Therapists for college students near Chicago, IL

I hold a deep belief in each person’s ability to heal and grow — no matter where they’re starting from. With several years of experience in mental health practice, I’ve supported people through a wide range of life challenges, always with compassion, radical acceptance, curiosity, and respect. I aim to create a warm, nonjudgmental space where you can show up as your full self — messy parts and all. My approach is trauma-informed, rooted in Internal Family Systems (IFS), psychodynamic theory, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), and somatic and mindfulness-based practices. That might sound like a lot — but at its heart, it means I listen closely, pay attention to what’s happening inside your body and nervous system, and help you get to know the deeper patterns shaping your thoughts, feelings, and relationships. I have a deep commitment to working with individuals from immigrant and bicultural backgrounds. I understand the complexities of navigating multiple cultural identities, generational expectations, and the emotional weight that can come with migration. Therapy with me is a space where all of that — your story, your resilience, and your pain — is honored and held with care. In our work together, you can expect a collaborative and depth-oriented process.I create a space where you can feel deeply seen and safely challenged. I don’t shy away from the harder, deeper layers of healing — and I will support you with gentleness, skill, and curiosity as you move through them. Whether you're facing anxiety, relationship challenges, identity questions, intergenerational trauma, or simply seeking more clarity and connection in your life, I’m here to walk alongside you.

Whether it’s your first time starting therapy or you’re returning after some time, I am genuinely glad you’re here, and I’m excited to support you on your journey. In a world where hustle culture often pushes mental health aside, there is so much power and courage in choosing to prioritize your well-being. Even during the most difficult seasons of life, there is beauty in the process—sometimes, we just need that reminder and support. I utilize a variety of therapeutic approaches, including CBT, DBT, trauma-informed care, attachment-based therapy, and specialized support for medical trauma to best serve my clients. I believe in the power of human connection, and with the right tools and support, everyone has the capacity to heal and thrive. I strive to offer a supportive environment where you can better understand your emotional world, gain insight into yourself, and build practical skills to navigate life’s challenges with clarity and confidence.

Therapy with me is collaborative, compassionate, and rooted in curiosity. As a relational therapist, I believe that healing happens in connection with ourselves and with others. Our therapeutic relationship is a central part of the work we do together, offering a safe and supportive space to explore patterns, build insight, and foster growth. I work with individuals navigating a range of challenges, including eating disorders, body image concerns, and self-esteem issues. I provide a supportive, nonjudgmental space to explore your relationship with food, your body, and your sense of self. I also offer trauma-informed care, integrating Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and mindfulness-based approaches to support those healing from trauma and navigating sexual dysfunction. Together, we can gently explore the ways your past experiences may be impacting your present life and relationships. Whether you're processing the past or trying to make sense of your present, I’m here to sit with you as you move toward healing and self-understanding. I recognize that healing is not linear, and therapy is never one-size-fits-all. It’s an honor to meet you wherever you are on your journey. Together, we’ll uncover resilience, deepen self-awareness, and work toward meaningful, lasting change at a pace that feels right for you.

William is a trauma-informed therapist who values building a lasting connection with clients. Through his work with homeless and his experience in the entertainment industry, William utilizes tactful listening and an inviting aperture in order to build trust and comradery amongst clients. He uses a strength-based approach to empower clients and help them realize their strengths in the systems they reside.

People often seek therapy when emotions feel overwhelming, patterns feel hard to shift, or relationships become difficult to navigate. Therapy can offer a grounded space to better understand yourself, strengthen coping skills, and build healthier connections. I work with children, adolescents, and adults navigating anxiety, trauma, chronic stress, ADHD, neurodivergence, identity-related and LGBTQ+-related concerns, as well as relationship challenges, family dynamics, and major life transitions. In our work together, we explore emotions as meaningful signals rather than problems to eliminate, while paying attention to how they show up in the body. I use evidence-based approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), attachment-based work, and mindfulness, integrating a relational and systems lens. My goal is to help you respond with intention, build self-awareness, and develop practical tools for lasting change. Therapy does not need to feel overly clinical or intimidating. I bring curiosity, steadiness, and occasional gentle humor into our work while staying focused and intentional. Seeking support can feel vulnerable, and I aim to offer a space where you feel supported, capable, and understood. If this approach feels aligned, taking that first step can open the door to meaningful change.

I have a holistic approach to therapy that invites us to slow down, be curious and turn inward to notice what is happening both in our bodies and minds. We live in a culture that privileges the cognitive over the felt sense. By exploring our emotions rather than judging them or trying to get rid them, we can grow our ability to be with and tend to those feelings and see the wisdom within. "The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change." --Carl Rogers

Being a teenager or young adult is challenging, often navigating uncertainties, high expectations, rigorous coursework, job searching, and peer relationships. It is normal to struggle during these pivotal life transitions, but you do not have to go through them alone. I provide a supportive and welcoming space where you can vent, cry, laugh, play games, or simply just sit. My goal as a therapist is to be a part of your support system, helping you manage life's twists and turns while discovering what it means to be your authentic self. I will be here supporting you through hardships and celebrating your accomplishments.

