Meet Camila Richmond, LCSW
Founder & Psychotherapist | LCSW | Certified Brainspotting Practitioner | English & Portuguese
Hi, I'm Camila. I'm a psychotherapist, clinical supervisor, and the founder of Soma Counseling Center. I believe meaningful healing begins when we make space to understand ourselves more deeply, not only through our thoughts and emotions, but also through the experiences our bodies have learned to carry.
Sometimes the patterns that once helped us feel safe become the ones that keep us stuck. We may repeat familiar relationship dynamics, struggle with boundaries, or understand our difficulties intellectually without being able to change how we feel. I believe therapy can help bridge that gap.
My Philosophy: Healing Beyond Words
Healing is not simply about managing symptoms. It is about understanding yourself, reconnecting with your inner resources, and creating meaningful change in how you experience yourself, your relationships, and the world. Our minds and bodies are deeply interconnected. Trauma, chronic stress, and attachment wounds can shape not only what we believe, but also how our nervous systems respond to everyday life. You may recognize this as persistent anxiety, difficulty trusting others, people-pleasing, emotional overwhelm, or a tendency to withdraw when relationships feel vulnerable. You might understand exactly why you react a certain way and still be unable to respond differently. Through Brainspotting, EMDR-informed work, attachment-based therapy, and other integrative approaches, I help clients explore experiences that words alone may not fully reach.
You might feel at home here if you:
Find yourself repeating relationship patterns despite wanting something different
Have experienced trauma, emotional neglect, or difficult early relationships
Understand your struggles intellectually but feel something deeper remains unresolved
Struggle with anxiety, perfectionism, overwhelm, or a persistent sense of not being enough
Want healthier relationships, stronger boundaries, and a more secure sense of self
Are curious about how trauma, attachment, and the nervous system shape your experiences
Want a therapist who offers both compassion and thoughtful challenge
You don't need to identify with every item on this list. What matters most is your willingness to approach yourself with curiosity and to explore the possibility that things can be different.
Getting to Know Camila
What It's Like to Work With Me
I see therapy as a collaborative relationship built on trust, curiosity, honesty, and mutual respect. I bring warmth and compassion, and I also believe growth sometimes asks us to gently challenge familiar narratives and look at patterns we have spent years avoiding. Some sessions may explore childhood experiences or relationship dynamics; others may focus on your nervous system or on processing trauma through Brainspotting. Above all, I want therapy to be a space where you can be fully human, without needing to have everything figured out.
My Professional Journey
I earned my Master of Social Work from the University of Chicago and my Bachelor of Social Work from Northeastern Illinois University. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Illinois, a Certified Brainspotting Practitioner, and trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). My approach also draws from Internal Family Systems (IFS), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), and Gottman-informed relationship work. My experience as a psychotherapist and clinical supervisor has deepened my understanding of trauma, attachment, and the many ways people adapt to difficult experiences.
Beyond the Therapy Room
As a Brazilian-born therapist who speaks English and Portuguese, I appreciate how culture, belonging, family expectations, and life transitions shape our sense of self. I believe growth and self-discovery are lifelong processes, not destinations. I founded Soma with that in mind: the name means "body," and it reflects my belief that lasting healing involves more than understanding our stories. It also involves transforming how those stories continue to live within us.
Let's Begin
Whether you're working through past trauma, navigating relationship challenges, or ready to understand yourself more deeply, I would be honored to be part of that process. Healing doesn't mean becoming someone new. Sometimes it means reconnecting with the parts of yourself that have been waiting to feel safe enough to emerge.