Therapists for college students near Chicago, IL

Our therapists work to help you develop into the person that you are meant to be, and the person that you want to be in all areas of your life. We provide tools and support for managing life and the obstacles that arise. We specialize in helping college students, adjust to college life-academically and socially. Also we provide services for issues related to: depression, anxiety, social isolation, social anxiety, performance anxiety, loneliness identity issues, racism and lgbtq+ concerns.

Is life feeling heavy, complicated, or just… a lot? I help adults and couples slow down, make sense of what’s happening inside, and take doable steps that actually shift daily life. My style is warm, collaborative, and action-oriented. I blend Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) with expressive arts and somatic, body-based practices - breathwork, mindfulness, and gentle movement - so you can regulate emotions, reconnect with your body, and rewrite the story you’re living. I’m bilingual in Spanish and English, and deeply committed to culturally attuned care; every part of you is welcome in the room. You may be navigating anxiety, perfectionism, panic, or a sense of being stuck in old patterns that no longer feel aligned. Perhaps you’re moving through a major life transition - immigration, a new role, the aftermath of a difficult relationship- and want grounded tools to feel more centered and capable. Together, we identify what’s causing overwhelm, build skills for emotional regulation, and create meaningful change through a mix of skill-building, self-acceptance, and deeper exploration. When helpful, we incorporate Jungian archetypes to explore “both sides of the story,” integrating shadow and light to cultivate clarity and compassion. For couples, I work with partners who feel disconnected, stuck in recurring conflicts, or overwhelmed by communication patterns that no longer serve them. I incorporate Imago-informed dialogue, a structured and intentional way of communicating that helps partners move out of reactivity and into understanding. Through this approach, couples learn to slow down, speak from vulnerability, and genuinely hear each other’s needs without judgment or defensiveness. Imago also helps partners explore the emotional histories that shape present-day interactions, promoting empathy, reducing blame, and supporting deeper repair. Together, we strengthen relational skills that rebuild safety, foster intimacy, and create a more conscious, compassionate partnership. As a Registered Dance/Movement Therapist*, I integrate movement, body awareness, and creative expression into sessions for clients who struggle to fully express their experiences through words alone. Because trauma and emotion often live in the body, movement can create powerful pathways for grounding, regulation, and insight. Through gentle somatic practices, guided movement, breathwork, and expressive arts, you can access and process parts of your story that feel harder to articulate verbally. This work supports deeper self-awareness, emotional clarity, and meaningful healing across trauma, anxiety, relationship stress, and major life transitions. As an Imago Therapist in training, I facilitate the Imago Dialogue for couples for the co-creation of intentional relationships that heal.

I've been a psychotherapist for over ten years skilled in treating mental health disorders or distress. I use cognitive behavioral therapy to support students with academic challenges, peer and relationship struggles, life transitions, trauma, and more. I provide individual psychotherapy services (virtually or in person) at Pure Health Center in Lincoln Park walking distance from your campus. Currently, I offer flexible evening and weekend appointments to accommodate students' busy schedules. You can search my name "Megan O'Brien- Chicago IL" on Psychology Today to learn more about my practice or find me on Pure Health Center's website. You may also send an email to schedule a FREE 15-minute consult to get started. I look forward to working with you. Warmly, Megan O'Brien

Meridian Psychiatric Partners provides best-in-class mental health services to children, adolescents, emerging-adults, and adults with an expert team of psychiatrists, psychologists and psychotherapists. Specialists cover many areas, including mood and anxiety disorders, women's mental health, child and adolescent mental health, addictions, eating disorders, ADHD and personality disorders. Let’s work together to achieve your goals of symptom remission, better functioning and improved well being.

