Therapists for college students near Chicago, IL

Starting therapy can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re juggling school, relationships, identity questions, and pressure to “have it all together.” My role is to offer a grounded, compassionate space where you don’t have to perform or explain yourself perfectly to be understood. I’m a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor with experience working with college students and young adults navigating anxiety, trauma, depression, identity development, relationship concerns, self-worth struggles, and life transitions. I’ve worked in a variety of settings including higher education, group therapy, and community-based car. My approach is collaborative, relational, and trauma-informed. I don’t believe therapy is about fixing you. It’s about helping you understand yourself more deeply, unlearn patterns that no longer serve you, and build a life that feels aligned with who you actually are. Together, we work at your pace, honoring your history while focusing on practical tools that support emotional regulation, boundaries, confidence, and resilience. Students often tell me they appreciate that sessions feel both reflective and grounding. We can explore the “why” behind your experiences while also building skills you can use day to day. I welcome clients who feel stuck, disconnected, emotionally overwhelmed, or unsure how to trust themselves again. Reaching out for support is a meaningful step, not a sign of weakness. If you’re looking for a therapist who is thoughtful, honest, and genuinely invested in your growth, I’d be honored to work with you.

Hi there, welcome! My name is Stefani. I specialize in maternal mental health/women's wellness. I have a strong passion for working with new moms/moms as they navigate through the many transitional periods of motherhood. I have spent a majority of my professional career working with women as they navigate through the perinatal and postnatal periods of motherhood. While working with moms is my specialty, I too enjoy working with women to help them cope with various life stressors and symptoms related to depression, anxiety, trauma, and other mood disturbances. I enjoy teaching and helping clients incorporate concepts of self-love, self-empowerment, self-advocacy, healthy boundaries, self-care, and self-celebration into their lives. Additionally, I enjoy discussing concepts related to one’s purpose, life passions, and personal goals contributing to heightened peace and wellness. My therapeutic style is what I would consider to be team based. I work alongside my clients to help them establish treatment goals, offer guidance, support, and accountability in accomplishing identified goals. I work to create a safe space welcoming enough for my clients to feel comfortable to explore vulnerable emotions. I provide education, tools, and language to enhance concepts of self-love and self-empowerment. I encourage celebrations for personal and therapeutic victories and accomplishments.

Finding a therapist who feels like a good fit can matter as much as the therapy itself. I work with students who are thoughtful, capable, and often carrying more than they let on — anxiety, stress, self-doubt, trauma, or the pressure to keep it together while figuring out who they are and where they’re headed. I’m a licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC) with a background in both clinical mental health and higher education. Before returning to full-time clinical work, I spent many years working on college campuses as well as teaching in undergraduate and graduate courses. I understand the unique stressors students face — academic pressure, financial stressors, identity development, relationships, family expectations, and the emotional toll of trying to succeed in an uncertain world. My approach is warm, collaborative, and trauma-informed. I integrate evidence-based practices with a strong focus on nervous system regulation, emotional awareness, and practical skills you can use in everyday life. Therapy with me is a space to slow down, make sense of what you’re experiencing, and learn how to respond to stress and anxiety with more clarity and self-compassion. Many of the students I work with struggle with anxiety, people-pleasing, perfectionism, burnout, or feeling disconnected from themselves. Together, we work on building a sense of safety, learning how to set boundaries, and developing coping strategies that support both mental health and personal growth. I believe therapy should feel human, respectful, and supportive — a place where you don’t have to perform or have everything figured out. My goal is to help you feel more grounded, more present, and more able to navigate life with confidence and care.

At Neuroworks, we believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to thrive. Rooted in innovation and a commitment to wellness, our practice is dedicated to enhancing cognitive functioning, mood, and overall brain performance. We provide high-quality, evidence-based therapeutic interventions designed to help individuals navigate life’s challenges with greater focus, resilience, and effectiveness. Whether you're a student striving for academic success, a professional seeking balance, or someone looking to optimize mental clarity, our mission is to support you in achieving your full potential. At Neuroworks, we don’t just treat symptoms—we empower lives.

Birchwood Clinic, LLC provides in person and telehealth mental health services to adults in the Bucktown/Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago. Our holistic approach strives to empower each client to achieve balance, clarity, and overall health and wellness.

