Was treated condescendingly and disrespectfully by the intake therapist because I was honest and admitted that I wasn't looking forward to undergoing therapy. I was told that I was wasting her time. I didn't realize one has to pass a litmus test to seek treatment. There are tons of other therapists in this city; do yourself a favor and avoid this one. read more

I've been incredibly impressed during my time with Symmetry Counseling. I originally reached out to their team in 2021, and since that time have been lucky enough to work with Dr. Malec on dealing with stress and all the changes life brings. Over the years she become a truly trusted partner who has helped me in all areas, from business to personal life. Her team has been easy to work with despite changes to insurance providers, address changes, and all the other things that can cause chaos with the medical industry. Very highly recommended. read more

My husband and I worked with Dr. Anne for couples counseling. She is a very pragmatic and honest in her feedback and really helped us learn to communicate much better. The office staff checked our insurance benefits and was very responsive. I would recommend for those seeking couples therapy. read more

I have been a client of Symmetry for over six months. I was nervous at first because I had never been to see a therapist before, but my therapist made me feel very comfortable and over time really helped me address my anxiety. I feel better and my life has improved. read more

I went to Dr. Malec for a few years. She "fired" me as a client. I won't go into detail, but she was unable to deal with a problem that is quite common in the therapist-patient relationship. My current therapist assured me that I did nothing wrong, and that Dr. Malec must not have received very good training. Avoid this place. read more

I am grateful and appreciative of Symmetry and their outstanding counselors. I've seen 2 therapists for separate reasons at the Adams and Washington (now closed) locations. They each kept very reasonable and flexible hours, including evening, lunch, and weekend appointments. Both have proven to be knowledgeable, kind, and committed to seeing their patients improve. Their guidance has helped me grow personally and professionally. The waiting and individual rooms also offer magazines and literature on mindfulness, water fountains, tissues, paintings, and some pretty comfy couches. You could tell they were trying to create a positive/healing environment that I'm not sure is offered at other practices. Despite other reviews, I never needed to interact w an intake specialist. All of the introductory forms were available online and the therapists have been very responsive via email. Kudos to Symmetry, Emma, and Alexa. You rock! read more

Symmetry Counseling - Counseling & Mental Health Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was treated by the founder and owner of Symmetry for about seven years. Last summer, I began to experiencing something therapists refer to as "transference." Transference, in my layperson's understanding, occurs when a person redirects some of their feelings or desires for another person onto an entirely different person - i.e., the therapist. (I'm a heterosexual male, my therapist female). In my case, it was a feeling of some level of attraction combined with jealousy. I had picked up cues from my therapist that indicated that she recently separated from her husband. As I was frustrated with my in my own marriage, I was envious of her new life. She had advanced to a point I had fantasized about - free to explore new relationships. Various sources I researched were in nearly unanimous agreement that you should reveal your feelings of transference to your therapist, and that a good therapist will not become uncomfortable and will know how to handle this Furthermore, a therapist can help a patient work through this and, ultimately, grow from the experience. I took the advice and revealed my feelings to my therapist. And....everything blew up in my face. She became a different person - defensive, accusatory, nasty. After a couple more sessions, the transference was fading away. It didn't matter - she fired me as a client. She said that I crossed a line. But as my new therapist told me, it was her responsibility to set boundaries, not mine. I didn't realize that, other than the death of a loved one, I could cry like a baby. All the advice I've read from other therapists says that a GOOD therapist will know how to handle transference. Obviously, I did not have a good therapist. I hope the seven years I had with her weren't a total waste. But at least now, I have a terrific therapist. I can't speak for the other therapists in this practice, but the head person (my former therapist) of an organization often sets the tone. You may want to avoid Symmetry. And you absolutely do not want the founder/owner as your therapist. In the back of my mind, I've always suspected that she is more interested in building her business "empire" than in being a therapist. If you look at the Symmetry website, she advertises how she has offices in several cities. And she refers to herself as "chief executive officer." What healthcare professional does that? Do your doctors or dentists refer to themselves as the chief executive officer of their practices? Of course not. read more

