Therapists for college students near University of Chicago

Karla Rivera is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Illinois. She has an M. A. in Clinical Psychology from Roosevelt University. Karla is committed to helping individuals navigate life?s challenges and achieve their fullest potential. She has a warm and empathetic approach and creates a safe and non-judgmental space where clients can explore their self holistically. Karla helps clients develop effective coping strategies, build resilience, and enhance their overall well-being. She tailors therapy to the individual as no two people are the same. Karla works in collaboration with the client as she believes the client is the expert of themselves as she is here to foster growth and support them toward healing and self-discovery. Outside of work, Karla enjoys reading, car detailing, tattooing, and baking. She loves spending time in nature and trying new restaurants in Chicago.

Hanan Abdelwahab is a Licensed Social Worker in Illinois who has been practicing since 2017. She completed her graduate degree at Loyola University in Chicago. During her time at Loyola and after graduating, while working in different hospitals, Hanan has been offering patients resources during crisis and in English and Arabic, as well as exposing myself to a number of different demographics and cultures. After several years working in hospitals, Hanan has transitioned to working in private practice. Private practice allowed her to move beyond the crisis and treat patients long term, giving her a deeper understanding of life and how each person is navigating it in this time period. Outside of work, Hanan enjoys drinking and learning about tea, reading, and yoga.

Alexandra Baxter is a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner in Illinois. Alexandra offers specialized care that blends nursing and psychiatric expertise. She provides comprehensive assessments, diagnoses mental health conditions, develops treatment plans, prescribes medications, and offers therapy to support patients? mental well-being. Alexandra?s holistic approach emphasizes not just medication management but also patient education, counseling, and collaboration with other healthcare professionals to ensure optimal outcomes. While not at work Alexandra enjoys reading, exercising, traveling, hiking, and spending time with her two cats!.

Lonny Levin is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Illinois. He has a Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Northeastern Illinois University. Lonny approaches every client with warmth, empathy, compassion, and without judgment. He firmly believes in working collaboratively with clients to help find the style of therapy that works best for their personality. Lonny strives to provide a space where a person can feel safe to be their true self and trust him to help guide them through their struggles and successes. In his spare time, Lonny enjoys reading, sports, fantasy football, and spending time with his dog, Mack and cat, Buddy.

Kari Fisher is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Illinois who has been practicing since 1989. Kari can help a client by assisting in identifying what they are struggling with and using her background in social work training in the areas of family systems, solution focused therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, and Neuroscience techniques. She uses these to help the client feel better about themselves and function better in life. Outside of work, Kari enjoys watercolor painting, volunteering at an equestrian education center, and maintaining an active lifestyle.

Martina Lowery is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Illinois. She has an MSW from Dominican University and a BS from Lincoln University. Martina has several years of experience helping adults manage anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorders in order to live productive fulfilling lives. She is both solution and client centered and uses a holistic approach to help clients gain confidence and reach goals. Martina offers a safe and judgement free space where she empowers and encourages clients to be their authentic selves. Martina is considerate of culture and how it impacts individuals? experiences. Outside of work, Martina enjoys traveling, cooking, spending time with her family, and dancing to her favorite tunes.

Emily Wheeler is a compassionate and dedicated Licensed Social Worker (LSW) at LifeStance Health, serving clients across Illinois. Emily specializes in helping individuals navigate life's challenges with a person-centered approach, ensuring that therapy is tailored to each client's unique needs and goals. With a focus on evidence-based practices, Emily creates a supportive and nonjudgmental space where individuals can explore their thoughts and emotions while building strategies to improve their well-being. Emily works with adolescents, adults, and seniors, addressing a range of mental health concerns, including depression, anxiety, and ADHD. Emily has extensive experience supporting clients from diverse backgrounds, including those within the LGBTQ+ community and individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Emily's expertise in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) enables them to help clients develop practical tools for managing challenges and fostering resilience. Emily is particularly passionate about working with individuals exploring their gender identity and supporting clients in navigating this deeply personal journey.

Elaine Sowlat, LPC, is committed to helping adults and adolescents in Illinois navigate challenges such as PTSD, complex trauma, and co-occurring issues like anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. Her therapeutic approach integrates empathy with evidence-based techniques, ensuring each client feels supported in their journey toward healing and personal growth. Whether you?re dealing with the lingering effects of trauma or seeking ways to manage emotional distress, Elaine offers a compassionate and understanding space for transformation. Elaine has a deep passion for working with individuals who have experienced traumatic stress and complex trauma. Her academic background in counseling psychology, coupled with her clinical experience and personal healing journey, equips her to provide a nuanced and individualized approach to trauma recovery. She helps clients regain control over their lives by addressing the interplay of trauma and mental health issues, fostering resilience, and promoting long-term emotional well-being. In addition to her focus on trauma, Elaine specializes in supporting clients struggling with obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, and depression.

Brendan Crotty, LSW, is dedicated to helping clients navigate life?s challenges with a collaborative and personalized approach. Brendan starts by meeting clients on their level and working collaboratively to help them identify how they want to improve their lives. He assists clients with creating clear goals and helping them measure their progress over time. He uses a variety of techniques, including CBT and DBT, to help clients develop concrete skills to use in their daily lives. Brendan sees clients across the age span and tailors his appraoch to the unique needs of each client. He uses elements of play to connect with kids and teens, to make therapy feel enjoyable and worthwhile. Brendan has focused on work with individuals experiencing grief. His approach emphasizes active collaboration with clients, empowering them to become experts in their own experiences. His compassionate perspective and evidence-based strategies help foster growth, resilience, and healing. In addition to his clinical focus, Brendan values building strong therapeutic relationships and creating an emotionally safe environment for LGBTQ+ clients, men, and women.