Therapy can seem overwhelming when seeking guidance for very personal problems. Sometimes just seeking the “right fit” can be the hardest part. My hope is that therapy becomes one of the best investments in yourSELF. I work to make sure that therapy is a safe and healing environment in which you can explore your past traumas, fears, deepest desires, and biggest needs. Therapy can be a place to bring awareness to internal beliefs, thought processes, and behaviors. Here is where can change occurs. We will work from a holistic-integrative model that includes the healing the whole SELF, mind-body-soul. Whether you have been diagnosed with anxiety, depression, disordered eating, experienced trauma, bi-polar, mood disorders, or having relationship issues, YOU are worthy of the time and attention it takes for healing and change.

Jennifer Harris PsyD & Associates is a group of warm, down-to-earth therapists offering both in-person and telehealth psychotherapy. We’re based in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago, just a few blocks south of DePaul University, and provide telehealth services throughout Illinois and other PSYPACT states. Our therapists work well with students navigating big transitions, questions about identity, or simply looking for someone real to talk to. We aim to create a space where you can feel comfortable being yourself. We’re not afraid to use humor or have honest conversations about what’s really going on. We offer a diverse team of therapists, including those who speak Mandarin and Arabic, and we welcome clients from all backgrounds. Whether you're feeling overwhelmed, burned out, lonely, or just stuck, we’re here to help you sort through it. Our therapists have specialized training in treating the following areas: Anxiety, Phobias, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Family & Relationship Issues Identity Development and Life Transitions International Students Acculturation Depression, Self-Esteem Concerns Trauma & PTSD Get to know us and our different specialties at www.jhpsyd.com

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Vicky is a licensed clinical social worker who earned her Masters degree in social work at Loyola University Chicago. Vicky has experience working with young adults, children, adolescents and their parents on a variety of different issues including social skills, self-compassion, emotional regulation, anxiety, life transitions and grief. Vicky has worked in a variety of settings including schools, summer camps and private practice. In her work, Vicky understands the importance of experiences and how they can greatly influence one's perspective in how they relate to themselves and others. She believes it is important to process significant events, in order to gain a better understanding of one’s needs and potential. Vicky uses a relational and strengths-based approach to allow for her clients to feel supported along every step of the therapeutic process. She also uses elements of cognitive behavioral therapy and play therapy to support clients in their therapeutic journey. Vicky aims to provide a warm, welcoming and safe space for her clients and feels honored to walk alongside each individual’s unique path.

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Our worlds are chaotic, messy and sometimes cruel. As a result it is easy to unknowingly repeat that disorganization in our own lives. My goal to challenge these patterns of behaviors and relationships that may be keeping you stuck. I work with eccentric adolescents and emerging adults with strong personalities who have difficulty communicating their emotions with others. Many of my clients struggle with ADHD, complex trauma, self injury, suicidality and mood disorders or seeking a safe space to explore their LGBTQIA+ identity. About me: I am a quirky and challenging therapist who graduated from Northwestern University with a Masters in Counseling Psychology in 2014. Having worked extensively in partial hospitalization, therapeutic schools and private practice settings, I combine practical skill based solutions to increase emotional regulation alongside relational work to reshape the past.

Ellen is a Licensed Professional Counselor and art therapist. She received her Masters degree in Art Therapy & Counseling from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Ellen loves working with children and young people. She has experience working with neurodivergent children on issues such as social skills, impulse control, and emotional regulation. Ellen also has experience in providing affirming care to the LGBTQIA+ community. As an art therapist, Ellen utilizes art and art making to facilitate therapeutic discussions and insights with her clients. She utilizes a wide variety of art mediums to explore, create, and investigate within therapy. This practice appeals to a wide variety of populations and experience levels–no prior experience with art is required! Ellen firmly believes in the healing power of art making and sharing that power with others. Ellen’s practice as a therapist is founded on social justice and feminist frameworks, as well as relational-cultural theory. This means she conceives of therapy as a collaborative partnership between therapist and client, one that that relies on respect for each other’s knowledge and perspectives. Ellen holds space for all of a potential client's identities and cultures as you work together in the therapeutic space.

