Melissa Barrios, LCSW

I believe that individual healing and collective liberation are inseparable. For over a decade, I have walked alongside individuals on their journeys toward healing, driven by a deeply personal mission: to decolonize the therapy space. Born and raised in Chicago, I’ve witnessed both the immense resilience and the unique systemic oppressions within our communities. These experiences inform my work at Healing Without Limits PLLC, a practice I established in 2021 as a sacred space for the Latine community, BIPOC, QTBIPOC, and First Generation individuals. This is an intentional space created for you to reclaim your power, honor your truth, and reconnect with the profound wisdom of your Ancestors. In this space, the burden of code-switching and cultural explanation is finally lifted.

As a First-Generation Latina, the experience of ni de aquí, ni de allá (not being from here nor there) is personal to me. Navigating systemic inequities alongside the search for belonging has given me a deep understanding of the heavy burdens we carry and the immense strength we possess. My work is more than a profession; it is a calling fueled by my own journey and the wisdom of those who came before me. I am dedicated to creating a space where your full self, cultural heritage, and innate spirituality are welcomed and uplifted. Here, true well-being means dismantling external barriers while nurturing collective transformation.

My approach to healing moves beyond the limitations of traditional therapy; I am a Healer first. I center the profound wisdom of my Ancestors and Elders, my spiritual gifts, and my clinical training. Because I believe in the inherent interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit, my work integrates holistic wellness to support your complete well-being. My clinical foundation is deeply rooted in Internal Family Systems (IFS), a modality I resonate with because its principles so clearly echo Indigenous pláticas and ancestral practices. I have completed IFS Level I Training and am actively working toward certification.

Here, you’ll find a transformative space where we collectively work to:

• Connect to your inner wisdom and ancestral roots, recognizing these as powerful resources for healing and transformation.
• Process and transform intergenerational trauma to rewrite your story, easing anxiety and depression while fostering healing for yourself, your lineage, and your community.
• Actively address systemic oppression and inherited narratives to reclaim your power, agency, and liberate yourself from intergenerational patterns.
• Deepen your connection to your inner intuition and needs, recognizing them as spiritual gifts to be fully heard and honored.
• Release the burden of navigating roles like the family’s “black sheep” or the responsible “go-to” person, allowing you to show up authentically.
• Cultivate self-compassion and embrace your inherent worth outside of achievement or external validation.
• Learn how to prioritize your well-being and self-care as an essential act of self-preservation and collective empowerment against oppressive systems.

Our work together will be collaborative and consensual. While I bring my professional expertise as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and my intuitive spiritual gifts, I deeply respect your innate wisdom, lived experience, and connection to your own ancestral knowledge. I am here to walk alongside you, offering support, fresh perspectives, and practical tools as you navigate life’s complexities with greater clarity, spiritual groundedness, and strength.

I believe that healing is an inherent and ancestral gift within you. If you are seeking a landing space where you are truly seen, understood, empowered to heal on a spiritual, individual, and collective level, I invite you to reach out. I look forward to connecting with you and supporting you on your journey.

Melissa Barrios

*ALL THERAPY CLIENTS MUST RESIDE IN ILLINOIS*