and ADHD. I was born and raised in Boston Massachusetts, got my Bachelors Degree in Psychology and History at McGill University in Montreal Canada, and moved to Chicago for my Masters of Social Work at UIC. My professional therapy career began in my year of clinical internship here at Ashé. Outside of work, I love to watch lots of movies of a wide variety, spend time with friends and family, and try to give back to my community to improve everyones access to nutrition, housing, and a safe space for kids/youth to play and exist.
Why did you decide to become a social worker/counselor
I became a social worker because I want to use my expertise in psychology and my passion for decolonizing history to help people through difficult times and experiences, and to dedicate my career to trying to make a positive difference in people's lives.
What types of clients are you most excited to work with?
I am excited to work with clients of all types, I am particularly interested in working with clients who are experiencing anxiety, mood disorders like depression, chronic illness (like Long Covid), ADHD, working with LGBTQ+ individuals, and individuals and communities who are survivors of colonization like Indigenous, Black, Latinx, South Asian, Middle Eastern, etc. I want to work with adolescents, adults, and families.
What's one thing you wish all clients knew?
That a client and I are working together to address whatever concerns the client may have, and that we are a partnership meaning that the clients input will guide how we move forward and will be tailored the client specifically.
Why did you choose to practice at Ashe Counseling?
I chose to practice at Ashe Counseling and Coaching because I wanted to be a part of this great community of clinicians, and be able to reach clients who use public and community insurance types that are not always accepted at other therapy offices. I completed my Graduate Internship here at Ashé, and wanted to continue working with my colleagues and clients while being part of an accessible therapy clinic.
Age Specialities
Preteen/Teen
Young Adult
Adults
In Network
Blue Cross Blue Shield, PPO
Blue Cross Community
Aetna
Aetna Better Health
Cigna
United Health Care
Meridan
Medicaid of IL