Dr. Richa Vakharia
Postdoctoral Fellow
(she/her/hers)
Specializations
Dr. Vakharia is currently accepting new clients.
In addition to depression, anxiety, work stress, life transitions, and relationship challenges—
Dr. Vakharia also specializes in:
Prenatal, Perinatal, Postpartum Health
Couples therapy (training in EFT)
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Dr. Vakharia is currently in-network with: Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO, Choice and Options plans; Blue Cross Blue Shield HMO Site 501; Cigna PPO plans, as well as Aetna POS and PPO plans.
Experience
Dr. Vakharia has worked in a variety of clinical settings, community mental health centers, private practice, and outpatient hospital settings. Throughout her training, she has continued to challenge herself to provide culturally competent care to adults with many different presenting concerns. Dr. Vakharia uses relational-cultural and empowerment-based approaches to therapy, integrated with second- and third-wave cognitive behavioral techniques to achieve symptom reduction.
During her training at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, Dr. Vakharia completed two years of specialized training within the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, providing her with a wealth of knowledge and experience in supporting clients around sexual wellness as well as during perinatal and postpartum experiences.
Dr. Vakharia is also skilled at working with couples using Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). She helps couples learn communication skills to improve conflict resolution and helps them better understand patterns including deeper meanings of conflicts and unmet needs. Dr. Vakharia also uses EFT in individual work to support clients in exploring their communication patterns and strengthening their interpersonal relationships.
Before joining Atlas, Dr. Vakharia worked at an ADHD center as an executive functioning coach. She honed skills to provide adolescents and adults with strategies to manage organization, identify barriers to task completion, and improve motivation.
Education
Dr. Vakharia received her master’s and doctorate degrees from Roosevelt University. Prior to her graduate studies, she earned her Bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Los Angeles in Psychology. Throughout her education, Dr. Vakharia’s coursework focused on integrating social justice into treatment. Dr. Vakharia has completed, presented, and won an award for her research on sexual coercion. She also created a training program for clinicians focused on implementing a multicultural therapeutic approach to supporting survivors of assault.
About Dr. Vakharia
Sometimes, we feel something is stopping us from being the person we know ourselves to be.
In individual therapy, I hope to help you identify those obstacles and work with you to achieve your goals. My approach to therapy is to prioritize cultural humility and empathy as we explore how your lived experiences shape your beliefs about yourself and the world. I will ask questions to spark new perspectives and gently offer my insight without judgment. Most importantly, I will collaborate with you on creating a safe space as you embark upon your healing journey.
In couples therapy, I will work to deeply understand your relationship history and how each of your unique experiences impact your partnership. Together, we will discover the best ways to communicate emotions and fulfill needs within your couple to create lasting emotional and physical connections.