Healing Through Connection
meet dr. Laura Trakhtman
Dr. Laura Trakhtman is a licensed clinical psychologist and the founder of Betula Wellness, a practice dedicated to integrative, evidence-based care. With nearly two decades of experience, she provides individual, couples, and group therapy grounded in warmth, collaboration, and clinical excellence.
She earned her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology with a specialization in Health Psychology from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology in Chicago. Since 2006, Dr. Trakhtman has worked in a wide range of clinical settings—including private practice, hospital systems, and community organizations—bringing extensive experience in treating anxiety, depression, stress, trauma, chronic illness, pain and weight management, and life transitions.
Before founding Betula Wellness, she worked in a successful private practice in the Chicago area and held leadership roles in both nonprofit and federal healthcare systems. At the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, she oversaw suicide prevention initiatives, managed outpatient and residential addiction treatment programs, and supported individuals with complex mental health needs. Her approach combines clinical expertise with deep compassion and a respect for each person’s unique experience.
Dr. Trakhtman has also served as a Clinical Associate Adjunct Professor at the University of Illinois College of Medicine and has been actively involved in statewide and national mental health initiatives, including the Illinois Suicide Prevention Alliance and the Governor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide.
Her practice is rooted in evidence-based modalities, with care tailored to each client’s goals, values, and needs. Whether you’re seeking support for yourself, referring a client, or collaborating as a colleague, Dr. Trakhtman offers thoughtful, client-centered care informed by years of experience and a deep commitment to healing and growth.
Treatment Approach
Dr. Laura Trakhtman is dedicated to helping her clients overcome life’s challenges, build emotional resilience, and reconnect with a sense of hope and purpose. She works in close partnership with each client, creating a safe, supportive space to explore difficult issues and move toward lasting, meaningful change.
Her clinical expertise includes treating a wide range of concerns such as anxiety, depression, stress, trauma and PTSD, relationship challenges, grief, and loss. In addition to general mental health care, Dr. Trakhtman has specialized training in health psychology, supporting individuals coping with chronic pain, weight and body image issues, and the emotional impact of medical illness and life transitions.
Dr. Trakhtman uses an integrative, holistic approach that draws from a range of evidence-based therapies to meet the unique needs of each person she works with. Her flexible and individualized treatment style allows her to adapt interventions as clients’ needs evolve, ensuring that care remains responsive, effective, and grounded in best practices.
She is trained in a variety of empirically supported modalities, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), trauma-informed therapies, Solution-Focused Therapy, Social Skills Training, and Motivational Interviewing. These approaches are thoughtfully combined to support clients’ psychological, emotional, and physical well-being. Dr. Trakhtman also brings experience working with diverse, multicultural populations and is fluent in Russian, offering culturally sensitive care to clients from all backgrounds.
