Tamara Hubbard, LCPC

03/07/2026

After watching tons of curling during the recent Winter Olympics, a friend and I decided to give it a try at a Learn 2 Curl class last night.

My main takeaway from that experience?

🥌 Curling is a lot harder than it looks on tv! 🥴

Even so, we had fun giving it a go!

And that experience also highlighted these reminders:

💡When you’re doing something new, it’s easy (and understandable) to feel nervous, experience a flurry of thoughts, and wonder if you can actually do it. (Throughout the curling class, so many people were saying “I don’t know if I can do this!”, yet there they were…doing it!)

💡Especially when navigating a new experience, it’s easy to “overthink” it because the mind doesn’t usually like things that feel uncertain or when we don’t feel like we know what we’re doing. (With curling, we eventually found that *not* thinking too much about body mechanics and stone throwing made it feel easier).

💡Actually doing new things that make you feel nervous (but can be done safely enough) helps teach you that thoughts are just thoughts and feelings are just feelings - and neither tend to accurately predict outcomes because they’re usually most focused on pushing us away from doing hard things. (With this curling class, we were definitely outside of our comfort zones, but thanked our minds for trying to be helpful and just went for it….and we had fun!)

All in all, if you have an opportunity to try curling - or other activities that feel challenging, but could be fun, too - I highly recommend it. (And even if your body feels it the following day. 🤣)

02/07/2026

It’s always so fun to finally meet up with local colleagues with whom you’ve been connected with online for years. Today I got to do that with my friend Kelsey Mora, PLLC! For those in IL looking for a therapist who helps children and families process medical diagnoses, including food allergies, I highly recommend Kelsey, who is a licensed therapist and child life specialist.

01/20/2026

01/19/2026

As I always do, I’ve been easing into the new year by choosing a guiding word instead of a long list of resolutions.

✨My word for 2026 is connected—being connected to my family, my work, and the moments that too easily get rushed past.

And I know that being more connected often goes hand-in-hand with having a better balance, clearer boundaries, and giving myself permission to say no when something doesn’t align, so I’ll be recommitting to these actions, too.

As we step further into the new year, I invite you to think about your own guiding word.

What word or phrase might help you feel calmer in anxious moments, more confident when advocating for yourself or your child, or more balanced as you navigate daily routines and unexpected challenges?

Sometimes even a single word can gently steer us toward choices and habits that make life feel safer and fuller. ❤️

01/19/2026

Happy to see an article I wrote about the food allergy counseling niche was featured in the Illinois Counseling Association winter newsletter! Every little bit helps to spread awareness about this niche so more licensed therapists join it. (Link in comments).

12/22/2025

What’s in a word?

A lot!

Words can carry lots of significance and meaning. They can remind us of people, places, memories, and things that matter.

That’s why each year, I choose at least one guiding word to help keep me grounded in all aspects of my life. To help me move forward towards what matters most to me, even when life gets challenging.

As I consider what my guiding word for 2026 will be, I’m encouraging you to do the same.

➡️ What word will help you say “yes” to what deserves your energy, and “no” to things that don’t?

➡️ What word will remind you what’s worth focusing on during challenging and chaotic times?

➡️ What word will help you live the life you want to?

Some examples of guiding words that might feel like a good fit are:

❤️ Balance
❤️ Bravery
❤️ Believe
❤️ Compassion
❤️ Connection
❤️ Courage
❤️ Dedication
❤️ Flexibility
❤️ Gratitude
❤️ Grounded
❤️ Kindness
❤️ Mindful
❤️ Purposeful
❤️ Presence
❤️ Strength
❤️ Trust

Enjoy the process of figuring out what word will help guide you through 2026! I’ll be sharing my word in the new year.

And if you’re a woman, mom, or allergy parent in IL, FL, or OH looking for support in 2026, I look forward to connecting and working with you!

12/05/2025

A couple of weeks ago, I noticed my Facebook feed was filled with people in my area talking about how the Northern Lights would be visible again within minutes.

Growing up in the Midwest, I don’t ever remember being able to see them this far south! So when I was lucky enough to see them earlier this year, I figured that was probably the only time I’d ever get to see them from where I live.

But then it was happening again! ✨

Even though I was busy with dishes and other chores that needed to get done after a long day of work, I knew I needed to pause and head outside to see the Northern Lights again.

Sure, I had already seen them before, so did it really matter to see them again?

I’d argue, yes, and here’s why…

✨ Pausing to observe beauty like this - which doesn’t happen often - helps you reconnect with so many feelings in the midst of the daily grind and chaos on the world. Feelings such as gratitude, awe, and peace.

✨ It’s good to practice the willingness to pause and pivot when something worthy of your attention happens - something that can pull your mind away from future-focused worries, swirling thoughts about past painful experiences, and bring you back to the present and that very moment in time.