Hi, I’m Loren, a psychiatric provider with over a decade of experience in mental health care. I take a compassionate, collaborative, and client-centered approach in supporting individuals across the lifespan. I specialize in treating anxiety, depression, trauma, and relationship challenges, using evidence-based techniques such as cognitive-behavioral strategies, motivational interviewing, and supportive therapy, alongside thoughtful medication management when appropriate. I strive to create a safe, nonjudgmental space where you feel heard, respected, and empowered in your journey toward lasting mental wellness. My process is rooted in partnership: I take the time to understand your unique story and work with you to create a personalized plan that supports growth, resilience, and confidence. My clinical experience spans hospitals, community mental health, skilled nursing, and now private practice and telehealth. These diverse settings have shaped my holistic, practical, and deeply empathetic approach to care. I’m also a member of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association and am currently pursuing certification in holistic integrative medicine to further support whole-person healing. Whether you’re facing new challenges or working through long-standing issues, I’m here to support you with empathy, clarity, and a deep commitment to your well-being.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

You’ve been carrying so much for so long—maybe trauma from childhood, complicated relationships, or anxiety and shame that live in your body as much as your thoughts. You’re high-functioning on the outside but overwhelmed inside. You want more than coping—you want to actually feel different. My clients often seek EMDR, art therapy, or body-based therapy to help untangle the past and come back to themselves. I offer virtual therapy across Illinois for adults ready to do deep, trauma-informed work in a space that’s creative, collaborative, and affirming. My approach integrates EMDR, art therapy, somatic and body-based methods, and insight-oriented talk therapy. I draw from Polyvagal Theory, IFS, and trauma neuroscience to support healing not just in your thoughts, but in your nervous system. Together, we’ll find what actually helps—not just what sounds good on paper. It’s brave to want more for yourself—and even braver to reach out. Whether you’re processing trauma, managing anxiety or depression, or trying to feel safe in your own body again, you deserve a space where all parts of you are welcome. I offer compassion without pressure and clinical skill without judgment. When you're ready, I’m here.

I have been working as a licensed clinical psychologist for over 20 years, serving adults in both individual and couples’ therapy. My style is supportive and non-judgmental in order to create a safe and trusting atmosphere. As a Humanist, I believe that people are always striving to succeed, but at times are blocked by fears, doubts and loss of clear identity. I see my clients as collaborators in the therapeutic process, and together we create a personal path for growth and change.

For a long time, life may have felt overwhelming, even if everything on the surface looks "fine." You might tell yourself, “I’m fine, it could be worse,” yet underneath, there’s a constant sense of tension, exhaustion, and burnout. You may feel detached, you’ve become skilled at hiding your pain and no one seems to notice. This can leave you feeling lonely, even when surrounded by others, and stir up complex emotions like guilt, shame, and resentment. Deep down, you long to live more authentically, but looking inward feels uncertain and even frightening. What’s in that "Pandora’s box" of emotions? What if it’s too much? I believe in the power of relationship and self-exploration. With compassion, curiosity, and a bit of humor, we'll uncover the layers of your experience. Together, we'll create a safe space to explore your emotions, past experiences, and underlying patterns. We’ll build self-awareness, tools for emotional comfort, and guide you with your authentic values. It can feel like you're carrying everything on your own, but you're not meant to. I'm here to support you in a trusting, empathetic therapeutic relationship, one where we move at your pace. If you're ready to explore, heal, and reconnect with yourself, I’m here to walk alongside you when you’re ready.

The process of starting therapy can be awkward and scary but life-changing. It is a relief to speak with someone who doesn’t know you to form judgments. This environment is understood as a safe space that you will be provided with. A place where you can feel heard, express your emotions, and receive psycho-education. We all have the ability to change with the right tools. My goal is to meet you where you’re at and grow from there. At Hope and Prosper, I tend to utilize an integrative approach with cognitive behavioral therapy, rational emotive behavior therapy, solution-focused therapy, and acceptance and commitment therapy for an effective, personalized treatment. Clients often describe me as insightful, humorous, enthusiastic, and caring. These natural characteristics that I exhibit embrace my personality as a clinician. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with experience therapizing children, adolescents, teens, and adults. I obtained my B.A. in Psychology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. I graduated with my M.A. in Counseling Psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology with a concentration in trauma. Currently, I am pursuing my doctorate in clinical psychology (PsyD) to further my career.

