SNK Therapy, LLC, Chicago, IL (2026)

02/18/2026

There has been A LOT to react to in the news recently. And I’ve had a lot of reactions when I see people make ignorant comments about who is performing at the Super Bowl Halftime show or immigration. I’ve certainly had to practice the power of the PAUSE.

Pausing is not the same as neglecting. Taking time to regulate before responding is often the most responsible choice you can make.

We live in a culture that praises urgency — quick replies, instant opinions, immediate decisions. But our nervous systems aren’t designed to function well under constant pressure to react. When we respond from overwhelm, we’re more likely to speak from fear, defensiveness, or exhaustion rather than from intention.

A pause is not avoidance.
 It’s awareness. It’s self-trust. It’s choosing to respond instead of react.

Slowing down gives your body time to settle, your thoughts time to organize, and your values time to lead. It allows you to show up in a way that is aligned, grounded, and true — instead of rushed or regretful.

You are allowed to move at a pace that supports clarity, not just reactivity. You are allowed to take a breath before answering. You are allowed to honor your timing.

💛 Gentle reflection: What shifts when you give yourself permission to pause before responding?
•

___________

Hi! I’m Shanta Kanukollu, PhD or “Dr. K”. I am a Licensed Clinical Psychologist who provides support to improve well-being, move people from a scarcity to thriving mindset and break stigma re: mental health through therapy, workshops and speaking engagements.

I share content (that should not be substituted for therapy) to motivate, educate and inspire. To learn more follow along and see my link in bio to:

⬇️ Download my free thriving workbook
👁️ Watch my TedX talk
➕ Add your name to my waitlist for therapy
🎧 Listen to the podcasts where I’ve been a guest
🙋‍♀️ Sign up for my next Thriving Mindset Group
💻 Request information about my workshop offerings for therapists, employers and/or people interested in therapy
📋 Reach out to discuss clinical supervision and consultation

02/13/2026

Many patients of mine share how stressed and burnt out they are these days. They feel like they have too much on their plate or feel rushed no matter what. It’s made me wonder how so many of us have landed in this place of urgency, busy-ness and exhaustion.

I’ve wondered if many of us have been taught that urgency is the same as responsibility or productivity.

But for many people, urgency isn’t actually about effectiveness — it’s about survival.

When your nervous system has learned, often early in life, that safety depended on being fast, alert, prepared, or hyper-aware… moving quickly can feel like protection. Responding immediately can feel like control. Anticipating everything can feel like stability.

In those moments, urgency isn’t a personality trait. It’s an adaptation. It may have been shaped by environments where:
* mistakes weren’t safe * needs weren’t consistently met * emotions had to be managed quickly * or attention had to be earned through performance 
Your system learned: move fast to stay safe.

So when someone tells you to “just slow down,” it may not feel calming. It may feel threatening, exposing and unfamiliar. You may even feel like it’s a ridiculous suggestion.

And that makes sense.

Slowing down isn’t always natural when your body equates speed with security. But the nervous system is not fixed — it’s adaptable. With support, safety, and repetition, it can gently learn that steadiness is safe too.

Gentle reflection:
Where might urgency be showing up as an old survival strategy rather than a present-day necessity?
•

02/10/2026

January felt long with the frigid temperature here in Chicago, the horrifying Epstein files, the tragic deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti and so much more. I feel like it’s all been wearing me down personally.

Here’s something I’ve been meditating on as I try to soothe myself in these times:
- Rest, maintenance, and getting through the day count. - Productivity isn’t only measured by output—it’s also measured by preservation.
- Low capacity doesn’t mean failure. It means your system is doing its best with what it has.

How are YOU doing?
•

___________

Hi! I’m Shanta Kanukollu, PhD or “Dr. K”. I am a Licensed Clinical Psychologist who provides support to improve well-being, move people from a scarcity to thriving mindset and break stigma re: mental health through therapy, workshops and speaking engagements.

I share content (that should not be substituted for therapy) to motivate, educate and inspire. To learn more follow along and see my link in bio to:

⬇️ Download my free thriving workbook
👁️ Watch my TedX talk
➕ Add your name to my waitlist for therapy
🎧 Listen to the podcasts where I’ve been a guest
🙋‍♀️ Sign up for my next Thriving Mindset Group
💻 Request information about my workshop offerings for therapists, employers and/or people interested in therapy
📋 Reach out to discuss clinical supervision and consultation

02/04/2026

In a world that constantly demands your attention, choosing what you take in is a form of care.

