Healing on the Fringe
We welcome individuals, families, colleagues, and collaborators to join us in a movement towards collective liberation and healing.
About Us
The Hinterlands was conceived as a space for communal healing. Founders Jaime & Masha were both born to immigrant families, came up in DIY punk scenes in the 90’s/00’s, and developed private practices rooted in liberation initiatives. They combined their individual psychotherapy practices and created The Hinterlands. The Hinterlands can be defined as an area lying beyond what is visible or known. Communities on the fringe often become the hinterlands of greater society; A place for the outliers, the banished, and the rebels to build their own community. Here, we integrate art, culture, community, and joy into our work. We invite you to join us on the outskirts as a client, conspirator, or collaborator.
Our Values
Liberation
We believe in the power of healing as a tool for collective liberation, challenging oppressive structures that harm our bodies, minds, and communities. Our therapy practices are anti-colonial, anti-racist, and rooted in justice.
Community Care
We center community-based healing practices, fostering a space where mutual aid, solidarity, and collective wellness take precedence over individual profit or corporate interests.
Mutual Aid
We practice mutual aid as a foundational principle—caring for one another, sharing resources, and ensuring that inclusive therapy is accessible to all, especially those who have been historically excluded from, and harmed by, mainstream healthcare systems.
Radical Justice
We support justice in all its forms—racial, economic, gender, environmental—and recognize the interconnectedness of struggles for liberation. We advocate for the dismantling of systems of oppression and the building of alternatives rooted in equity and care.
Holistic Well-Being
We honor the mind, body, and spirit in all of their interconnectedness, believing that true healing addresses the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of each person’s experience.
Creative Healing
We embrace diverse, alternative healing modalities that challenge the dominance of capitalist medical systems. From art therapy to ancestral practices, we explore and create new ways to heal that are holistic, transformative, and community-driven.
Nuance
We challenge and aim to understand the complexities of the human condition, cultural norms, and social movements. We commit to prioritizing human connection over perfection, performance, and social capital.
Our Services
The Hinterlands offers a variety of healing and community wellness services:
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Clinical therapy might be right for you if you present with or suspect you qualify for a DSM-V diagnosis that requires a trained mental health professional to treat. Folks who need documentation of their wellness process, wish to use insurance, or need letters to access resources or additional care might consider choosing a clinical therapist. Our therapists each have their own specialties and modalities unique to their personal skillset and lived experiences. Regardless of modality, all clinical therapists at The Hinterlands acknowledge the challenges and limitations of our medical system. We employ harm reduction techniques when navigating these systems that have historically contributed to oppression within mental health care fields. Clinical services include individual therapy, group therapy, couples/polycule therapy, family therapy, peer-support, and organizational services. They are offered virtually in Illinois & Connecticut. In-person services are available at our office in the Irving Park neighborhood of Chicago.
Areas of clinical specialty currently include: LGBTQIA+,ENM/Poly folks, BDSM/Kink community; Immigrants/Refugees; Substance Use, Chronic Illness/HIV, Autism/ADHD/Neuroqueer, Multi-Cultural/Mixed-Race, Artists/Performers/Craftsfolk, Religious/Spiritual Trauma, Parenting, Educators, & Activists. We also serve Mad/Crip folks who need clinical documentation and services but wish to limit exposure and interference from medical systems.
Our current modalities include Somatic Experiencing, Somatic Touch Work, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Liberation/Abolition-Based therapy, Solution-Focused therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness-Based therapy, Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy and Integration, Narrative Therapy, Therapeutic Fiber-Arts, and Therapeutic Gardening.
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Peer-Support might be right for you if you do not want treatment or a diagnosis, do not need or do not qualify for insurance reimbursement or coverage, or prefer to keep your services from being documented with any other organization. Peer-Support specialists are not therapists and do not provide any medical care. They each have a unique set of skills and lived experiences that can supplement clinical services or independently provide support for a myriad of life stressors. Peer-Support services include individual, group, couples/polycule, family, peer, and organizational services. They are offered virtually worldwide. In-person services are available at our office in Irving Park, Chicago. Visit our Announcements page for current offerings.
Our current peer-support offerings include Death/Grief processing, Mad/Crip Support Groups, Plant/Herb Tending & Hospice Support.
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Beginning Summer 2025, we are offering a 6-week therapeutic intensive for clients who need more than weekly talk therapy to meet their goals but do not qualify for Intensive Out-Patient services. This program is meant to provide optimal support with less disruption to your daily life. The program is limited to 10 clients per cohort. It includes individual clinical therapy, group clinical therapy, and elective activities to support your mental health journey.
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Healing requires community, creativity, and inspiration. Our therapy electives are meant to supplement your process. Electives include non-clinical activities, mental health workshops, group healing events, and skill-shares to support practical skill development, community-building, and joy during your healing process.
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We provide training and consulting for organizations and small groups on a variety of mental health topics. Reach out if you are interested in having one of us provide support for your organization.
We currently serve individuals aged 6+, couples/polycules, families, and organizations
What To Expect
No two psychotherapy or support sessions look the same. We work to understand your personal biography, culture, neurotype, and temperament. Together, we will identify your goals for seeking support, obstacles that might challenge the process, and the therapy model that will best meet your needs. Support work is a tool; part of a larger initiative towards wellness. Environment, identity, systems, and culture all contribute to our process together. Exploring these elements can be joyful, inspiring, and fun.
In your first appointment, you are getting to know your clinical therapist or peer support professional, just as much as we are working to understand you. At the end of the hour, we’ll evaluate if and how to move forward together. We will conclude with scheduling, payment details, and a review of our office policies. Our goal is to help you feel at ease and get you on the path to better knowing yourself and your community.
Insurance & Fees
In-Network Benefits
All of the clinical therapists at The Hinterlands are in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO and Aetna.
Out-of-Network Benefits
We are happy to create statements for you to submit toward your out-of-network benefits and will provide monthly superbills to facilitate reimbursement of your psychotherapy services. We accept HSA cards, Zelle, and all major credit cards for payment.
Sliding Scale
Not insured? We have a range of cash-pay options including sliding scale sessions. These sessions are based on availability and often fill-up quickly. The fee scale ranges from $25 to the full cost of the session and is dependent on the therapist and form of treatment.
Getting Care
Virtual Therapy Sessions
For online therapy sessions, you'll receive a link to access your appointment where you can connect with your therapist via video. Our platform can be accessed from any computer, tablet or phone equipped with a camera, directly from the Sessions portal.
In-Person Therapy Sessions
Our in-person therapy office is located in Chicago’s Irving Park neighborhood. Our building is street level with no stairs to, or in, the building. We have one, single-stall, ADA restroom in the building. We occasionally have support dogs on premises. Please let us know if this poses a challenge for you when scheduling.
3666 W. Irving Park Rd.
Chicago, IL 60618