About MK Counseling and Wellness
Founded by Melissa Kwafo, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Yoga Instructor, MK Counseling and Wellness is a small collective of mental health professionals dedicated to serving Chicago’s diverse communities.
MK Counseling and Wellness is rooted in cultural humility, ongoing professional development, and a deep commitment to social justice. We believe that every client’s story matters and tailor our care to honor each unique journey.
“Dearly beloved. We are gathered here today. To get through this thing called life.”
―Prince
Our Values
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Our Values *
Through our unwavering dedication to excellence and social equity, we aim to create positive, lasting impacts in the lives of our clients and contribute to a more just and compassionate society.
We Believe
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There is no universal rule book or guide on how to do life correctly. We believe everyone is doing the best that they can with tools, abilities, and understanding that they have at this current moment.
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We may not have created some of the hurdles that we face daily, however we are responsible for our own healing. We have all that we need to heal.
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Community is essential to restoring relationships, healing, and our overall well-being.
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We have the ability to regulate our physiology by learning how to listen, honor, and work with the body through breathing, moving, and touch.
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We can change social conditions to create environments in which we, the people we care about, and others feel safe and where they can thrive. Our therapists work within an anti-oppressive framework. We privilege marginalized people’s lived experience, activism, and voices as our most valuable resources.
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We all develop parts of our personality that are present to protect us depending on the environments that we are in.
Rebecca Johnson, LCPC 🏳️🌈Therapist who works with parents, couples, and individuals around life transitions, relational dynamics, and parenting/family planning concerns.
Emily Assef, LSW 🏳️🌈
Somatic therapist who works with young adults and adults around anxiety and neurodivergence such as ADHD and OCD.
Vanessa Baldeon, LSW
IFS therapist who works with young adults and adults around mood disorders such as BPD, grief and trauma.
Lauren Robinson, LCSW 🏳️🌈Somatic therapist who works with young adults and adults around anxiety, trauma, spirituality, and life transitions.
Shelliah Williams, LCPCTherapist who works with young adults around life transitions and anxiety.
Aja Collins, LSW 🏳️🌈Sex therapist who works with adults and couples around kink/polly dynamics, sexual challenges, and trauma.
Afsha Merchant, LPCDBT therapist who works with Adults and YA around familial dynamics, anxiety, and life transitions.
Meet the team
Melissa Kwafo, LCSWSomatic Therapist who works with Young adults and Adults around anxiety, perfectionism, and generational trauma
🏳️🌈 Therapists who identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community “You cannot, you cannot use someone else’s fire. You can only use your own. And in order to do that, you must first be willing to believe that you have it.”
— Audre Lorde
Visit Us
1806 W Cuyler Ave, Suite 233
Chicago, IL 60613
Hours
Monday–Sunday
9am–9pm
*By Appointment only
Phone
(312) 883-7720
Fax:
(872) 813-5254