The therapeutic relationship between myself and clients is a channel for healing. 

Symptoms are one thing, but feeling disconnected from self and others is usually the pain that prompts us to seek therapy. We long to be accepted and to feel at home with ourselves, yet our thoughts and actions leave us feeling empty and alone. Therapy provides an opportunity to recover our lost selves, to recreate the stories we tell ourselves, and to rebuild trust and healthy intimacy. Through this process, we can practice self-compassion, transform our challenges, and reclaim freedom and wholeness. 

Erin mcshane, ma, lpc

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor with a Master’s degree from Lewis University and a Certificate of Alcohol and Drug Counseling from Loyola University. I started my career working at Linden Oaks Behavioral Health hospital in the inpatient substance use disorder/detox unit, then found my home at Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation in Chicago for 5 years, where I provided group therapy and individual therapy to patients in the Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP). There, I learned firsthand the importance of shifting away from an acute care model and using a chronic disease model and recovery management interventions. In 2016, I accepted an opportunity to join Head/Heart Therapy and grow my experience in a private practice setting providing therapy to individuals recovering from addiction/substance use disorders, and also working with individuals suffering from anxiety, mood disorders, and grief and loss. I love working with special issues including shame, perfectionism, self-compassion, spirituality, and radical acceptance.

I was born and raised in Chicago. I am a lover of nature, an adventure-seeker, an inspired traveler, and a believer in dreams. As a life-long learner, I have tried many paths to find freedom and wholeness. Some of these paths did not align with my true self. The pain of living inauthentically is one I will never forget, and it inspires me to trust my wisdom and stay true to myself, even when it is not the easy choice.

I created Truly Being Therapy because I became aware of a shared pattern between myself and my clients. We often feel unworthy and separate from others, which leads to suffering including addiction to drugs, alcohol, food, relationships, and work. We stay busy to avoid our pain, and as if driven by a motor, we do more and more to prove we are worthy. We have become “human doings”, not human beings. My mission is to provide healing with presence and passion. By truly being ourselves, we can reclaim a free and joyful life.

self care and nature

Erin values balance, and she draws from resources that are readily available, but often overlooked, including one’s connection to the body, nature, and community. Erin is passionate about awakening the senses through experiences outdoors. By taking space from a fast-paced, stressful, technology-dependent lifestyle, Erin feels we can access feelings of freedom, acceptance, and peace. Erin loves to brainstorm ways to connect with nature, whether it is by taking a hike in the mountains, journaling under the shade of a tree, creating a garden, or breathing in the scents of the forest. In her spare time, Erin loves hiking with her dog, kayaking, camping, and High Intensity Interval Training classes.