Speakeasy Therapy

Speakeasy Therapy Personalized support, expert care and a neutral safe space for your mental health care.

Life can often be difficult and hard to navigate, but I believe that we all have the strength and resilience to grow and change, and live a more fulfilling life.

11/20/2025

We just posted a full breakdown of EMDR - what it is, how it works, and why so many clients describe it as the therapy that finally helps things shift.

And with Elia now trained in EMDR, we’re able to offer this modality with no waitlist for anyone curious about trying it.

EMDR can be incredibly helpful if you’ve been feeling:
• stuck in the same patterns
• overwhelmed or anxious
• weighed down by old memories
• reactive in relationships
• hard on yourself or disconnected from confidence

If that sounds familiar, this blog is a great place to start.

It walks through what EMDR feels like, what to expect in a session, and how your brain processes healing in a completely different way.

Read the full blog through the link in our site today!

At Speakeasy, we each have our own style - but connection is our common language.Here are the everyday phrases that guid...
11/18/2025

At Speakeasy, we each have our own style - but connection is our common language.

Here are the everyday phrases that guide the way we show up for our clients.

Which one feels most ‘you’?

We often feel uneasy when opposite emotions show up at once - like we’re supposed to pick just one.But being human means...
11/12/2025

We often feel uneasy when opposite emotions show up at once - like we’re supposed to pick just one.

But being human means we can feel proud and uncertain, peaceful and restless, content and craving more - all at once.

Today, for example, a cancelled client meant I “should” use the hour to catch up on billing (and I did)… but I also wandered over to the new DiMarko Coffee Lounge because a little self-care sounded good too.

Sweet and spicy - much like the chai I ordered - both can belong.

But emotional health isn’t about choosing sides - it’s about expansion.

The ability to make space for all of it.

Try this:

• Name both emotions (“I feel proud and scared.”)

• Breathe and notice where they land in your body.

• Remind yourself that being human means feeling more than one thing at once.

The goal isn’t to fix or resolve - it’s to widen your window enough to let every feeling belong.

That’s where real balance begins.

Melissa

There was no time to write a blog between yesterday and today… but I couldn’t help but share a longer post on the fall m...
11/12/2025

There was no time to write a blog between yesterday and today… but I couldn’t help but share a longer post on the fall meeting snow.

This weekend’s weather felt like a metaphor - the vibrant fall leaves still hanging on while snow quietly covered the ground. Warm and cold, color and calm, joy and surprise - all at once. It reminded me how emotions can coexist just like that.

We can feel grateful and exhausted, hopeful and uncertain, content yet sad - sometimes in the same moment. Coexisting emotions don’t cancel each other out; they simply show that our inner world is layered and human.

For example:

You might feel proud of your child’s growing independence and lonely in the new quiet.

You could feel excited about change and anxious about what it means for your routine.

You may even feel relieved and heartbroken at the same time when something ends.

Mindfulness helps us make space for all of it - noticing without judgment. Try pausing to name what you feel: “There’s gratitude here… and also some sadness.” Breathe, observe how it feels in your body, and let it be without needing to fix it.

Like fall meeting snow, it’s possible for opposites to exist beautifully together - and for both to matter.

Stay warm,

Melissa

Save the Date: Reclaiming You: Navigating Nutrition & Body Changes After BabyJoin us Tuesday, December 9 from 11:30 –1 a...
11/10/2025

Save the Date: Reclaiming You: Navigating Nutrition & Body Changes After Baby

Join us Tuesday, December 9 from 11:30 –1 at Le Village, Des Plaines

A morning of conversation, community, and support with Morgan Mullins, RDN, and Christina Munro, LCSW.
Come as you are — leave feeling nourished and seen.

E-mail info@speakeasytherapyco.com to register today!

10/31/2025

Haunted Hayride of Overwhelm

This Halloween, I hope you’re intentional about what you enjoy most — whether that’s dressing up, staying in, or just breathing through the noise.

For many, spooky season can feel like the Field of ‘Just One More Thing’ or the Fog of ‘I Should Be Grateful’.

If that’s you — take a deep breath. You’re not weak; you’re human.

Therapy helps you slow the ride, quiet the ghosts of “not enough,” and find your way back to rest.

Have you ever noticed that the more you try to get rid of difficult thoughts or feelings, the stronger they seem to beco...
10/29/2025

Have you ever noticed that the more you try to get rid of difficult thoughts or feelings, the stronger they seem to become?

You’re not alone — most of us spend so much energy fighting our inner experiences, hoping that if we could just think differently or feel less, life would be easier.

But what if the goal wasn’t to get rid of those thoughts and feelings… what if it was to learn how to live well with them?

That’s the heart of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) — a compassionate, evidence-based approach that helps you make peace with what’s inside so you can live more fully on the outside.

In her newest blog, Elia breaks down ACT in a way that feels simple, human, and deeply relatable — showing how acceptance, mindfulness, and values-based action can help you move toward the life you truly want.

