Therapists for college students near Chicago, IL

Many people come in feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure why certain patterns keep repeating. As a therapist, I work with children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD, OCD, eating disorders, and LGBTQ+-related concerns. My approach is collaborative, supportive, and grounded in meeting you where you are. I approach therapy as a collaborative, trauma-informed process rooted in curiosity and radical honesty. My work is neurodivergent-affirming and attentive to how different ways of thinking, processing, and experiencing the world shape mental health. I integrate CBT, Motivational Interviewing, and Psychodynamic Therapy, tailoring our work to your goals and lived experience. My work is informed by anti-racist and anti-oppressive perspectives, with particular attention to how identity, power, and lived experience affect mental health. I am especially mindful of the ways weight stigma and body-based shame can impact self-worth and emotional well-being. I strive to offer a space that affirms body diversity and supports clients in showing up fully as they are. If you’re looking for a therapist who values honesty, agency, and inclusive care, I welcome you to reach out.

Hi, I’m Chelsey Daval (she/they), LCSW. Life brings moments of joy, connection, and excitement, but it can also bring seasons where the emotional weight of everyday responsibilities feels overwhelming. Many people, regardless of age, find themselves stuck in patterns they do not want to be in. Struggling with the same issues again and again, unsure of how to name what they are feeling, or unable to imagine a way forward. This may look like ongoing anxiety, low mood, obsessive or rigid thinking patterns, or difficulties in relationships that begin to feel confusing or distressing. I believe that change is possible when you are supported in an environment that encourages reflection, honesty, and self-compassion. We, as humans, are social beings, and healing does not happen alone. Therapy offers a space to slow down, feel supported, make sense of your experiences, and reconnect with yourself in a way that helps you move towards a more authentic and balanced life. I strive to create a therapeutic space together that is grounded in safety, respect, understanding, and empowerment. I specialize in working with children, adolescents, and emerging adults in both individual and group therapy. Much of my work focuses on supporting identity development, emotional regulation, anxiety reduction, and building self-esteem and healthy relationships. I also support individuals navigating depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive patterns that impact their sense of safety, confidence, and daily functioning. In my work, I have had the privilege of watching many clients begin therapy feeling unsure or stuck in patterns that once helped them survive, and gradually grow into individuals who trust themselves more, reach out for support when they feel overwhelmed, and move forward with greater confidence and hope. In addition to individual and child therapy, I offer couples and family therapy for those navigating persistent relationship challenges or significant life transitions together. I work with families experiencing high-conflict dynamics, divorce, or blended family changes, as well as couples who find themselves having the same arguments over and over, struggling to feel understood, or longing for greater emotional closeness. In this work, we look beyond blame and focus on the patterns, stressors, and unmet needs that shape how people relate to one another. Family and couples therapy creates a space to slow down, feel heard, and reconnect. Family and couples therapy creates a space to slow down, feel heard, and reconnect by providing support for healthier communication, deeper understanding, and a sense that you do not have to carry the weight alone. In our work together, I draw from cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), narrative therapy, strengths-based and systems approaches, psychodynamic therapy, and the Gottman Method. This work often includes building emotional regulation skills, identifying and challenging unhelpful thinking patterns, practicing new ways of relating to others, and reshaping the stories you tell about yourself. These approaches allow us to understand you as a whole person, not just the current concern that brought you to therapy. My approach is relational, person-centered, and trauma-informed. This includes supporting people who are working through the impact of past or ongoing trauma and how these experiences continue to shape emotions, relationships, and ways of coping. Together, we focus on creating insight, strengthening internal resources, and supporting meaningful, lasting change. I know that seeking support can feel intimidating, no matter your age. I see the courage, strength, and self-awareness that it took for you to be here. I will approach your story with care, curiosity, and compassion. My goal is to help you reconnect with your sense of inner strength and clarity. You deserve a space where you feel heard, understood, and supported. I would be honored to walk alongside you in that process.

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!