Dr. AJ Deloney

Kojo Ngoro, taken from West African and East African languages, united form the characteristic Unconquerable Soul. Kojo Ngoro Psychotherapy, PLLC realizes that you are resilient and, through this inner strength, can overcome the barriers and the complex situations that life hands you. Like everyone, however, there are times when you could use a helping hand, a calming voice, or a listening ear. It takes courage to ask for assistance and disclose our vulnerabilities, especially when getting out of bed is an emotional task or confronting the cultural and societal messages that attempt to define us become overwhelming. Whatever life circumstances have led you to Kojo Ngoro Psychotherapy, PLLC, you can rest assured that I will work with you to address your current concerns, difficulties, and goals for psychotherapy. Each client's cultural background and life experience is nuanced and unique, so it is only through collaboration that we can develop the best path to wellness for you. The therapeutic relationship is central to treatment and critical to achieving a rewarding and beneficial psychotherapy experience. My clinical assessment begins during our first conversation and is continuous. My assessment explores your complete picture of your identity and how you are influenced by the external factors in your environment (the biological, psychological, sociological, and spiritual factors at play). Through psychoeducation, I help my clients better understand and address their challenges and the elements that have contributed to them. I incorporate evidence-based, Cognitive Behavioral, Mindfulness, Meditation, and Solution-Focused interventions in my therapeutic work and tailor my approach based on the needs of the client before me. On a more personal note, I was raised on the south side of Chicago and attended high school in the Englewood community. I earned my Bachelor’s in Liberal Studies from the University of Iowa and my Master's in Social Work from Loyola University, Chicago. I earned a Doctorate from the University of Kentucky College of Social Work. Before joining the social work profession, I spent 17 years with the federal government. I am a Black male therapist who views life through a trauma-informed lens, and I’m passionate about offering a safe space for People of Color, in particular, to process the impact of racism and discrimination on their mental well-being. I have worked with homeless-identified populations, severely mentally ill populations, as well as veterans who have PTSD. I am also an LGBTQIA+ ally, and my clinical experiences include providing community outreach, psychosocial rehabilitation with the Veterans Administration, counseling college students, and providing outpatient psychiatry in hospitals. Please feel free to contact me directly for more information.