A New Chapter of Healing with Heartwood Center
Reflection from Sarah Suzuki on EMDR Therapy Service Offering in Evanston
Healing happens through connection—which is why we’re thrilled to partner with Heartwood Center in Evanston to offer EMDR therapy beginning January 2025.
Toward a vision of collaborative care
When I founded Chicago Compass Counseling, I had a clear vision: a single, well-run site in the heart of Chicago’s Loop.
But business coaches urged me to “expand, expand, expand!”
As someone in the business of recovery, expanding for the sake of expansion never sat right with me. True healing isn’t about scaling up or chasing numbers.
Healing isn’t about “cornering market share.”
So why are healers pressured to dominate their “competitors”? As a therapist specializing in recovery—and as someone in recovery myself—I beg to differ. Healing involves nurturing what is good—in ourselves and our communities—with a spirit of stewardship and care.
Healing is relational.
From Chiron, the mythic wounded healer, to the recovery circles of Indigenous peoples guided by the Code of Handsome Lake and even today’s 12-step groups, healing has always been relational.
The reality therapists face today
Even with this deep relational history, today’s therapists face a different kind of challenge. In 2024, we’re navigating the realities of a capitalist healthcare system, where the pressure to grow and compete often overshadows the core mission of care.
Thankfully, my team at CCC shares a different vision. We believe healing is about collaboration and stewardship. By working together with others, we can provide better care, not just more of it.
For example, consider our recent partnership with Transcend Counseling Chicago. In April 2024, we hosted Chicago’s first Hold Me Tight retreat centering BIPOC and interracial relationships. Their Bucktown space was the ideal setting for this meaningful work, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. We’re excited to reprise the retreat in 2025.
Healing spaces already exist.
We don’t need to reinvent the wheel; we need the will to share resources thoughtfully. Collaboration, not expansion, is the future of healing.
Since 2020, upheaval has reshaped our lives. Clients juggle fluctuating childcare, shifting work demands, and unpredictable schedules, while therapists face systemic pressures like private equity consolidations and inadequate reimbursement rates.
In Chicago, these challenges often push businesses toward expansion, adding locations in every neighborhood. But more isn’t always better.
Instead of opening new CCC locations, I’ve found it far more meaningful to ask: How can we better relate to the amazing programs already embedded in our community? By imagining a different way of doing business, growth can be less about footprint and more about providing the care our clients deserve.
This question feels especially urgent in a healthcare system that tends to silo individual practitioners and organizations.
As a result, solo practitioners long for group support, while group practices yearn for a broader sense of community. But we—the therapists—deserve more than longing and yearning.
The good news? Organizations can make connections happen. By dissolving barriers through intentional partnerships, we can foster authentic relationships and create spaces where innovative, sustainable care thrives.
Why Heartwood, and why now?
We’re proud of the culture we’ve built at CCC, yet imagining new ways to connect across organizational lines is even more energizing. Partnering with Heartwood is a meaningful step in that direction.
Heartwood Center aligns with our values.
For years, Heartwood has been a hub for healing and community engagement. I first experienced its welcoming spirit during a powerful 3-day retreat in January 2020. It’s a space that embodies community stewardship—one of CCC’s core values.
Instead of building from scratch, we’re collaborating with trusted organizations like Heartwood—places already engaged in meaningful, impactful work. This partnership reflects our vision while responding to the evolving needs of both clients and therapists.
What this means for you
Starting January 15, 2025, Christine Leone, LCSW, our EMDR specialist, will bring her expertise to the Heartwood Center, offering in-person EMDR therapy.
You can expect:
- Increased Access to Care.
- Christine Leone, LCSW, will offer in-demand trauma therapy—EMDR—in Evanston, in person.
- A Welcoming Location.
- Heartwood Center provides a peaceful, neighborhood-based setting with the added ease of free parking.
- More Flexible Options.
- Whether you’re near the Loop or closer to Evanston, in-person therapy is now more accessible at CCC.
Healing is a journey best taken together.
We’re so excited for Christine to bring her expertise to this beautiful new space. If you want to find out more about the benefits of in-person EMDR therapy, contact us today to schedule a discovery call with our intake coordinator.
Together, we can strengthen bonds within our Chicago-area communities, ensuring the care we provide stays rooted in purpose and integrity. We’re here for you.
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