Thank you for honoring the voice inside that has led you here. While it may feel small, searching for this resource was your first step towards healing and growth. I welcome the opportunity to walk with you in your next steps. As an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) practitioner, I will focus our work on identifying your core values in order to shape a life path that is meaningful to you. We begin by identifying the motivators in your life. We will spend time learning how to engage with your inner critic in more helpful ways. We can work to differentiate who you are at your core from the things you are struggling to change. We can work to accept your life experiences, rather than avoiding them, by using tools to reduce the impact of the emotions that come with them. My therapeutic approach honors the power and freedom of setting healthy boundaries, confronting harmful past narratives, releasing habits and behaviors that do not serve you, clarifying the values you hold, and rediscovering what nourishes you. My approach incorporates evidence-based ACT practices including psychoeducation, mindfulness, and somatic activities. In addition to ACT, I utilize the Person-In-Environment framework to understand my clients’ stories as a whole. Women and Girls: Anxiety, Pressure, and Executive Function: We receive messages everywhere we turn - media, religion, family, friends - about what we should do, think, value, feel, and be. The volume of these external forces amplify each other, and can drown out the more quiet internal voice. You may lose track of that voice, of YOU. It can be transformational to identify these influences, separate them out, and see them more clearly. In therapy, we can work together to name these systems and understand how they’ve been impacting you. We will turn down the volume on the external, and create a safe and quiet atmosphere for your internal voice to be heard. When you can hear your internal voice, you can begin to understand what choices and values align with your true self. There is a path forward that is guided by your voice. I enjoy working with clients who are looking to change their anxiety symptoms. This often includes neurodivergent clients working to adapt to their life and environment, as well as improving their environment to meet their needs. I love incorporating practical tasks that can alleviate daily overwhelm, challenge with transitions, and perfectionism. Queer/LGBTQIA+ Individuals and Couples: Queer people experience the full spectrum of human emotions, while existing under homophobic and transphobic systems. This intersection can land us in emotionally intense and vulnerable places, at times without confidence in the support systems around us. Our search for emotional safety can at times be isolating, frustrating, and painful. Queerness is a personal identity, a culture, and an unchangeable way of existing. It is a crucial thread in the fabric of who you are. I know firsthand the importance of a therapist who understands this positionality. I am passionate about working with queer/LGBTQIA+ clients who are at any stage in their journey of self discovery, acceptance, and love. I bring a queer perspective, and will quickly understand the complexities of navigating a heteronormative world as a queer person, couple, and family. In my work with queer couples, I use an Imago therapeutic approach for better communication and understanding that can lead to a stronger relationship. I enjoy working with queer couples to find peace and support in their relationships.

I am a strengths-based, relational therapist who works primarily with trans, queer, and neurodivergent adults. Our sessions will focus on interpersonal growth, rather than finding a cure for symptoms. I want to understand your challenges and celebrate your successes. Together, we will explore the ways in which you are affected by societal systems and help you develop skills to advocate for your wants and needs. I strive to lead by example in showing that it is okay to make mistakes, to always be learning about oneself, and to continue growing and developing your identity as you move through different life experiences. When we are through with our work together, I hope you will have the tools you need to live a sustainable, satisfying, and ever-evolving life.

I am a clinical psychologist specializing in working with young adults and students. I spent 10 years on staff at various university counseling centers around the country and now work in private practice doing individual psychotherapy in Illinois and New York. My approach combines my education, training, and own life experience to work with individuals collaboratively, with a focus on how to meaningfully and healthfully navigate life events. While trained as a generalist to provide treatment for a variety of mental health concerns my clinical specialties include working with depression, anxiety, trauma, relationship/family distress, life transitions, grief/loss, and stress management.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

I help people understand how their past and their relationships shape who they are today. We look beyond surface symptoms to explore the emotional patterns that might leave you feeling stuck or exhausted by the pressure to be perfect. My approach is warm and focused on the whole picture of your life. I work best with those navigating difficult family dynamics, relationship cycles, or the stress of big life transitions who are ready to build a more authentic and grounded future.

