Remembering Chicago CBT Pioneer Frank Sasso

Frank passed away in May of 2022

Dr. Frank Sasso was a co-founder of the Calm Anxiety CBT Therapy Clinic in Lakeview. A visionary in the field, he combined various therapeutic approaches, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Clinical Hypnotherapy, Depth Psychology and Somatic Experiencing to help thousands of patients move to a place of change.

His website, Anxiety Therapist Chicago, quickly became the “Go-To” source for many clinicians in the anxiety treatment community. He authored many scholarly articles appearing in peer reviewed journals, all linked in some way to the topic of mood disorders.  

Frank’s dream was to provide anxiety-focused CBT therapy to all who needed these services. He also believed training new clinicians in the area of anxiety was paramount. Frank spent many hours, free of charge, in consultation with counselors entering the field. Helping people in Chicago with Social Anxiety was of particular interest to him.

Frank was a professor emeritus at St. Augustine College and consulting behavioral analyst with the Chicago Jungian Institute. He helped to found the Calm Anxiety Therapy Clinic as a way of educating the larger Chicagoland community about the challenges associated with anxiety.

“I do not believe that people have to suffer from anxiety. There are practical, easy to follow techniques that can help create a sense of calm.”

-Dr Frank Sasso, 2019, presenting at the APA conference in Chicago.

A graduate of California Coast University, he earned a Ph.D. in Psychology. He also held a Masters of Community Mental Health Counseling from The Illinois School for Professional Psychology and was a licensed psychotherapist in the State of Illinois. Finally, Frank held board certification in anxiety treatment, including clinical hypnosis.

After battling a long illness, Frank passed away in May of 2022. In the wake of his death, dozens of former colleagues and clients came together to remember his contributions to the field of clinical psychology. A fund was created in remembrance. 

The monies were used to intern his remains at Chicago’s Graceland Cemetery and Arboretum on Chicago’s North Side. At Graceland, you will find a plaque with his name on it in the famous Arts and Crafts Chapel. All of the remaining funds were donated to Chicago’s Lakeview Pantry; an organization that helps to feed poor and homeless people.

It was Frank’s dream that the work of the clinic continue. We will do our best in that endeavor, but we recognize he can never be replaced. We remember him with loving fondness – and kindness.