Not every headline, opinion, or crisis deserves unlimited access to your nervous system. Your body and mind were not designed to process endless urgency, conflict, and fear.

Protecting your mental health isn’t avoidance. It’s discernment. It’s boundaries. It’s survival.

Stepping back does not mean you don’t care. Resting does not make you disengaged. And taking breaks does not disqualify you from being an activist or an agent of change.

In fact, sustainable change requires regulated nervous systems, clear minds, and bodies that are cared for. Burnout doesn’t serve justice — sustainability does.

💛 A gentle invitation:
Notice how your body feels after consuming news or social media. If something leaves you tense, overwhelmed, or numb, give yourself permission to pause, ground, and return when you feel steadier.

Caring for your nervous system is not selfish.
It’s how you remain present, connected, and able to keep showing up — for yourself, your family and your community.
•

___________

Hi! I’m Shanta Kanukollu, PhD or “Dr. K”. I am a Licensed Clinical Psychologist who provides support to improve well-being, move people from a scarcity to thriving mindset and break stigma re: mental health through therapy, workshops and speaking engagements.

I share content (that should not be substituted for therapy) to motivate, educate and inspire. To learn more follow along and see my link in bio to:

⬇️ Download my free thriving workbook
👁️ Watch my TedX talk
➕ Add your name to my waitlist for therapy
🎧 Listen to the podcasts where I’ve been a guest
🙋‍♀️ Sign up for my next Thriving Mindset Group
💻 Request information about my workshop offerings for therapists, employers and/or people interested in therapy
📋 Reach out to discuss clinical supervision and consultation

01/27/2026

I want to tell you to give yourself a break from the news… but how can we look away when lives are at stake? I want to tell you to protect your peace… but how can we feel safe in this climate?

We’re witnessing fear, anger, grief, and community unrest as federal enforcement actions in Minnesota have led to tragic loss and deepening mistrust. These events are not just headlines — they are real people, real pain, and real trauma.

It’s okay to be overwhelmed. It’s okay to feel afraid and unsure. It’s also ok to be REALLY angry when people are being killed and we are being lied to about it. Our nervous systems are built to respond to threat — this is human, not weak. As a psychologist, I encourage grounding where you can: focus on your breath, your body, your values, your community. But I also see the importance of staying informed, standing in truth, and advocating for justice and accountability in the systems that shape our safety.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed or unsafe, support is available. In MN, you can call or text 988 for the Su***de & Crisis Lifeline, or reach out to MN Warmline (651-288-0400) for emotional support. If you’re looking to help, consider donating to local mutual aid groups, immigrant advocacy organizations, or community bail funds. Some I recommend:

Hold space for your feelings, check in with your people, and if you need support — reach out. We heal together. 💛🕊️ 

01/22/2026

I hear many of my patients call themselves “lazy.” And every time, it makes me pause.

More often than not, it’s a reflex — a harsh shortcut to self-criticism — when what’s really happening is overwhelm, exhaustion, or avoidance rooted in something meaningful. What we label as procrastination or “laziness” is often a nervous system asking for relief. 
It’s burnout. It’s depletion. It’s a body that has been carrying too much for too long.

Before asking yourself to push harder, try asking something different:
Have I had enough rest? Enough support? Enough recovery?

And notice when comparison sneaks in — not to inspire growth, but to shame yourself into movement.

You’re not lazy. You’re human. 
And your needs are not a moral failing.

💛 Gentle reflection:

Where in your life might you be calling yourself “lazy”? Where did this harsh self-talk come from and what is a more compassionate way to talk to yourself?
•

___________

Hi! I’m Shanta Kanukollu, PhD or “Dr. K”. I am a Licensed Clinical Psychologist who provides support to improve well-being, move people from a scarcity to thriving mindset and break stigma re: mental health through therapy, workshops and speaking engagements.

I share content (that should not be substituted for therapy) to motivate, educate and inspire. To learn more follow along and see my link in bio to:

⬇️ Download my free thriving workbook
👁️ Watch my TedX talk
➕ Add your name to my waitlist for therapy
🎧 Listen to the podcasts where I’ve been a guest
🙋‍♀️ Sign up for my next Thriving Mindset Group
💻 Request information about my workshop offerings for therapists, employers and/or people interested in therapy
📋 Reach out to discuss clinical supervision and consultation

01/20/2026

Anyone else struggling with the balance of tending to what’s happening in the world (i.e. the horrifying things happening) with their own psychological well-being and need to disconnect? That is fair, human and a natural response.