At Sacred Stories Counseling our focus is on supporting BIPOC, queer individuals and those who hold both identities! Your story matters and we want to support you as you navigate the current reality we're living in globally and nationally, while also holding space for your personal difficulties too! We've got your back if you're working through anxiety, perfectionism / strong black woman struggles. If you're neurodivergent - we got you! The trauma you carry, you don't have to carry it alone - we'll be with you in it and use EMDR and IFS to help you move through it. It won't disappear forever but it will no longer be all consuming, hold you back, or keep you stuck! We're in your corner! Schedule a free 15 min call with us to ask any questions and see if we're a good fit!

My areas of expertise include the treatment of anxiety, depression, relationship concerns, self-esteem deficits, academic underachievement, perfectionism, family of origin issues, LGBT concerns, and women's issues. I also specialize in working with college students and emerging adults.

Our patterns, desires, and growth are often tested in relationships. It can feel like we're going in circles when we find ourselves challenged by a transition or milestone or questioning our role in the lives of those closest to us. Beneath expectations we find understanding and beneath therapy jargon lies a nonjudgmental, compassionate, and sincere relationship. Here, our explorations can lead to deeper, novel understandings of your mind and body, and foster insights and empathy for yourself and your loved ones. In our work we will begin to name the unnamed meanings, perspectives, and desires that you hold and find their place in the future you want to build. Even in the fog of day-to-day life, you are instinctively taking steps towards your goals. My role is to offer support, curiosity, and skills that appreciate and bolster your intuition and strengths.

Feeling overwhelmed by trauma, transitions, or the pressure to have it all figured out? You’re not alone - and therapy can help you make sense of it all. I work with students and young adults navigating anxiety, perfectionism, relationship patterns, and the emotional weight of their past. My approach is trauma-informed, collaborative, and rooted in compassion. Together, we’ll unpack old narratives, strengthen your ability to regulate emotions, and create new ways of relating - to yourself and others -with greater clarity and confidence. I integrate evidence-based modalities including EMDR, CBT, DBT, and mindfulness through an intersectional feminist lens, tailoring each session to meet your unique needs and goals. Whether you’re healing from trauma, exploring identity, managing substance use, or navigating major life transitions, our work will focus on helping you feel grounded, empowered, and self-aware. My goal is to offer a nonjudgmental space where you can safely explore your emotions, build resilience, and reconnect with your authentic self. If this resonates with you, I’d be honored to walk alongside you as you move from surviving to thriving.

I understand life can be stressful. We all struggle at times and need someone to help us through. In my work with clients and families, I firmly believe in building on the strengths and resilience you already possess to help you get through more difficult moments. My attitude and approach to treatment is that while we all have our struggles, every challenge is an opportunity to learn and grow as a person.

Create. Grow. Transform. Messiness welcome! Life can get messy. Here at Dandelion, we practice in a studio-based model where you are surrounded by opportunities to get dirty and create. Our space looks more like an art studio than a traditional therapy atmosphere, and often we are making art with you. We rely on a relational, strength-based and collaborative approach in our work while utilizing clinical techniques and skills. Art therapy is our sole focus - our team is dedicated to developing, learning and advancing the practice of art therapy.

I help adults, adolescents, and couples. I am deeply committed to my clients' well-being and dedicated to fostering a safe, respectful space where compassionate dialogue shapes our work together. Therapy, in my view, is a place where you can express yourself freely—giving voice to your innermost thoughts, emotions, and desires. It’s also an opportunity to uncover how long-standing patterns in your life influence your present experiences. By bringing these aspects of yourself into conversation, we can remove obstacles to your growth and help you find greater self-acceptance, personal empowerment, and creative resilience in navigating life’s challenges. If you would like to see if we’re a good fit or if you have any questions I might be able to answer, please reach out by phone, email, or through my website linked below.

My work as a therapist is deeply rooted in connection. Creating a safe space is essential in order to explore and uncover unconscious thoughts and feelings. Considering important aspects of connection such as attachment style, communication, and intimacy can enhance not only the relationship with one’s self, but also with others. I am passionate about working with individuals who have survived trauma, live with anxiety, depression, grief, codependence, as well as interpersonal and internal conflict. My individualized care caters to each client and meets them where they are, while considering each of their identities. Building strong connections with each client is essential as well as my belief that each person is the expert of their own experience. I have worked with many students and understand academic stress as well as the many adjustments that come along with being a student in higher education. I am here to provide support, understanding, and non-judgement.