monica marchant-silva, lcsw

I am the proud daughter of immigrants from "Mexico Lindo y Querido '' who raised me in the Northside of Chicago. Although I was born in the U.S., my roots largely come from the Latino culture and traditions. As a child I struggled as most minorities do in this country. As a primarily Spanish speaker growing up, language was a struggle especially in my education as I did not have access to many resources in my community.  Being a Latina, however, has driven me to share and live the life, beliefs, and values that are a big part of the Latino culture.

I’ve been asked why I chose to be a therapist and although it may be cliche-- I strongly believe that we do not choose our profession, but our profession chooses us. Ever since I can remember I’ve had a deep interest in hearing other people’s stories and truly understanding why they act the way they do or feel the way they feel. I have always wanted to work in a field where I can help people and make a difference.

I've had the privilege of fulfilling my passion to help people and make a difference throughout different roles in my career as a Social Worker. I have worked with survivors and perpetrators of domestic violence through Mujeres Latinas en Accion and Apnar Ghar. I worked with children who have been abused and with parents who have abused. Through my role as a foster case manager, I've also worked with foster parents and relatives who have taken the responsibility to care for these children. I have been practicing as a bilingual licensed clinical social worker for the past seven years. I started off at a non per profit agency called Pillar and then transitioned into a group private practice called Centro Castillo. After taking a year off to be a stay-at-home mom, I opened Mental Ease Services, PLLC.

Being a therapist is something I am passionate about. I’ve always wanted to provide someone who's struggling and with emotional pain, a space where they can be heard, supported, and validated. I'm glad I can provide that to many individuals in my role as a therapist.