Christine Dapaah-Afriyie

I have always been curious, even before I received the superlative for “Most Inquisitive” in the 4th grade. And while I’ve gained a few degrees and a whole lot of life experience since receiving that award, my innate curiosity has remained the hallmark of my work as a therapist. I have a vested interest in each client’s life, their story, and their truth. I’m all ears (and a little mouth but can you blame me? I’m a New Englander, you know we always have something to say).

It was in my role as a volunteer for The Tomorrow Fund, a Rhode Island non-profit that supports children with cancer and their families, that I was introduced to the power of presence. While there are things in life that can never be made right or make sense, we all need those who can sit with us in the thick of it and bear witness to our pain. I then worked with people seeking refugee and asylum, and from there, went on to work with victim-survivors of sexual violence. Again and again, I was reminded of the importance of people having a safe place to speak honestly about their lived experiences. Too often people shoulder their pain in isolation, for fear of burdening others. Some people spend their whole lives with a story that they wanted so badly to share but never felt able to. As a therapist, I am intentional about creating an environment that welcomes these conversations. No hushed tones. No disclaimers. Only the release that comes from honest, authentic disclosures shared in a safe environment.

What was your first recollection of happiness? Where were you when your world broke for the first time? Do you experience intrusive thoughts that you struggle to share with others? Have you lost someone who you never thought you would have to live without? Did you experience something that you struggle to name as “traumatic,” and at the same time, it fundamentally shifted the way you view yourself, others, and the world? In the therapy room, these are the kinds of questions I ask and more; I do not shrink away from your pain, but instead lean right in.

*Offers in person therapy at our Chicago office or virtual therapy throughout Illinois*