Therapy has been an essential part of my personal healing journey, and it is my honor to be able to join clients on their own paths towards expansive and resilient wellness. Simply exploring the prospect of therapy is no small feat, so I want to acknowledge the courage it takes to take those first steps. I deeply believe in the healing power of experiencing safety in a therapy relationship. I aim to recognize the bravery it takes to be vulnerable by inviting open discussion about dynamics felt in the therapy room and honoring the time needed for me to earn your trust. The pace you need to feel secure and confident in our therapeutic alliance will be the guiding force of the pace of our time together. As a therapist inspired by Narrative therapy, Queer feminist theory, Gestalt therapy, and IFS, I strive to honor all parts of you and welcome the integration of your personal interests and cultural traditions into our work. While therapy may include examining past pain and grief, I hope to create a collaborative environment that also makes room for joy and play. I’ve witnessed the power of the arts, music, movement, and play in the work towards healing and am eager to support your use of the therapy space creatively. I am passionate about understanding intergenerational, historical, and racial trauma. Using a systems-critical and strengths-based lens, I hope to support clients in their journey towards self-empowerment and resistance to oppressive systems. Feeling “othered” can limit the space we have to truly explore our genuine identity, so I am honored to work with folks exploring facets of their identity including racial, sexual, gender, disability, neurodivergent, cultural, and beyond. You are the expert of your own experience, and I would be honored to join alongside you on your path. Our work together could, of course, include talk therapy, but can also include experimenting with identity through games, using arts and crafts to express nonverbally, and mindful listening to music to access important feelings. I trust in the brilliance of the mind to find a way towards recovery and would be honored to support variations in how you access your healing. Experience I have worked as a clinical therapist with both adolescents and adults whose struggles included living with symptoms of PMDD, Borderline Personality Disorder, PTSD, OCD, ADHD, GAD, disordered eating, substance use, childhood trauma, and dissociative disorders. I’ve had the honor to support clients exploring their sexual, gender, racial, disability, neurodivergent and autism identities. My work with clients has also included exploring relational issues, family of origin dynamics, life transitions, social justice/activism, and acculturation stress. During my NBCC Minority Fellowship, I experienced trainings focused on the use of Motivational Interviewing with marginalized groups and developed skills to continuously pursue working from an anti-racist, neurodiversity-affirming, anti-oppressive, body-neutral, sex/poly/kink-positive and anti-ableist lens. In my role as the coordinator of BrainstormLIVE, a neurocounseling webinar, I learned about deep interconnectedness of the mind and body informing my holistic approach to this work. My research interests include de-pathologizing the community-born, social justice-motivated tools for healing in the Chicago Latine-led queercore DIY punk scene. In my previous lines of work, I taught neurodivergent high school and college students and helped them navigate traditional school systems. I also worked as a caregiver for folks with cerebral palsy and traumatic brain injuries. I have experience in the non-profit sector supporting the development of community events exploring intergenerational and historical trauma through arts and somatic work for the Asian-American and Japanese American Chicagoland communities.

My background is in psychodynamic therapy. This type of therapy helps you to better understand patterns that play out in your life, how your mind works, the internal conflicts you wrestle with, the defense mechanisms you use, and other things you might not be fully conscious of. By learning more about yourself and your struggles, you are better equipped to make changes in your life, solve your problems in the ways you want to solve them, and break out of the self-defeating patterns you find yourself stuck in. I specialize in working with adults with longstanding difficulties, including depression and anxiety, overwhelming emotions, issues with self-esteem, impulsivity, and self-destructive behavior. I am not a believer in quick fixes or easy answers. Being in therapy is hard work and a major commitment. I often meet with people long term and sometimes in twice-weekly therapy. I aim to be an ally as you work to make changes that won’t just make you feel better today but will change your life in the years to come.

A safe space to be your best self. We are an inclusive group practice of Emotion Experts, Trauma-Informed Therapists, Gender Guides, and Sex-Positive Relationship Nerds, here to help. We're a therapy practice in Chicago, Il but we practice primarily through telehealth, so we can see anyone in the state of Illinois. We know the world can be stressful, and we have a team of excellent therapists trained in a range of evidence based therapies who can meet you where you are, and help you figure out where to go next. Our therapists also also reflect the communities we work in, and we have young therapists, queer therapists, bipoc therapies, bipoc and queer therapists, trans therapists, spanish speaking therapists, etc. If you want to find out more, please check out our website where you can directly see our availability and schedule a session, or email us at the email provided and we can answer any questions.

Our boutique Lincoln Park counseling practice works with each individual to help them build on their strengths and to attain the personal growth they are seeking. This is accomplished by adhering to our practice’s central values: compassion, empathy, and courage. We work with teens, emerging adults, adults, couples, and families from diverse backgrounds who experience a wide range of anxiety and depressive disorders. Our areas of expertise include treating anxiety, depression, and relationship issues. Our therapists have specialized training to treat relationship issues, life transitions, post-traumatic stress disorder, difficulties in emotion regulation, and men’s issues.