How family therapy can heal family bonds
We were made for connection, to feel safe, seen, and loved.
But even in families where closeness is expected, relationships can feel complicated.
As a dance therapist offering Christian counseling in Chicago, I often meet clients who wonder why connection feels out of reach. Some carry pain from childhood. Others are trying to feel more grounded in themselves so they can show up more fully in their faith, their families, and their relationships.
Creating safer connections through family therapy in Chicago
So much of how we learn to relate starts at home.
That’s why I’m honored to introduce my colleague Bridget Iaccino, a licensed clinical social worker offering family therapy in Chicago.
Bridget supports children, teens, and parents as they work toward stronger, more connected relationships. She brings deep care and insight to her work.
If you’re looking for support for your child, teen, or family, I hope this offers a meaningful starting point.
Let’s dive in!
Meet Bridget Iaccino, a family therapist in Chicago
Please share more about yourself and your work with us.
Hi, I’m Bridget Iaccino, a licensed clinical social worker and therapist with a focus on anxiety, ADHD, attachment trauma, life transitions, and relationship challenges. Within Introspective Family Therapy, I also serve as the Teen Support Coordinator & facilitate teen support groups, as well as provide training groups for graduate interns and new staff therapists.
In my therapy work, I utilize a systemic and trauma-informed lens while drawing from a variety of frameworks, including Mindfulness Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (MCBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), with a foundation in Humanistic and Attachment-based Therapy.
I primarily work with children, adolescents, and parents in navigating emotion regulation and social challenges, while also working with individual adult clients navigating life transitions, attachment trauma, emotional overwhelm, and burnout.
When I’m not working with clients, I enjoy teaching and practicing yoga, making art, and being in nature!
How did you choose your work in family therapy and relationships?
My path to becoming a therapist wasn’t linear. I’ve been passionate about psychology, child development, and family dynamics since high school, and my own early experiences with mental health care sparked a deeper curiosity—especially about how mental health intersects with systems like the criminal justice system. During undergrad, I interned across various sectors of that system, which fueled my interest in advocacy, access, and using psychoeducation to improve outcomes.
Pursuing my MSW helped me understand the connection between macro, mezzo, and micro systems, and it was during graduate school that I realized my passion lies in the micro—in direct clinical work. I chose to become a therapist to hold space for individual healing while bringing a systems-informed, social justice lens to the therapeutic process.
Why did you decide to practice family therapy in Chicago, IL?
My decision to practice in this part of Chicago is rooted in a broader commitment to serving the city’s diverse communities. I started my career working on the South and West Sides, where I had the privilege of supporting individuals and families in some of the city’s most historically marginalized neighborhoods. That experience deeply shaped my understanding of the systemic challenges many communities face — from intergenerational trauma to inequitable access to care — and reinforced the importance of culturally responsive, trauma-informed therapy.
Now that I’m practicing on the North Side, I work with a more middle-class, diverse population, but many of the core concerns — anxiety, relationship issues, identity, trauma — still show up, though sometimes in different forms. I continue to see clients from the South and West Sides as well, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to maintain those therapeutic relationships.
For me, it’s not just about geography — it’s about staying connected to the full spectrum of human experience across our city and continuing to offer care that’s grounded in equity, empathy, and real understanding.
What kind of counseling services do you provide and to what ages?
I provide therapy for children as young as four, teens, individual adults, and parents. My work centers on supporting emotional development, trauma, complex family dynamics, and identity, with a strong emphasis on the parent-child dynamic, and as adults re-parenting our own inner child.
I’m passionate about helping parents not only better understand their child’s inner world, but also reflect on their own experiences and how those show up in their parenting. My approach is relational, developmentally informed, and culturally responsive, shaped by years of working with diverse families across Chicago.
What is your favorite kind of specialized training, and how does it impact your work with clients?
