Jessica Cao

I have lived most of my life in East Asia (born and raised in mainland China), shortly in East Europe (Lithuania), and resided in North America (United States) since my early 20s. My background was in philosophy, communication studies, journalism, copywriting, and medical interpretation before I graduated from the University of Chicago with a Master's in Social Work. I have experience working in community mental health, university counseling center, and outpatient private practice. I hold licenses in Illinois and Michigan. I can provide services in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese. I adopt a multicultural and intersectionality framework in my work. This framework believes that we each have unique experiences and interpretations despite some shared labels of social identities. I view therapy as a collaborative process to empower you in designing your own toolbox for wellness. I can work with you on a specific approach you like. In practice, I often borrow therapy techniques from CBT, DBT, ACT, somatic experiencing, sex therapy, and integrate religion and spirituality. I utilize client-centered strength-based approaches toward trauma-informed treatment and believe in the power of love, compassion, and appreciation. I am in-network with Aetna, BlueCross and BlueShield, United Student Resource, and more. I can offer a superbill for my out-of-network clients to seek reimbursement. I also offer sliding scales for a self-pay option. I work with clients who may be experiencing difficulty in life transitions related to acculturation, life changes, or traumatic events. I am a sex therapist, and I completed the Sexual Health Certificate Program at the University of Michigan.