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Childhood trauma, self-esteem struggles, and relationship struggles can sometimes feel like a fog or haze that we are lost in. Mandie Maurer Counseling and Psychotherapy can bring us out of this haze into clarity, confidence, and healing from self-esteem struggles, childhood trauma, and relationship struggles.

Therapy for Self-Esteem, Relationship Struggles & Childhood Trauma in Chicago and Greater Illinois

Creating emotional stability, healthy connection, and a stronger sense of self.

If you’ve spent years feeling emotionally reactive, internally conflicted, disconnected from yourself or others, or stuck in painful relationship patterns, you’re not alone - and you’re not broken.

Many people who seek this work are intelligent, sensitive, and deeply relational, yet feel overwhelmed by intense emotions, self-doubt, shame, or fears of abandonment. You may notice cycles of closeness and distance in relationships, difficulty trusting yourself or others, or a persistent sense that something about you is “wrong,” even when you rationally know better.

These patterns often originate in early attachment experiences, developmental trauma, or nervous system conditioning - not personal failure or lack of willpower.

The good news is that these patterns can change.

Common experiences clients bring into this work

You may recognize yourself in some of the following:

  • Emotions that feel intense, unpredictable, or hard to regulate

  • Chronic self-criticism, shame, or low self-worth

  • Feeling empty, disconnected, or numb at times

  • Strong fears of abandonment, rejection, or being misunderstood

  • Relationship patterns that repeat despite your best intentions

  • Reacting in ways you later regret or don’t fully recognize as “you”

  • Difficulty feeling safe, grounded, or emotionally steady

Whether or not you’ve received diagnoses in the past (including BPD), the focus here is not on labels - it’s on understanding your nervous system, attachment patterns, and internal dynamics so meaningful change becomes possible.

What therapy can help you build

Our work together is oriented toward helping you:

  • Develop emotional regulation and nervous system stability

  • Strengthen self-trust, self-compassion, and identity coherence

  • Build healthier boundaries and relational patterns

  • Reduce impulsivity, reactivity, and internal conflict

  • Heal attachment wounds and unresolved trauma

  • Improve communication and intimacy

  • Feel more grounded, resilient, and internally secure

  • Create a life that reflects your values rather than your defenses

This is not quick symptom suppression or “positive thinking.” It’s deep, structured work aimed at lasting transformation.

My clinical approach

I integrate several evidence-based modalities depending on your needs, including:

Sessions are active, collaborative, and paced carefully to support safety, trust, and sustainable change. We work both with present-day challenges and the deeper patterns that drive them.

I specialize in working with clients who have struggled with self-worth, complex relational dynamics, developmental trauma, emotional dysregulation, and identity instability - including those who may identify with or have been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder.

What progress often looks like

Over time, many clients experience:

  • Greater emotional steadiness and resilience

  • Less shame and self-attack

  • Improved relationship stability and intimacy

  • Increased confidence and clarity

  • Stronger boundaries and self-direction

  • A more compassionate and integrated relationship with themselves

  • Reduced crisis cycles and reactivity

Change happens gradually - but it compounds meaningfully.

Practical details

Sessions are 50 minutes, one-on-one, conducted via secure telehealth. We’ll regularly review progress and refine goals as your needs evolve.

If you’re ready to begin building a more stable, connected, and self-directed life, I invite you to schedule a free consultation. We can explore what you’re experiencing and whether this approach feels right for you.

©2026 Mandie Maurer Counseling and Psychotherapy

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