Ryan Dump, PSYD

Ryan is a clinical psychologist who earned his doctorate from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology in 2013. In an effort to engage in work that is closely aligned with his own values, Ryan founded Resilience Psychological Services in 2016. He is deeply committed to practicing in ways that resist the colonization of mental health care and actively works to increase accessibility to services. To further support this mission, Ryan created Therapy Road, a website directory designed to help people connect with therapists in Chicago.

Ryan takes a practical approach to therapy. Influenced by the Gottman Method and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), he works with clients to identify and address their practical problems while learning how to increase tolerance for the perpetual problems. His down-to-earth, conversational approach uses humor and self-disclosure to make sessions supportive, educational, and collaborative.

Ryan’s work is grounded in anti-oppressive values, with an understanding that many of the challenges that people face with their mental health stem from the pressures of living in systems that prioritize productivity and performance over well-being. He understands that the disconnection people experience often comes from a misalignment between their core values and the societal pressures that shape their lives. His approach empowers clients to understand, grieve, and radically accept how these external forces impact their mental health, while also challenging the self-defeating thoughts and behaviors that keep them from living in alignment with their true selves.

Ryan has a special interest in working with adults struggling to find the balance between self-discipline and self-compassion. These are the people who are prone to working too much, sleeping too little, and getting in one more repetition when they may be better served by clocking out, going to bed early, and taking a rest day. These challenges are particularly notable in high achievers and elite performers such as business executives, entrepreneurs, and professional athletes. In addition to developing skills which can promote self-compassion, Ryan also works with clients to better understand the historical and systemic contexts which contribute to them feeling as though their self-worth is performance-based. 

Outside of sessions, Ryan can be found running up and down the sidelines of a youth soccer game, stamping his National Parks Passport, grinding coffee beans, getting lost in Costco, picking weeds from his lawn, reading (mostly non-fiction), and running.

Ryan advocates for living a life of purpose and continues to work on learning when to speed up and when to slow down.