Autonomy is what we’re allowed to do.
Agency is what we do anyway.
Trauma-Informed • Relational • LGBTQ+ Affirming • Rooted In Agency
Individual Telehealth Therapy & Counseling Services Practice
by Isaac Samuelson, Chicago-Based Therapist
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This Agency Agency is built on the belief that meaningful change begins in relationship — with yourself and with others. I believe the therapy relationship, being boundaried and unique, can help show you what could be possible in your other relationships. I want you to get in touch with your own sense of agency, to remove barriers to the relationships and goals you seek in your life. Therapy with me is collaborative, trauma-informed, and grounded in the understanding that you are the expert on your own experience. The work centers authenticity, emotional awareness, and personal agency, creating a space where you can deepen your connection to your feelings, strengthen your voice, and move toward what you want most for your life.
If this approach resonates with you, I invite you to learn more about me, and explore the services I offer. Finding the right fit matters — and you deserve to understand who you’ll be working with and how the process unfolds.
You know your life better than anyone. Therapy here begins with that understanding. My role is to listen to you tell me what you already know — sometimes in ways that haven’t yet been fully heard. This is a collaborative space where you are encouraged to have ownership over your mental health, not hand it over.This may be a good fit if:
You want therapy that feels like partnership, not hierarchy
You’re ready to explore your inner world with curiosity
You value authenticity and real connection in the room
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You may feel intrigued by my approach, and wonder if I have had experience with your specific needs. Finding the right therapist extends beyond philosophical alignment— experience matters.
I have been a practicing therapist for almost a decade. Since 2017 I have had experience in providing care for a wide variety of needs. If you identify with any of these groups, I have helped someone like you.
LGBTQIA2S+ adolescents, specifically trans and gender nonconforming adolescents over 12. If you are an adolescent searching for understanding and support, I have helped others with the same need. If you are a parent of a trans or gender nonconforming teen, and you are worried about the current hostile political climate, I have helped teens navigate difficult emotions around belonging. We may not be able to single-handedly change society overnight, but we can love ourselves in the face of those demonizing us. I have helped teens see this truth, building resilience.
LGBTQIA2S+ adults, perhaps you are navigating your relationship to your identities, or are settled in your identity and want a therapist who can understand your day-to-day life without having to explain, educate, or defend queer life (which can be pathologized by some who do not understand). I am here to focus on your needs without preconceived notions of what is “normal.” I have helped others, like you, discover their version of “normal.”
Adolescents and adults with ADHD and Autism. I have worked extensively with people on the Autism spectrum, as well as people with ADHD. If you feel like conventional wisdom around motivation hasn’t worked for you, I have helped people discover how to work with their brain, not against it.
Late in life identity exploration. Sometimes we come in to our queer identity later. If this is you, you are not alone. I have helped people like you navigate their identity, I promise you this is not just a young person’s pursuit.
Women navigating life transitions and relationships. I have helped women navigate life transitions, some were transitioning from school to the world of work, or transitioning to a new career, job, or relationship. If you are experiencing anxiety about a new change or are finding your new reality challenging, I have helped others in your situation find peace and power.
Men navigating life transitions and relationships. Men of all kinds can feel alone in the responsibility to be a positive force in the world, and fear asking for help. If you feel isolated in searching for what it means to be a “good man,” I have helped men discover how to get in touch with their feelings, and support those closest to them—while being able to ask for support themselves.
Men 60+ navigating relationships. The world is changing and splintering. Perhaps you feel you once knew what it took to be a “good man,” and now the rules got changed on you. I have helped men discover how to approach their relationships in ways that feel connective and meaningful, without having to abandon themselves in the process.
Other therapists. Perhaps you are new to the field, and you are struggling to balance all of the expectations of this profession. Perhaps you are a seasoned therapist who appreciates new and different prospectives. Perhaps you are in a moment of transition in your career, and can’t decide what is best. My experience as a clinical director, supervisor, and therapist to other therapists give me the tools to collaborate with you.
If you do not see yourself represented above, don’t let that keep you from reaching out to me. This is certainly not a complete list, but rather specific examples of particular expertise. I, like most therapists, have been trained to help folks of all identities cope with depression, anxiety, and trauma. If you need help, reach out, and I will do my best to get you the services you need, even if it’s not with me.
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The therapeutic relationship we create together can be the agent of change. Authenticity and genuine connection move therapy forward. I show up fully as myself while maintaining the boundaries that make the work safe and effective. My hope in doing that is that you can be fully yourself, too — without fear.
In our work together, you can expect:
A space grounded in mutual respect
Honest, relational engagement
A steady focus on what you want most for yourself
The work unfolds between us — not at you.