✨ Read the full post → https://www.speakeasytherapyco.com/post/learning-to-accept-commit-and-thrive-a-gentle-introduction-to-act

Finding Our Why — and Our Community We’re still glowing from The Climb: Team NW Chicago — Postpartum Support Internation...
10/20/2025

Finding Our Why — and Our Community

We’re still glowing from The Climb: Team NW Chicago — Postpartum Support International’s annual event for perinatal mental health awareness.

Read our newest blog on what this event means to us, Melissa’s personal “why”, and the power of finding your people.

Thank you to every vendor, volunteer, and family who made this event such a success — and to our amazing Park Ridge community for helping raise over $9,000 for PSI in less than two months!

🖇️ https://www.speakeasytherapyco.com/post/finding-our-why-and-our-community-at-the-climb

🍬 Ditch the Switch Witch: Help Your Kids Feel Good About FoodThe “Switch Witch” was created with good intentions — but w...
10/13/2025

🍬 Ditch the Switch Witch: Help Your Kids Feel Good About Food

The “Switch Witch” was created with good intentions — but what if her magic is casting the wrong kind of spell? 🧙‍♀️

This Halloween, we’re exploring how to help kids build a healthy relationship with food — without fear, shame, or restriction. When we trust our kids to listen to their bodies, they learn balance, body trust, and self-regulation (and Halloween becomes fun again!).

In our latest blog, Christina shares:
✨ Why restricting candy can backfire
✨ Common sugar myths (and the science behind them)
✨ How to help kids practice intuitive eating — even with candy
✨ Ways to bring trust and magic back to Halloween night

Read the full blog here ➡️ [link to your blog]
Let’s make this Halloween less about control — and more about connection, confidence, and candy joy 🍫💜

We’ve been a little quiet…Because recently, our team had the honor of serving as captains for PSI’s The Climb – Team NW ...
10/10/2025

We’ve been a little quiet…

Because recently, our team had the honor of serving as captains for PSI’s The Climb – Team NW Chicago in Park Ridge. 💙 Together we walked, supported each other, and lifted up the cause. Stay tuned — next week we will share more highlights and reflections from the day - and Christina’s blog comes out.

But today is World Mental Health Day — and this year’s theme is deeply significant:

“Mental health in humanitarian emergencies.”

This focus draws attention to the emotional toll of crises — like natural disasters, conflict, displacement, or public health emergencies — and the urgent need to support mental and psychosocial well-being for those affected.

Why it matters:

Crises can fracture communities, displace people, and dismantle support systems — and mental health needs often persist long after physical safety is restored.

Nearly 1 in 5 people in conflict-affected areas are estimated to have a mental health condition.

It’s not just about responding in crisis — it’s about investing in recovery, resilience, and rebuilding communities with care.

At Speakeasy Therapy, we believe:
Mental health care is not a luxury — it’s a right. It must be accessible, inclusive, and sustained — especially for those who’ve experienced trauma, loss, or upheaval.

What we can do, together:

Listen and check in — sometimes support begins with presence.

Keep space open for people to share what they’re going through.

Advocate for accessible mental health resources in our communities.

Share knowledge, tools, and hope.

💬 This isn’t just a global theme — it’s a local call to care. Wherever you are, whoever you are — mental health counts, especially in times of crisis.

We love this trend because it’s more than just funny screenshots—it’s community. It’s a reminder that you’re not the onl...
09/18/2025

We love this trend because it’s more than just funny screenshots—it’s community. It’s a reminder that you’re not the only one with notes that look like a tornado of grocery lists, random ideas, and half-thoughts.

The truth? Messy notes are proof of a beautiful mind at work. At Speakeasy Therapy, we celebrate neurodiversity, reduce stigma, and build systems that support your story—not fight against it.

Your notes don’t need to be neat to be meaningful. Therapy is where we honor the way your brain works.

Be You Bravely. 💛

Hi 👋 I’m Elia,I’m a bilingual (English & Spanish) therapist who believes you are the expert in your own life. My role is...
09/15/2025

Hi 👋 I’m Elia,

I’m a bilingual (English & Spanish) therapist who believes you are the expert in your own life. My role is to walk alongside you with empathy and support as you navigate life’s challenges.

I have experience working with substance use, mood disorders, and parenting stress. As both a therapist and a mom, I understand how much parenting requires a village—something many of us felt deeply during COVID, and still feel in its ripple effects today.

Rooted in my Latina background, I honor the importance of culture, family, and community in the healing process. Outside of work, I love reading, exercising, and enjoying a really good cup of coffee ☕📚💪

If you’re looking for a therapist who understands the complexities of parenting, the impact of past years, and the value of culture and community—I’d be honored to support you. 💙

Address

222 S Prospect Avenue, Floor 3
Park Ridge, IL
60068

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