I urge people to listen to the other negative reviews and avoid this place, especially if you are already having any emotional issues. The intake specialist is incredibly rude and thoughtless, and won't hesitate to insult and scold you on the phone. It's disappointing that a counseling practice doesn't ensure their employees are kind to the patients, who might be going through a variety of issues read more

The counselors I have worked with have been very kind and helpful. I have been seeing one for individual and couples counseling. Due to my insurance I cannot go as much as would like. They have been understanding and compassionate in their practice and given myself and my partner practical applications to help us. That being said I echo what the other poor reviews have said when dealing with the administration, specifically the intake specialist. I believe when working in mental health practice all employees should be kind and compassionate. In dealing with the intake specialist regarding over charges and changes she has been short via email and never apologized or offered explanations. I have had to give credit card information multiple times. And have had charges taken out all at once which has hurt our budget. Finances are always stressful and it is very upsetting when the place you are going to help decrease stress actually increases it. Mistakes happen at any business and I can be understanding of that if the employee was apologetic but she definitely was not. This behavior is not the counselors fault. I will keep going there because I have benefited from my treatment and want to continue my work. I'm thankful for my counselors. read more

Katie- I feel your pain! I had the SAME EXACT EXPERIENCE with my therapist. I actually spoke to the owner of the practice on the phone, and she continued to be rigid and had a lack of understanding of this misunderstanding which I believe was my therapist's fault. They also charged my insurance provider for two sessions which never even happened!! Needless to say, while my therapist was nice enough, dealing with the administration at this practice is a headache and is totally unnecessary, given that I saught them out to help decrease my stress. I do not recommend this practice at all. read more

My wife and I have been clients of Symmetry for about a year and a half. Our counselor has been very helpful in guiding us to improve communication and other facets of our relationship. We are very satisfied with all aspects of our interactions with Symmetry. One reviewer expressed dissatisfaction with Symmetry's cancellation policy. In our case, Symmetry clearly informed us about this policy before our first session. In addition, their cancellation policy is included at the end of every email from our counselor. On one occasion, we were charged for a no-show because we missed a session due to a miscommunication on our side. On other occasions, we have had to reschedule on short notice and Symmetry was very flexible. Symmetry is a high quality organization and we can recommend them without reservation. read more

Words can't express how thrilled I was to learn of Symmetry Counseling. One of my coworkers recommended that I contact them as she had been fortunate enough to find the "perfect" therapist to work with her through a few issues. My call was immediately responded to by a kind, empathic, and soft spoken therapist. We have been meeting for close to 6 months now. I can't recommend Symmetry Counseling highly enough. My therapist has been able to identify roadblocks that had me stuck and helped me to work my way around, through or over the block...whichever way worked best. Her therapy style has been an ideal match for me. The patience and understanding of the therapist is very much appreciated! read more

Outstanding! They are great for individual counseling and helped my wife and I with pre-marital counseling as well. Also, to some other folks points they are Very clear about their cancellation policy. read more

I was very hesitant to get counseling because of the cost and the belief that it wouldn't benefit me any more than just working through my challenges with my close friends and family. However, I am so glad I received counseling from Regis Storey at Symmetry Counseling! My experience was above and beyond my expectations and worth every penny! He helped me to learn about myself and others from a brand new perspective in a way that my closest friends and family wouldn't have been able to. Regis was very easy to talk to, made me feel genuinely cared for, and I left each session confident and with a concrete plan how to take the next step toward health. He even provided me with a plethora of resources that will help me well beyond our counseling sessions. If you're looking for someone to give you the tools to radically improve your mental health challenges in a sustainable way, Regis and Symmetry are for you! read more

I have had a great experience with my therapist. I feel like I have been making real progress with her, and she is a very interactive during our sessions. Very happy. read more