Welcome! My name is Dylan Amlin and I am a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) and Accredited Sexual Health Provider practicing in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois.

I developed Action-Oriented Therapy through my work with clients who were looking for a more active, challenging therapy relationship that encouraged them to grow and meet their goals. I specialize in sex and relationship concerns, but work with clients experiencing a range of mental health challenges. Please read more in the principles below, explore the rest of the site, and reach out for a consultation if you think we'd be a good fit!

Principles of the Action-Oriented Approach

Insight only goes so far.

I aim to balance deep exploration with conversations about concrete changes you can make in your everyday life. I often tell my clients “what you do outside of this office is a lot more important than what happens in our sessions” and while I’ll never give you generic 'homework', I will encourage you to create goals for yourself, whether that’s having a hard conversation or experimenting with new behaviors.

Growth involves discomfort.

Growth and change are constants in life. Therapy should not encourage avoidance of the discomfort of life but instead encourage flexibility and assertiveness in meeting life's challenges. Compassionately and patiently, my goal is to help you identify manageable opportunities for growth that build confidence and resilience.

Change happens in relationships.

I am always most interested in how a mental health issue shows up in relationships. Depressed people isolate or hold back, anxious people often fail to ask for what they need. Insight into our interpersonal patterns gives us opportunities to change our behavior, communicate more assertively, and consequently change how we think and feel about ourselves.

Sex is a therapy topic.

Sex shouldn’t feel like a taboo subject in therapy. From losing “the spark” in a long-term relationship to challenges with erectile dysfunction, I often find that addressing a sexual concern in therapy can be a catalyst for broader personal growth and connection.

Healthy relationships involve conflict.

Sharing life with another person is hard! As a couples therapist, my goal isn't to get you to stop arguing. It's to understand what happens when you argue, explore underlying emotions and needs, and identify unhelpful communication patterns that get you stuck or make conflict more distressing than it needs to be.

Therapy should be in-person.

Though I am able to offer virtual appointments in emergencies, I prioritize in-person work and generally only take on new clients who can commit to attending every session in-person. Much of my work with individuals and couples is about processing emotions in the moment, and my impression is that this crucial element of the work is often lost in virtual therapy. I work in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago.

Qualifications

I am a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, an Accredited Sexual Health Provider, and I am working toward Certified Sex Therapist (CST) certification. I am in my second year of sex therapy training and have over 300 supervised sex therapy hours working on a range of sexual issues in therapy. I obtained a Master's of Arts in Counseling Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology in 2021. I am currently a staff therapist at Transcend Counseling Chicago (https://transcendchicago.com/). Prior to becoming a therapist, I worked as a leadership development coach and mentor for nonprofit and political organizations.

Insurance and Fees

My session fees range from $175-200. I am paneled with Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO, Aetna, Evernorth/Cigna, and United Healthcare. More information on insurance and Fees can be found here: https://transcendchicago.com/insurance-fees

Office Location

(Office opening May 2025)

Address

1300 W Belmont Ave, Ste 501C Chicago, IL 60657

Public Transportation

My office is conveniently located a 10-minute walk from the Belmont Red/Brown/Purple Line stop. The 77 Belmont bus also stops in front of my office.

Parking

Pay parking is available on Belmont Ave and Lakewood Ave. Neighborhood streets are permit parking but usually available during my office hours. Please note that parking may be more difficult during Cubs games.