About Pamela Pawelski, LCSW

I specialize in helping people with anxiety, panic attacks, trauma, and PTSD utilizing EMDR therapy. I particularly enjoy working with these clients, because I had experienced anxiety and panic attacks years ago, and I know what it feels like. I also know what a relief it was to find a therapist who makes you feel understood, sees you without judgement, empathizes with your experiences, makes you feel comfortable in your own skin, and helps you heal at your own pace. I want people to know that these symptoms can be significantly reduced, and perhaps eliminated, with the help of the right therapist.

What made me interested in EMDR therapy? I had first learned about how the brain and body react to trauma when I read the book, The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van de Kolk when I was in grad school pursuing my Masters in Social Work, and I was intrigued by the sections that discussed EMDR therapy. When I graduated from my program and became a therapist in a group practice, I became trained in different methodologies, including clinical hypnosis, emotional freedom technique, and EMDR therapy. I have learned so much from each of my trainings, but I was blown away by EMDR’s efficacy, and I eventually became a certified-EMDR therapist after extensive training and consultation. I love providing EMDR therapy to clients because it works! It’s amazing to see the evolution of clients who are dedicated to investing in becoming more confident and courageous versions of themselves. It always amazes me how beautiful and awe-inspiring human resiliency is.

How do you approach therapy?

Discussing sensitive topics can make people feel vulnerable and exposed, and I actively work to create a non-judgemental space for my clients. I take time to build a therapeutic alliance, so that clients can feel safe and supported throughout therapy. My style of therapy is an empathetic, person-centered and strengths-based approach. I see myself as a supportive therapist rather than someone directing you

I use techniques beyond traditional talk therapy to tap into the parts of you that are not always accessible through words; these modalities include eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), emotional freedom technique (EFT/tapping), and parts work.

Why did you choose to become a therapist?

It has been quite a journey for me to get here as a therapist. It wasn’t straight forward, but it has definitely been worth the wait! From a young age, I’ve always known that I wanted to help people, but like many clients that I work with, I didn’t know which profession I wanted to be in until later in my life.

I started out working on the business side of health care as a data analyst, and later as a consultant, for large health care companies for 17 years. I learned a great deal about teamwork, effective communication, multitasking, and needing to be assertive, but I also experienced the limits and frustrations of working in the corporate world. While I enjoyed bits and pieces of these jobs, I was never fulfilled with a sense of purpose.

I had always thought about becoming a therapist since I was in college, but at that time in my early 20s, I wasn’t mature enough to follow through. Over the years, I would come back to the idea of becoming a therapist throughout my middle adulthood. It was when I sought my own therapy that I came to a place where I felt courageous enough to take the plunge and go back to school to become a therapist. It was HARD work to balance being a wife, mother, work full time and go to school part time to get my Master of Social Work (MSW) degree, but I loved every minute of it. I knew that I was exactly where I needed to be. After I graduated, I worked in a group therapy practice for a few years before I started my own solo private practice. I appreciate the experiences I gained while I traveled along the winding road that took me to where I am today. I often tell my clients that we don’t have to put pressure on ourselves to have it all figured out on day one; there is no such thing as time wasted because there is insight we can learn from everything we experience.

Outside of the Office

I do take self-care seriously, and I practice daily meditation to stay in the present in both my personal and professional lives. I love tending to my garden of flowers and vegetables, and look forward to planting seeds in the early spring. I love watching documentaries, reading, knitting, and traveling. Mostly, I love spending time with my husband, daughter, and cat, Teeki.

Relevant Education

I earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Illinois Wesleyan University, a Master of Science in Health Systems Management from Rush University, and a Master of Social Work from University of Illinois at Chicago.

I am an EMDR-certified therapist, trained in EMDR therapy by the Institute of Creative Mindfulness, an EMDRIA-approved organization, and have taken advanced trainings in dissociation, chronic pain, sexual assault, childhood attachment issues, and complex grief.

I am also trained in Clinical Hypnosis from the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, in Emotional Freedom Technique from the Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology, and in Emotionally Focused Therapy from the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy.