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  • Therapist

Naomi Anurag Ansari-Lahir

She/Her, They/Them

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Psychotherapist

Supervised By:

Values & Philosophy

I work primarily with my fellow QTBIPOC adults, especially Queer South Asians and Muslims. I value bringing these identities and experiences with me to sessions in an effort to be honest and transparent with the people who choose to work with me as well as to honor myself. People who choose to join me for therapy can expect me to have a casual and comfortable demeanor, as well as a willingness to be vulnerable and honest in the process.

My values are a huge part of why I show up the way I do. I am in a process of unlearning colonial and westernized styles of therapy and leaning into authenticity, honesty and warmth. This is a part of my effort at being anti-oppressive, which means that I take into account the interpersonal traumas and systemic injustices we face due to our identities, as well as the ways that these manifest in our lives. I believe that our experiences of privilege and oppression shape our daily lives, relationships, and the therapeutic process.

I work to be attentive to the privileges and oppression that both come along with my various identities, and enjoy working with people who are also on this journey. I use a decolonial, co-healing approach, that invites both the therapist and client to show up fully and authentically

Education & Training

Licensure

LCSW, 149017336, IDFPR
State of Illinois, 2015

Degrees

Master of Social Work
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2011

Bachelor of Arts, Women’s & Gender Studies
University of Missouri-Columbia, 2010

Bachelor of Social Work
University of Missouri-Columbia, 2010

Certifications

NASW IL Hartford Supervisory Leaders in Aging
2017

Partner Abuse Intervention Program Certification
The Hamdard Center, 2017

Mental Health First Aid
Community Counseling Centers of Chicago, 2014

40 Hour Domestic Violence Training
Between Friends, 2012

Publications

Educational content on Instagram

@nanuragtherapy

Areas of Focus & Specialization

  • Decolonizing mental health and healing
  • Identity exploration
  • Religious trauma
  • Polyamory and Ethical Non-Monogamy
  • Abolitionism in Practice
  • Anti-Zionism

I Work With

  • Individuals
  • Young Adults
  • Queer and trans individuals
  • BIPOC
  • Muslims
  • Anti-Zionists
  • Activists and organizers
  • Non-monogamous individuals

Modalities

  • Ancestral healing methods
  • Internal Family Systems
  • Creative & Expressive Arts
  • Inner-child Work
  • Somatic Healing