My favorite specialized training has been in experiential and nervous system-based approaches, including the use of the restorative arts. It’s shifted my focus from client compliance to true connection — helping clients build internal safety and resilience rather than just ‘doing the work’ for the sake of progress.
These methods allow me to support clients in a more embodied, compassionate way, especially when talk therapy alone isn’t enough. It’s deepened my belief in healing as a relational, creative, and regulated process.
How do your counseling and family therapy services help people strengthen their relationships?
My work helps people strengthen their relationships by first helping them reconnect with themselves. When clients better understand their emotional patterns, nervous system responses, and inner narratives, they can show up in relationships with more clarity, compassion, and flexibility.
Whether it’s a child learning to express big feelings, a parent learning to co-regulate, or an adult healing from relational wounds, the goal is the same — to build more authentic, connected, and sustainable relationships.
What do you love about working with your clients?
What I love most about working with my clients is the opportunity to connect with our shared humanity. It’s an incredible privilege to witness someone’s inner world — their pain, growth, joy, and resilience — and to walk alongside them in that process. The work feels deeply reciprocal; while I hold space for others, I’m also constantly learning, growing, and being reminded of what it means to be human. Which to me, is sacred and both clinically meaningful and deeply humbling.
In your experience, what are some important considerations when working with children, teens, or parents?
When working with my ideal population—children, teens, adults, and parents from diverse backgrounds—it’s important to approach each person with curiosity and humility. Many have experienced systemic challenges or trauma, which impact their nervous system regulation, trust, and relational patterns.
Recognizing these factors helps me tailor my approach to be culturally responsive and trauma-informed, while always honoring the individual’s unique story and strengths. Building a safe, collaborative space where clients feel seen and empowered is foundational to effective work.
What would you say to someone hesitant about seeking your counseling services?
If someone is hesitant about seeking my services, I’d want to first honor that hesitation. Starting any form of therapy—or even considering it—can bring up a lot. I’d be curious about what’s making them hesitant, whether it’s past experiences, uncertainty about the process, or something else. We can take time to explore those feelings without pressure.
My role isn’t to convince, but to offer a space where we can see if there’s alignment between what they’re looking for and how I work. And if there is, we move at a pace that feels safe and respectful of where they’re at.
What do you wish people knew about counseling services with you?
I wish people knew that therapy with me is grounded, relational, and tailored to who you are — not a one-size-fits-all approach. While I bring a solid clinical foundation, I also
show up as a real, down-to-earth person. I work from a multidimensional lens that weaves together different modalities based on what resonates with you and what you need in the moment.
My goal is to create a space where you feel both supported and truly seen, and where your process can unfold in a way that feels safe, collaborative, and human.
How can people contact you to learn more about your family therapy services?
There are a few ways you can contact me. You can contact me directly by emailing me at bridget@introspectivefamilytherapy.com, reaching out through my Psychology Today profile, or by requesting to speak with me via my bio page on Introspective Family Therapy’s website.
Final Thoughts from a Christian Counselor in Chicago
I hope Bridget’s story and her approach to family therapy and counseling gave you hope.
Whether she’s supporting a child through big emotions or helping a parent find clarity and confidence, her work is about making room for meaningful healing.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, uncertain, or just curious about therapy, you’re not alone. You don’t have to have everything figured out to begin. Bridget offers a steady, compassionate presence to help your child, teen, or family feel supported.
Book a Free Consultation for Dance Therapy and Christian Counseling in Chicago
If you’re feeling out of touch with yourself, your relationships, or even your connection with God, dance therapy might be a meaningful next step.
As a Christian counselor, I can support you in a healing process that honors your whole self—mind, body, and spirit—so you can reconnect in a deeper, more integrated way.
Schedule your free 15-minute consultation for Christian counseling today, and let’s take the first step toward more fulfilling relationships together.
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Lisaura is a relationship therapist in Chicago who, through individual counseling and dance therapy, helps adults connect with themselves and others more fully.
Spanish-speaking therapy is available.
