Agi Corona Semrad, M.Ed., LPC

Bilingual trauma therapist (English and Spanish) for people who understand their patterns but still feel stuck. In person in Lakeview and Highland Park, and by telehealth across Illinois.

Or call (312) 809-0208, ext. 2

Who I work with

I'm especially drawn to working with people who have experienced complex trauma, attachment wounds, and long-standing patterns of emotional or nervous-system dysregulation. That includes:

• adults navigating PTSD and complex trauma, anxiety and depression

• people who've built a lot of insight in therapy and still feel stuck (I've written more about this on our page on when talk therapy isn't working)

• people whose difficulties go back to early relationships, including childhood emotional neglect

• neurodivergent clients looking for affirming, individualized care

• Spanish-speaking and bilingual clients who want to explore their experiences in the language that feels most authentic to them

• people interested in deeper experiential work, including EMDR, IFS, somatic psychotherapy and ketamine-assisted psychotherapy

What people often tell me when they first reach out

People often come to me saying they don't understand why they keep reacting the way they do, or that they're exhausted from overthinking everything. Many have done a lot of therapy and still feel stuck. Some feel disconnected from themselves and from the people they love.

At first it may look like anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, emotional reactivity, intrusive thoughts, or simply feeling overwhelmed. Sometimes a specific event brings someone in: a breakup, a loss, a conflict, a big life change. Other times the stress has built up slowly until the ways of coping that used to work stop working. And sometimes people reach out not because something terrible has happened, but because they don't want to live in survival mode anymore. They want more than getting through the day. They want to feel present, connected and genuinely engaged in their lives.

How I work

Therapy with me is collaborative. We start by building safety and trust, understanding what you need, and developing the resources to approach difficult material. You don't need to tell me everything at once or push yourself beyond what you can manage.

Depending on what fits you, I draw on:

• EMDR therapy, which doesn't require a detailed verbal account of every painful memory

• Internal Family Systems (IFS), to understand the protective parts of you and what they need

• The Safe and Sound Protocol, a listening program that helps a nervous system that's stuck on alert begin to settle

• PSIP, a somatic and relational approach to trauma therapy, in which I'm trained through the Psychedelic Somatic Institute

• Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, individually or in our ketamine-assisted therapy group, which I co-facilitate with Sharon Steckler

I see ketamine as a possible tool within a larger therapeutic process, never as the healing on its own. Preparation, a supportive therapeutic relationship and integration are essential to how I approach that work. If you already have a therapist, I can provide ketamine-assisted sessions while they continue your ongoing therapy, with your written permission.

What change can feel like

Healing doesn't mean forgetting what happened or never feeling difficult emotions again. What we work toward is that memories and emotions become less overwhelming, and that you have more freedom in how you respond. That can look like remembering what happened without it affecting you the same way, recognizing when you're triggered without being completely overwhelmed, no longer feeling like you're constantly fighting yourself, feeling more connected to your body, and being present with the people you love instead of always being on edge.

One of the most meaningful shifts is when someone starts to meet themselves with curiosity and compassion rather than judgment. Instead of asking what's wrong with them, they begin to ask what happened to them, and what this part of them needs.

Neurodiversity-affirming therapy

Affirming care means we don't treat your neurodivergence as the problem to be fixed. We work with how your mind and nervous system actually function, including how you process sensory input, communication and stress, and focus on what you want to change, at a pace and in a format that suits you. Navigating a neurotypical world can itself be exhausting, and that's worth talking about too.

Why I do this work

I believe in the importance of connection and understanding, especially for people who've spent years feeling they don't fit the world around them, including people who are neurodivergent and people who identify as BIPOC. Before becoming a therapist I worked in education, and I founded The Balance Project to improve access to mental health care in the community. What keeps me in this work is watching people stop fighting themselves and start getting curious about what they need.

Training and credentials

• Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Illinois

• Master's in Community Counseling; background in education

• Trained in EMDR therapy

• Trained in Internal Family Systems (IFS)

• Uses the Safe and Sound Protocol

• Trained in PSIP through the Psychedelic Somatic Institute, listed in its therapist directory

• Provides individual and group ketamine-assisted psychotherapy

• Languages: English and Spanish

Offices, telehealth and fees

I see clients in person at our Lakeview office (3304 N Lincoln Ave, Suite G) and our Highland Park office (1866 Sheridan Rd, Suite 208), and by telehealth anywhere in Illinois. We're in network with several insurers; see insurance and fees.