Your attention is a finite resource. What you give it to—news cycles, conversations, comparisons—quietly shapes your nervous system and your inner world.

Care doesn’t always look like doing more. Sometimes it looks like choosing what not to attend to or when to attend to it.

How are you caring for yourself these days?
•

___________

Hi! I’m Shanta Kanukollu, PhD or “Dr. K”. I am a Licensed Clinical Psychologist who provides support to improve well-being, move people from a scarcity to thriving mindset and break stigma re: mental health through therapy, workshops and speaking engagements.

I share content (that should not be substituted for therapy) to motivate, educate and inspire. To learn more follow along and see my link in bio to:

⬇️ Download my free thriving workbook
👁️ Watch my TedX talk
➕ Add your name to my waitlist for therapy
🎧 Listen to the podcasts where I’ve been a guest
🙋‍♀️ Sign up for my next Thriving Mindset Group
💻 Request information about my workshop offerings for therapists, employers and/or people interested in therapy
📋 Reach out to discuss clinical supervision and consultation

12/31/2025

Your body remembers everything — even the things you pushed through.
 The stress you carried. The burnout you normalized. The resilience you never paused to honor.

As the year winds down, it’s worth asking:  • What did my nervous system learn this year?  • When was I in survival mode?  • What helped me feel even a little safer?

So many women I work with realize at year’s end that they’ve been surviving for a long time — doing what needed to be done, but feeling exhausted, disconnected, or numb underneath.

If you’re ready to move toward something more supportive and intentional, I’ll be offering my Surviving to Thriving group starting in January — a space for women to gently shift out of survival, reconnect with themselves, and build tools for regulation, care, and growth in community.

You don’t have to keep carrying everything alone. Awareness is the first step — and support can be part of what comes next. DM me if you’re interested in learning more. Looking forward to hearing from you.As we move into the final stretch of the year, pause and ask yourself:
✨ What sustained me? ✨ Who showed up for me? ✨ What gave me strength when it felt like I had none left? ✨ What helped me stay soft? ✨ What reminded me I’m still growing?

Here is to a safe, restful, joyful and nourishing new year.
•

___________

Hi! I’m Shanta Kanukollu, PhD or “Dr. K”. I share content (that should not be substituted for therapy) to motivate, educate and inspire. To learn more follow along and see my link in bio to:

⬇️ Download my free thriving workbook
👁️ Watch my TedX talk
➕ Add your name to my waitlist for therapy
🎧 Listen to the podcasts where I’ve been a guest
🙋‍♀️ Sign up for my next Thriving Mindset Group
💻 Request information about my workshop offerings for therapists, employers and/or people interested in therapy
📋 Reach out to discuss clinical supervision and consultation

12/24/2025

As we move into the final stretch of the year, pause and ask yourself:
✨ What sustained me? ✨ Who showed up for me? ✨ What gave me strength when it felt like I had none left? ✨ What helped me stay soft? ✨ What reminded me I’m still growing?

Maybe you’ve made it through moments you thought would break you.

Perhaps you’ve learned, unlearned, healed, and survived more than you give yourself credit for.

Maybe you tried something new and learned that it wasn’t for you at this time.

Whatever the scenario, I hope you’re able to take a moment before the new year arrives to honor all the parts of you that carried you to the end of 2025.

Here is to a safe, restful, joyful and nourishing holiday season.
•

___________

Hi! I'm Shanta Kanukollu, PhD or "Dr. K”. I am a Licensed Clinical Psychologist who provides support to improve well-being, move people from a scarcity to thriving mindset and break stigma re: mental health through therapy, workshops and speaking engagements.

I share content (that should not be substituted for therapy) to motivate, educate and inspire. To learn more follow along and see my link in bio to:

⬇️ Download my free thriving workbook
👁️ Watch my TedX talk
➕ Add your name to my waitlist for therapy
🎧 Listen to the podcasts where I’ve been a guest
🙋‍♀️ Sign up for my next Thriving Mindset Group
💻 Request information about my workshop offerings for therapists, employers and/or people interested in therapy
📋 Reach out to discuss clinical supervision and consultation

12/18/2025

We often associate year-end reflections with what we DID and what we ACHIEVED. Did we get that promotion as we hoped we would? Did we lose the weight we planned to? Did we stick with our resolutions from the start of the year?

