Tara Lindstrom

PsyD

Therapist

About Tara Lindstrom

There are times when life asks us to look more closely at who we are, how we cope, and what we may be carrying from the past. You might be navigating anxiety or depression, questioning your identity, grieving a loss, struggling in a relationship, or relying on coping strategies that no longer serve you. Therapy can create room to understand what is beneath the surface, experience emotional relief, and begin making changes that feel meaningful and sustainable.

Hi, I’m Dr. Tara, PsyD. My style in the therapy room is warm, reflective, collaborative, and process-oriented. I see therapy a bit like solving a puzzle together: you bring your experiences, emotions, values, and knowledge of yourself, while I bring curiosity, clinical perspective, and thoughtful questions that can help us see how the pieces connect. I lead with compassion and radical acceptance, creating space for you to show up as you are rather than feeling pressure to have everything figured out.

I also believe therapy should have enough flexibility to meet you where you are that day. Sometimes our work may involve learning a concrete coping skill or challenging a longstanding thought pattern. Other sessions may call for slowing down, sitting with an emotion, exploring a relationship, or understanding why a particular experience continues to affect you. Healing is both a process of deeper understanding and an opportunity to develop new ways of responding to life.

My clinical work spans young adulthood through older adulthood and includes anxiety, depression, PTSD and childhood trauma, grief and loss, substance misuse and addiction, restrictive eating, family conflict, intimate relationship concerns, and schizophrenia and other serious mental health challenges. I’m especially passionate about identity and self-discovery, perfectionism and burnout, body image, and the relationship between emotional pain and the ways we learn to cope.

Substance use is an area of particular interest. Rather than approaching it through shame or judgment, I use a harm-reduction and trauma-informed lens to understand what the behavior may be helping someone manage, avoid, survive, or soothe. From there, we can explore underlying triggers and work toward healthier, more sustainable ways of coping.

Throughout my career, I’ve worked with people navigating complex circumstances, intersectional identities, and systemic barriers. My experience includes supporting individuals with substance use disorders, women transitioning back into their communities after incarceration, and people living with severe and persistent mental illness, including schizophrenia. This work has strengthened my belief in preserving dignity, fostering autonomy, and understanding each person within the broader context of their experiences—not simply through a diagnosis.

My approach integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, mindfulness-based practices, and Art Therapy. I enjoy working with clients who are willing to explore therapy in different ways, whether that means conversation, worksheets, role-play, creative expression, or practicing new skills. There is no expectation that one approach will work for everyone; our work can evolve as we learn more about what helps you.

Outside of the therapy room, I’m a runner who has completed three marathons and ten half marathons. I love traveling, listening to just about every genre of music, spending time with family and friends, and reading at home with my Great Danes nearby. And during football season, you can safely assume I’ll be rooting for the Chicago Bears—Bear Down!

Starting therapy can feel like a significant decision, and you don’t need to know exactly where the process will lead before you begin. We can start by understanding what is happening in your life right now and determining whether we’re a good fit to work together. My hope is that therapy leaves you with more than temporary relief: a clearer understanding of your patterns, values, and emotional needs; practical tools for future challenges; greater confidence in your own decisions; and the ability to move forward with a stronger sense of trust in yourself.