As if life as an undergraduate or graduate student wasn't already stressful and complicated, a lot of mental disorders first start to really get in the way at that vulnerable and challenging stage, when you're navigating lots of new relationships and figuring out who you are. It helps to have someone to talk to, and some of the most exciting and powerful experiences I've had as a therapist have been working with students from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, as well as with adults in other creative fields: music, filmmaking, dance, fashion and poetry. For many, creativity often seems inseparable from mental health and illness, and I've explored how they may interact, both with my clients and through presentations for clinicians on the likes of Kurt Cobain, Mark Rothko and Jean-Michel Basquiat. I think I have some insight into these issues, as my first career was as a journalist, mostly writing on visual and performing arts for the Chicago Tribune and other outlets both online and print. I've been around the block a few times, in other words, and I can help you get back on track.

Even though challenges are a natural part of life, they can still leave you feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or discouraged. Therapy can support you in managing overwhelming emotions, getting through difficult moments, deepening your self-understanding, and moving toward a more authentic version of yourself. Together, we can support you in navigating anxiety, trauma, chronic stress, ADHD, neurodivergence, identity-related and LGBTQ+ concerns, as well as relationship challenges, family dynamics, and major life transitions. With a person-centered approach, I support your self-exploration and recognize you as the expert in your own life. I use CBT and DBT techniques to help you build self-compassion and strengthen emotional regulation. I also help you explore holistic options such as mindfulness, meditation, and gentle movement like yoga to support overall well-being. I approach each session with curiosity, empathy, and respect for your unique experiences. My goal is to support you in developing insight, strengthening coping skills, and creating a compassionate balance in your life. I look forward to working together with you.

College can be exciting, overwhelming, and everything in between—and you don’t have to navigate it alone. Chicago Talk Therapy is a downtown practice designed with college students in mind, offering individual therapy for concerns like anxiety, burnout, relationships, identity, and the pressure to “have it all figured out.” Our therapists are warm, down-to-earth, and genuinely engaged, creating a space where you can be real about what’s going on—without judgment or expectations. We approach our work with cultural humility, honoring the many layers of who you are—your background, identities, and lived experiences—and how they shape what you’re going through. We also know that when you’re ready for support, you don’t want to wait weeks to get it. That’s why we offer immediate availability, flexible scheduling around your classes, and accept many major insurance plans. Whether you’re dealing with something specific or just feeling off, we’re here to help you make sense of things, feel more grounded, and get back to being yourself—on your terms.

I’m a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor based in Illinois with over 10 years of experience. I’m also a Board-Certified Art Therapist and hold a trauma professional certification. I work with individuals 13 and up around concerns such as anxiety, depression, life transitions, grief and loss, self-harm, self-esteem, and trauma. I take a holistic, strengths-based approach that honors your whole self. I draw from a variety of treatment approaches, personalizing care to focus on what feels most supportive for you. As an Art Therapist, I offer art making as an outlet for emotional healing and joyful creativity. Art Therapy can be especially helpful to express thoughts and emotions that may be difficult to verbalize, while also supporting self-worth and mind–body connection. I deeply value the therapeutic relationship and believe it is the foundation for meaningful change. I bring compassion, curiosity, and respect to each session, honoring that change can be both brave and hard. You don’t have to do this alone—I’ll be alongside you as you build skills, connect with your strengths, and create a more balanced, fulfilling life. “Only when we’re brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.” -Brené Brown

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who provides trauma-informed care targeted toward empowering individuals to move beyond survival, and toward a more fulfilling, connected life. I provide services for children aged 5 and older, adolescents, and adults. I utilize an integrated approach that considers your unique needs, contexts, and goals. Drawing from evidence-based modalities including Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Internal Family Systems (IFS), we will build practical coping skills, increase psychological flexibility, and cultivate self-compassion. Through narrative processing, we will work to assign meaning to your experiences—transforming painful or confusing chapters into integrated parts of your story. My specializations include targeted treatment for: Posttraumatic Stress, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Depression, Generalized and Social Anxiety, Relationship Difficulties, Parenting Challenges, Family Instability Our work will prioritize helping you become more functional and engaged in the aspects of your life that are most important to you by exploring recurring patterns and the beliefs and emotions that shape them. Together, we examine how past experiences influence present dynamics, allowing you to better understand yourself and respond more purposefully. Whether you are navigating the long-term impacts of adverse childhood experiences or more recent life transitions we will focus not only on symptom relief but also on deep, sustainable change.