But here are some other questions I invite you to ask yourself…

Before you step into a new year, pause and check in with your heart:  • What nourished you this year?  • What drained you?  • Where did you feel most like yourself?  • What do you want to release?  • What do you want to invite in?

You don’t need a big transformation or resolution before 2026 arrives.

Just honesty, compassion and one small step toward yourself.
•

___________

Hi! I'm Shanta Kanukollu, PhD or "Dr. K”. I am a Licensed Clinical Psychologist who provides support to improve well-being, move people from a scarcity to thriving mindset and break stigma re: mental health through therapy, workshops and speaking engagements.

I share content (that should not be substituted for therapy) to motivate, educate and inspire. To learn more follow along and see my link in bio to:

⬇️ Download my free thriving workbook
👁️ Watch my TedX talk
➕ Add your name to my waitlist for therapy
🎧 Listen to the podcasts where I’ve been a guest
🙋‍♀️ Sign up for my next Thriving Mindset Group
💻 Request information about my workshop offerings for therapists, employers and/or people interested in therapy
📋 Reach out to discuss clinical supervision and consultation

12/16/2025

What is gratitude, really?

For many of us in marginalized communities, gratitude has often been misunderstood. We were told to “be grateful” as a way to stay silent, endure more, or shrink ourselves. But true gratitude isn’t about dismissing our struggles or accepting less than we deserve.

Gratitude is the practice of noticing:  🌿 the small moments that keep us going,  💛 the people who hold us with care,  ✨ the glimmers that remind us we’re more than what we’ve survived.

It’s a way of honoring what sustains us — not a way of excusing what harms us.

Gratitude doesn’t mean everything is okay. It means we’re pausing to recognize the bits of light that exist alongside the hard things.

A warm meal. A quiet morning. A friend who checks in. A body that is still trying.

Gratitude, when reclaimed, becomes a form of cultural and personal nourishment — a way to stay rooted, connected, and resilient in a world that asks so much of us.

What are YOU grateful for today?
•

___________

Hi! I’m Shanta Kanukollu, PhD or “Dr. K”. I am a Licensed Clinical Psychologist who provides support to improve well-being, move people from a scarcity to thriving mindset and break stigma re: mental health through therapy, workshops and speaking engagements.

I share content (that should not be substituted for therapy) to motivate, educate and inspire. To learn more follow along and see my link in bio to:

⬇️ Download my free thriving workbook
👁️ Watch my TedX talk
➕ Add your name to my waitlist for therapy
🎧 Listen to the podcasts where I’ve been a guest
🙋‍♀️ Sign up for my next Thriving Mindset Group
💻 Request information about my workshop offerings for therapists, employers and/or people interested in therapy
📋 Reach out to discuss clinical supervision and consultation

12/12/2025

I hate to admit it but it’s true- Chicago is NOT my favorite city during the Winter. I truly dislike the cold and don’t thrive in it. I find myself wanting to stay indoors, dread leaving the house for anything, keep purchasing accessories to help me feel warm, and feel unmotivated to move my body. I was embarrassed to hear my 4 year old share this with someone too…”yeah, it’s snowing but my mom doesn’t like it and won’t come out”. Yikes.

So yes, if the darker months feel heavier for you, you’re not alone. Many people experience a shift in mood as sunlight decreases — more fatigue, sadness, irritability, or disconnection.

This isn’t weakness and isn’t a choice (despite what others tell me)! It’s your biology responding to seasonal change.

Small practices can help (and trust me, I’ve been trying them):  🌤️ stepping outside for light exposure  🚶🏽‍♀️ gentle movement  🤝 connecting with people you trust  🧠 therapy or support  💡 light lamps (if accessible)

There is light even in this season — let’s help your body find it again.
•

___________

Hi! I’m Shanta Kanukollu, PhD or “Dr. K”. I am a Licensed Clinical Psychologist who provides support to improve well-being, move people from a scarcity to thriving mindset and break stigma re: mental health through therapy, workshops and speaking engagements.

I share content (that should not be substituted for therapy) to motivate, educate and inspire. To learn more follow along and see my link in bio to:

⬇️ Download my free thriving workbook
👁️ Watch my TedX talk
➕ Add your name to my waitlist for therapy
🎧 Listen to the podcasts where I’ve been a guest
🙋‍♀️ Sign up for my next Thriving Mindset Group
💻 Request information about my workshop offerings for therapists, employers and/or people interested in therapy
📋 Reach out to discuss clinical supervision and consultation

SNK Therapy, LLC

02/18/2026

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