History & Philosophy
Rootwork Psychotherapy, PLLC (“Rootwork”) was created in 2021 to grow transformative relationships with clients and colleagues through therapy, family mediation, supervision, consultation, and workshops. The collective experiences of 2020 and 2021 have deepened our commitment and readiness to share with more people what we have learned about survival, repair, healing, and growth. Our learning is rooted in our experiences as clinical social workers, psychodynamic therapists, and people who survived and held others through those complicated years.
Those years solidified our belief that, like roots, people and communities need depth and interdependence to sustain themselves and grow. Our work involves thorough exploration of the experiences, thoughts, feelings, and patterns that form clients’ pasts (their roots), as well as sustained, collaborative effort to create the present and future clients desire (the work).
‘Work’ may mean many things to you, and we recognize that some of those meanings can be complicated and painful. When we chose work as part of our name, we intended it to honor the concerted, sustained effort we all need to create the lives we desire. At times, this means our work will be challenging and uncomfortable. We are committed to finding the right ways to support our clients through the challenges and discomfort that arise when any of us earnestly self-reflects and takes meaningful action. Our intention is that this root work foundationally changes the way you see yourself, approach your concerns, and live your life.
We recognize ‘rootwork’ has associations that include Black and Brown indigenous spiritual practices. And, the psychotherapeutic community has a history of interacting with these practices with varying levels of regard for their healing power. At Rootwork, we value that you come to our many service offerings with knowledge of what has helped and hurt before, and we trust your wisdom as one of many guides for our work together. Rootwork not only includes our expertise as trained professionals, but also (and especially) your expertise as the only person who has lived your life.
Our prior experiences have taught us so much about what people need when they seek professional care. Below, you can read more about the histories and understandings we bring to Rootwork.
Our Creators
-
Jasmine Atwell, JD, LCSW (she, her)
I help people make their thoughts and feelings more conscious, alive, and manageable. Maybe you are coming to therapy or mediation to make life changing decisions or take urgent action. In my experience, people are best equipped to accomplish those goals when they cultivate enough self-awareness and trust to handle the outcomes of their choices.
In therapy, I work with individual adults, couples, families, and groups from a relational and psychodynamic perspective that incorporates Black diasporic and feminist thought, respect for the body’s role in processing trauma, and family systems theory. In mediation, I collaborate with members of diverse family structures, who are navigating divorce and co-parenting decision making.
You can rely on me to offer curiosity and active engagement, compassion for how hard encountering yourself can be, and belief in your growing capacity to handle your life. Sometimes my contributions to our work will look like questions and observations. Other times, I may seem more like a historian, reminding you of your progress. And, when we need, I will share clinical theory and my professional opinion as options for understanding yourself.
In addition to life experience and self-study, my practice is informed by formal education that includes a bachelor’s degree in sociology and legal studies from Northwestern University, a master’s degree in social work from the University of Chicago, a juris doctor degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law, mediation training through the Center for Conflict Resolution in Chicago, and two years of postgraduate fellowship training in psychodynamic psychotherapy through the Chicago Center for Contemporary Psychotherapy.
Specialties: Family and Intimate Relationship Conflict, Parent and Caregiver Support, Identity Exploration, Grief and Loss, Interpersonal and Systemic Trauma, Depression and Anxiety, and Workplace Stress
-
Emily Zoller, LCSW (she, they)
I believe it takes courage to know yourself deeply. I want to create a space where you can begin to know yourself better, uncover connections between past and present, and build out a life that makes you proud. I want to honor the strength and knowledge you already hold, and create a partnership where we can talk about what feels most tender, scary, and exciting. We can work together to explore ways in which you can feel safer in your body and more confident in your ability to handle life’s challenges.
I come to this work with curiosity and compassion, and am happy to meet you wherever you are. I work hard to create a space to be safely vulnerable, and bring a warm and engaging energy to our work together. I am a trained sex-educator, social worker, and relational psychodynamic therapist. I use a queer and feminist lens, and often work with people around identity, relationships, anxiety, depression, and trauma.
I received my undergraduate degree in Anthropology from Brandeis University, and a Masters degree in Social Work from The University of Chicago. I completed a two year Post-Graduate Fellowship in Psychodynamic Therapy at the Chicago Center for Contemporary Psychotherapy, and a Certificate in Fundamentals of Psychoanalytic Thought from the Chicago Psychoanalytic Institute.
Specialties: Identity Exploration, Interpersonal and Systemic Trauma, Relationships, Gender, Sex, Sexuality, Depression, Anxiety, Chronic Pain and Health Concerns, and Life Transitions