Dr. Akamin Nkengaka, LCSW
Therapist in Illinois
Dr.
- License 149028885 · Illinois Expires November 2027
- NPI 1083193114 · national registry
- Experience and languages 15+ years in practice English
Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check any license with the state board and any NPI with the national registry.
About Akamin
Dr. Akamin Nkengaka is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, substance use concerns, and struggles with self-esteem. He blends practical tools with steady support to help people take the next step toward feeling better.
His tone is direct and encouraging, aimed at someone who may be nervous about starting therapy. Dr. Nkengaka uses a cognitive-behavioral foundation to look at how thoughts and actions keep problems going.
Background and approach
He also draws on attachment-based ideas to understand how early relationships shape current patterns. Sessions focus on small, practical changes you can try between meetings. He favors a client-centered stance that treats each person as the expert on their own life.
That means listening first, then helping set goals that matter to the individual. Therapy is paced to match what the person can manage, so work is steady rather than rushed. Gottman Method principles and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) also inform his work when they fit the issue at hand.
These approaches add ways to improve relationship habits, accept difficult feelings, and act in line with personal values. With 15 years of experience, Dr. Nkengaka brings both practical skills and experience with complex concerns like co-morbidity, chronic illness, caregiving stress, and attachment issues.
He offers clear steps, homework you can use, and a focus on real-life outcomes rather than jargon.
Credentials
- LCSW (Illinois)
- License 149028885 · expires November 2027
- NPI
- 1083193114 · national provider identifier
Both are public records. A state board register will confirm a license and its standing, and the national registry will confirm an NPI. This directory copies what the therapist lists and checks neither.
Focus areas and approaches
Everything Akamin lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- Trauma and abuse
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Abandonment
- Adoption and foster care
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Antisocial personality
- Attachment issues
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Avoidant personality
- BDSM, kink, and alternative sex culture
- Blended family issues
- Body image
- Cancer
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Co-morbidity
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Dependent personality
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Dissociation
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Eating and food-related issues
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Fertility issues
- First responder issues
- Forgiveness
- Gender dysphoria
- Guilt and shame
- Hearing impaired
- HIV / AIDS
- Hoarding
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Immigration issues
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Intellectual disability
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Narcissism
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Paranoia
- Personality disorders
- Phobias
- Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sex addiction
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexual dysfunction
- Sexuality
- Smoking / vaping cessation
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Somatization
- Traumatic brain injury
- Trichotillomania
- Visually impaired
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Akamin names
- Gottman Method
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Attachment-Based Therapy
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Existential Therapy
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Hypnotherapy
- Imago Relationship Therapy
- Jungian Therapy
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Narrative Therapy
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Somatic Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
- Internal Family Systems
These are the approaches Akamin names on their own professional profile. Naming an approach is not evidence of training or certification in it, and this directory checks no training records. Ask directly if it matters to you.
Online support
How therapy approaches fit into online care
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, focuses on noticing thoughts and feelings without getting swept away by them. It helps people clarify values and take small actions that match what matters to them. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at the link between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and teaches practical skills to change unhelpful patterns. These approaches are useful for anxiety, depression, and stress. The Gottman Method offers tools for improving relationship habits and communication, which can be brought into sessions when relationship issues are part of the work.Choosing the right approach is a team effort. The therapist will ask about goals, daily life, and what has or hasn’t helped before. Together the person and therapist will try methods that fit those goals and adjust as needed based on what is most helpful.
Online therapy options include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video calls allow face-to-face interaction and shared exercises. Phone sessions can work well when bandwidth is limited or a camera feels uncomfortable. Live chat and text sessions are useful for quick check-ins, short coping strategies, or when someone needs support without scheduling a full call. These formats make it easier to fit therapy into work, caregiving, or medical schedules.
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Frequently asked
What kinds of problems does this therapist help with?
He works with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, addictions, and low self-esteem, along with related issues such as attachment concerns and caregiver stress.
How would you describe the therapeutic style?
The style is practical and collaborative. Sessions combine listening with concrete tools and short exercises to try between meetings.
How much experience does the therapist have?
He has 15 years of clinical experience working with a range of mental health and behavioral concerns.
What credentials and location are on record?
He is listed as an LCSW and practices in Illinois.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English, and the therapist accepts international clients.
What session formats are available?
Therapy is offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to suit different needs.
How does pricing work for sessions?
Cost varies by location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What are the steps to begin working together?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions based on the therapist's availability.
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