For those few minutes that I stood there observing that beautiful sight, the world felt still and peaceful…and I noticed that my mind and body felt calm and grounded.

I share this experience as a reminder to us all (and yes, even to us therapists) to grab these moments that can gift us with the feelings we don’t always find during our busy, non-stop world.

Sure, we can choose to not pause for them or say “we’ll take a look next time”, but then we rob ourselves of the beautiful moments we don’t often get enough of. So grab them when you can!

💬 What sights and experiences have you paused for lately that have left you feeling calm, grounded, and grateful?

11/26/2025

🎉 EXCITING NEWS: I'm now able to offer virtual therapy services to those in Ohio, as well as Illinois and Florida!

My practice focuses on working with women, moms, and food allergy parents. Here's an overview of how you can work with me...

1. Telehealth/virtual therapy (for those in IL, FL, OH): I work with women and moms to help them build skills to navigate anxiety and stress management, parenting and relationship challenges, and life transitions, and also support them in learning how to take better care of themselves amidst the chaos of life. Additionally, I specialize in working with allergy parents (and will also sometimes work directly with allergic adults) to help them navigate family life and parenting with food allergies and learn how to address/manage food allergy anxiety.

2. Educational Food Allergy Consultations (for those in any state): These non-therapy meetings provide general food allergy psychoeducation and guidance to help people navigate a specific aspect of food allergy life or parenting that has felt challenging and overwhelming. During these discussions, I provide education, recommendations, and resources to point people in the right direction and to help them figure out their next steps towards a more manageable life with food allergies. People typically meet with me once or twice.

✅ For therapy services, I am in-network with BCBS PPO and United Healthcare PPO, and can provide a superbill for those with out-of-network insurance.

✅ For educational consultations, these are non-reimbursable by insurance and are self-pay.

To learn more about working with me and to connect, visit my practice website at:
www.TamaraHubbardLCPC.com

11/10/2025

The world is a pretty messy place right now, and that messiness is impacting so many and so much, including airports and air travel right now.

I spent the last two weekends traveling out of state to speak at national conferences. Each time, I thanked the airport staff for continuing to work and keep us safe because that felt important for me to do.

It was very noticeable that the travel experience this weekend was much worse than last weekend. Long delays and even cancellations. And yet, I still offered thanks and grace to airport staff amidst the chaos and stress.

As I waited for my ride tonight once I finally made it home (hours after I was supposed to), I got to chatting with a gentleman who was also waiting for his ride and who had also been delayed flying back from the other side of the country.

Rather than focus on all the negatives of our long travel day - and there were many - we both chose to focus on the positive outcomes: that we were safe, that we were lucky to have had good trips, and that we were lucky to have even made it home today.

The main takeaway from this post?

That things will get messy (in our own lives and in the world), but to remember that we can choose how we want to navigate these messy experiences.

There’s only so much we can control. But we can impact and influence both our own experiences and the experiences of others around us just by dealing with what’s happening in a grounded, values-aligned way. We can (and will) feel all of our feelings ( such as anger, frustration, sadness), and can still show up with grace and kindness towards others, too.

Sending strength to all navigating the messy chaos in the world right now - even beyond air travel. ❤️

(And this is the face of someone who left the warmth of FL and arrived home to winter temps and snow 🥴)

10/28/2025

Thanks for the support, MOCHA - Mothers of Children Having Allergies! ❤️

Two of our food allergy favorites!!! MOCHA’s Denise Bunning with Tamara Hubbard (LCPC) at the recent book signing here in Chicago.

About the book:
Published by the prestigious John Hopkins University Press and peer-reviewed by top allergists and psychologists, this empowering guide teaches parents of children with food allergies how to mindfully manage anxiety and balance allergy safety with living fully.

Whether you're grappling with an unexpected diagnosis or seeking balance after allergy-related challenges, this book will help you foster an encouraging, confident environment for your child and yourself.

Check out Tamara’s website: https://www.tamarahubbardlcpc.com/about-tamara

Buy the book here: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/may-contain-anxiety-tamara-hubbard/1146939307 #
go. ite

10/23/2025

So grateful for last night’s author/book event!

10/12/2025

Do you ever find yourself worrying about what others think about you?

I know I do! After all, it’s very easy to get caught up in the “comparison trap”, where we compare ourselves to others and how they navigate life.

But here’s the truth - we’re all so busy just trying to get through each day and our own stuff that we’re not really focused on others. We’re more focused on ourselves and what’s happening in our own world.

Which means that people likely aren’t focusing on you and your actions as much as you think they are!

Reminding ourselves of this can be helpful for unhooking from anxious thoughts about being judged if we don’t look, act, or think like others.

So, try giving less of your energy to worrying about what others think of you, and instead, use that energy to do more of what makes you feel good and helps you be the you that you want to be in this world! ❤️