I provide in depth talk therapy to individuals and couples dealing with depression, anxiety, loneliness, grief, relationship issues, career concerns, trauma, and identity development. As a psychoanalytically oriented therapist, I feel I am most specialized in helping those I treat with what Christopher Bollas (a renowned psychoanalyst) refers to as the Unthought Known – those intimately familiar yet too elusive to comprehend patterns that inhibit our beings in ways exquisitely unique to each of us. It is my belief that our work together in learning more about these ingrained underlying “loops” (in an environment where you feel safe, nurtured, and free of judgment) has the potential to provide peace, present solutions, and produce change.

KP Counseling of Illinois, located in Rockford, Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, offers a variety of services to meet you and your family’s therapy and counseling needs. We have a team of experienced therapists to consult with individuals from 3 years old to the elderly. The type of counseling and therapy service recommended will vary for each client. Our services are developed uniquely to meet your specific needs from individual, couple and family to group counseling.

Uptown Psych of Illinois was established in 2011 with a commitment to bring the best possible, evidence-based mental health services to the Chicago metropolitan area. The practice’s leading team of licensed psychiatrists and psychologists represent extensive and diverse expertise to facilitate superior and highly personalized treatment plans for a full scope of mental health issues for children, adolescents, and adults. Just about any mental health condition can be addressed at Uptown Psych, including attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, addiction, and all anxiety spectrum disorders. At Uptown Psych, our specialists understand that episodes of these and other mental health issues require prompt attention. With that in mind, the entire team is dedicated to making treatment accessible as soon as possible. Often appointments can be scheduled for the same week. The entire Uptown Psych team looks forward to providing you with the care you need and deserve at our Chicago office.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

Maybe your mind never really turns off. You’re replaying conversations, comparing yourself to other people, researching the “right” way to do things, or wondering why everyday life seems to take so much energy. I work with college and graduate students, LGBTQ+ individuals, and neurodivergent clients navigating perfectionism, burnout, people-pleasing, anxiety, body image concerns, identity exploration, relationship challenges, and major life transitions. I also support clients who feel overwhelmed by masking, overstimulation, executive functioning challenges, or the complicated role technology plays in their lives. Therapy with me is a place where you don’t have to perform, explain away your needs, or have everything figured out. Together, we’ll better understand the patterns keeping you stuck and help you build a life that feels more connected, authentic, and sustainable.

Hello! I work with neurodivergent clients who might have challenges with school, relationships, executive function, identity, or other stuff that gets in the way of living your life how you want to. I tend to work well with clients who feel like they don't quite fit in the mold of society and are trying to figure out how to understand themselves better and exist in the world we live in!

You thought you’d feel more certain by now. You’re going to class, working toward a degree, and making plans for the future, but still feel anxious, stuck, or unsure of what comes next. You may be questioning a relationship, struggling with confidence, or trying to figure out who you are outside of family, cultural, or academic expectations. I work with college students, graduate students, and emerging adults navigating anxiety, academic stress, relationship and family concerns, identity exploration, and major life transitions. Therapy with me is a place to slow down, say what has been difficult to put into words, and understand the patterns shaping your choices and relationships. Together, we’ll work toward greater clarity, confidence, and self-compassion so you can move forward in a way that feels true to you. You don’t need to have everything figured out before starting therapy. You can begin exactly where you are.

From the outside, it might seem like you’re handling everything well. You’re keeping up with classes, deadlines, work, relationships, or family responsibilities, but underneath it all, you may feel anxious, emotionally exhausted, scattered, or disconnected from yourself. Maybe ADHD makes it difficult to focus, stay organized, or keep up with everything expected of you. You may experience social anxiety, second-guess yourself after conversations, or feel pressure to hide how overwhelmed you really are. Perhaps you are grieving a loss, adjusting to a major life transition, navigating chronic illness or pain, or carrying the emotional weight of caring for someone else. You may also be healing from trauma, including sexual abuse or assault, and noticing how those experiences continue to affect your relationships, body, or sense of safety. I work with college students, graduate students, and young adults navigating anxiety, ADHD, executive functioning challenges, trauma, grief, chronic illness or pain, caregiver fatigue, body image concerns, and relationship difficulties. Many of the people I work with are thoughtful, caring individuals who have become used to being dependable and taking care of others, even when it means putting their own needs last. In therapy, we’ll slow down and make space for what you have been carrying. Together, we can explore the experiences and attachment patterns that have shaped how you see yourself, respond to stress, and connect with other people. We may also work on practical strategies for focus, organization, academic stress, emotional regulation, communication, and setting healthier boundaries. My approach integrates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and mindfulness. This means we will not only focus on reducing distress, but also on helping you understand yourself with greater compassion, clarify your values, and make choices that feel more aligned with who you are and the life you want to create. Whether you’re adjusting to college, navigating the demands of graduate school, exploring your identity, recovering from painful experiences, or simply trying to feel like yourself again, we’ll move at a pace that feels supportive and realistic. My hope is that therapy becomes a place where you can reconnect with your strengths, trust yourself more fully, and build a life that feels grounded, authentic, and meaningful.