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I received my BA in Performing Arts and Social Justice, with a Minor in Music from University of San Francisco
Received my MA in Clinical Psychology (Counseling Practice) from Roosevelt University
I attended a post-graduate fellowship from Live Oak, a therapy practice in Chicago, IL
I attended a year-long intensive in NARM entitled Level 2: NARM Therapist Training: The NeuroAffective Relational Model for Healing Complex Trauma. NARM focuses on relationships and agency to treat a variety of issues, including complex trauma. If you want to learn more about NARM, you can hear me on their podcast here: https://complextraumatrainingcenter.com/transformingtrauma/episode-080/
The Agency Agency PLLC welcomes and respects all regardless of identity or disability. A space of growth and invitation.
Meet Your Therapist
Isaac Samuelson
Hello! My name is Isaac Samuelson; I am a therapist in Chicago.
I have been a practicing therapist since 2017, and a supervisor for therapists since 2023. I was also the Director of Clinical Operations for two years at a group practice. I received a year-long training in the NARM therapeutic approach. I worked as a group therapist for the Second City’s “improv for Anxiety,” I completed a Fellowship at Live Oak, and my clinical internship was at Hartgrove Hospital.
Before becoming a therapist, I was an actor, improviser, and clown. Transitioning from a performing arts background to a new career in therapy was not a huge leap. Understanding human behavior was what drew me to performing arts.
I saw firsthand the benefit of balancing communication between mind and body in order to grapple with difficult emotions. I bring with me the lessons I learned as a performer to help my clients address fear and strengthen their voice.
Founding The Agency Agency
I started The Agency Agency as a way to root my work more fully in Chicago and to formalize what had already been growing in my practice — therapy grounded in relationship, agency, and the understanding that emotional strength and creative expression are deeply connected.
After years of working as a therapist, supervisor, and collaborator within both clinical and performing arts spaces, I wanted to build something that could hold all of that in one place. The Agency Agency is now the home for that work — offering individual counseling and therapy, occasional workshops, and collaborations with local artists, businesses, and organizations. While I remain the therapist you’ll be working with, this practice reflects a broader commitment: creating spaces in Chicago where people can strengthen their voice, their agency, and their relationship to themselves.
My Collaborative Approach
You are the expert of your own experience; it’s what you know best. I am here to listen to you tell me what you know best.
I partner with my clients; encouraging you to have a sense of freedom and ownership over your own mental health. The therapeutic relationship we create together can be the agent of change, and authenticity and genuine connection move your therapy forward. I promise to uphold my end and be 100% me while maintaining the boundaries of the relationship.
My hope in doing so is that you can be 100% you without fear. We work together in the therapeutic space to help you progress toward what you want most for yourself.
In our work together you can expect to deepen your relationship with your own feelings, to hear the information your feelings contain, and recognize your agency when life feels out of control.
My perspective as a therapist is informed by feminist theory, which, simply put, is an effort to feel powerful in your skin.
I combine this perspective with NARM– which is a trauma-informed, relational model that focuses on your agency, and is particularly effective in treating complex trauma. Each therapeutic relationship is different, and requires a unique combination of tools to be the most effective. When addressing behavior specifically, I also pull from interventions such as mindfulness and CBT.
Reaching Out for Therapy
So you’ve decided that you would like to start therapy for the first time, restart therapy, or change to a new therapist, and you’re ready to start reaching out to therapists.
THAT’S AMAZING!! It can also feel intimidating and sometimes overwhelming.
To try to mitigate some of that overwhelm, listed to the right are the steps you can expect when reaching out to start the process of receiving therapeutic services. Click the + to expand and read more about the details.
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Reach out here!
You can share broad strokes such as “I want help with my relationships,” “I think it’s time to start therapy,” or “I’d like support with anxiety.” We’ll go into more detail when we meet.
If you prefer to include more information in your initial outreach, that’s completely okay — just keep in mind that email is less secure than the encrypted video platform used for sessions.
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You can expect a reply within one business day with information about next steps and how to move forward.
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We’ll set up a 15-minute consultation by phone or video — whichever you prefer. There is no charge for this consultation.
All sessions are currently offered via telehealth (not in person). During this call, we’ll likely review scheduling availability and insurance details (if applicable), so it’s helpful to have your calendar and insurance information nearby — but there’s no need to stress about it.
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During the consultation, we’ll talk about what you’re looking for and determine whether working together feels like a good fit. If it does, we’ll typically schedule your first session at the end of that call.
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That’s it. It starts with a conversation — and from there, we begin our chapter of your mental health journey together.