With three decades of experience, Garth helps individuals navigate a wide range of mental health challenges, from everyday stress to complex trauma. His therapeutic approach is thoughtful yet relaxed, fostering an open and meaningful dialogue that empowers clients to explore their thoughts and emotions in a safe and nonjudgmental environment. By creating a space where individuals can openly address their concerns, Dr. Amundson guides clients toward deeper self-awareness, helping them break free from self-defeating behaviors and move toward a more fulfilling life. Dr. Amundson specializes in treating PTSD and trauma-related disorders, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). He works closely with clients to address the impact of past experiences on their present well-being, providing evidence-based interventions to foster resilience and recovery. He is also passionate about helping individuals manage anxiety and midlife transitions, offering tailored strategies to promote emotional stability and personal growth. He also offers gender-affirmative medical readiness evaluations and parenting skills interventions, ensuring that his clients receive the guidance they need at different life stages.

Beth Cappelli is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Illinois. She earned her MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Concordia University Chicago, and her internship training was completed at Northwestern Medicine Central Dupage Hospital Behavioral Health. Beth's approach to therapy is collaborative and focused on your unique needs, goals, and life experiences. Your personal values will guide your work together and help create meaningful ways to manage whatever life challenges you are facing. Together you and Beth can gain insight to problems, discover ways to reduce stress and worry, and develop a greater sense of wellbeing. In her free time Beth enjoys attending live music events with friends, playing with her rescue beagle mix Bella, and working on home DIY projects.

Natasha Mahmood, LSW, provides a compassionate and supportive environment for clients across Illinois. Specializing in evidence-based therapeutic techniques like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and play therapy for younger clients, Natasha tailors her approach to each individual's unique needs. She focuses on helping clients set realistic goals and develop coping skills to manage symptoms and improve their day-to-day lives. Natasha is especially skilled in working with children, adolescents, and young adults, providing individual, family, and group therapy to address a range of challenges including anxiety, depression, and trauma. Passionate about working with diverse populations, Natasha has a special focus on ADHD, childhood behavior issues, and PTSD/trauma. She understands the importance of cultural sensitivity and brings a unique, empathetic perspective to her practice, which is informed by her own experiences as a biracial individual. Natasha is also adept at supporting clients with autism spectrum disorders, developmental disabilities, and those within the LGBTQ+ community.

Shelly Gore, LCSW, is dedicated to guiding individuals through life's challenges with compassion and expertise. At LifeStance Health in Illinois, she offers specialized therapy to help clients achieve contentment and resilience. Shelly welcomes children, adolescents, and adults into her practice, ensuring a safe space for healing and growth. With over two decades of experience, Shelly specializes in PTSD/Trauma, ADHD, and Post-Partum Depression/Anxiety. She is passionate about supporting individuals through life transitions, trauma recovery, and managing anxiety and depression. Her therapeutic approach integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Couples/Marital Counseling, and Family Therapy, tailored to meet the unique needs of each client. Shelly embraces cultural humility, recognizing the importance of understanding diverse backgrounds and experiences. She believes in the power of self-compassion and empathy to foster personal growth and well-being. Whether navigating childhood behavior issues, relationship conflicts, or developmental disabilities, Shelly provides personalized care to support her clients' journey towards mental wellness.

Dr. Karyn Cihak is a Psychologist in Illinois who has been practicing since 1999. They completed their undergraduate degree in Psychology at Augustana College. Their first Master?s Degree focusing on behavioral and family systems as related to clinical psychology is from Eastern Illinois University. After working in the field in inpatient and outpatient behavioral health, Dr. Cihak went on the earn their second Master?s degree and Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Illinois School of Professional Psychology. Their training focused on neuropsychology and health psychology. Training across a spectrum of orientations including client centered, cognitive behavioral therapy, psychodynamic, health psychology, and neuropsychology provides Dr. Cihak with an eclectic base to assist clients in reaching their goals. They sought out additional training to assist clients in navigating their fertility journey. Throughout their career Dr. Cihak has been involved with clients managing acute and chronic medical conditions including oncology, multiple sclerosis, head trauma, orthopedic injury, diabetes, and dementia. Outside of work, Dr. Cihak enjoys experimenting with gourmet cooking, travel, reading, and aquatic fitness.

Krista Thomas is a Licensed Professional Counselor based in Florida, dedicated to helping clients navigate their journey toward healing with compassion and expertise. With over 20 years of experience, she specializes in working with adolescents and adults, offering support for a range of challenges including anxiety, depression, PTSD, and ADHD. Krista provides a safe, non-judgmental space where clients can explore their emotions, address concerns, and develop healthy coping mechanisms. Her approach is holistic, combining evidence-based therapeutic techniques with a deep understanding of the complexities of personal struggles. Krista is particularly passionate about assisting the LGBTQIA community and individuals struggling with work-life balance, self-esteem, and boundary-setting. She understands the stressors that can arise from juggling multiple roles and responsibilities, and she empowers clients to create a more balanced, fulfilling life. Whether addressing stress management, trauma, or ADHD, Krista aims to help clients build resilience and regain control over their lives. She is committed to walking alongside her clients, offering practical tools and unwavering support throughout their healing journey.

Noel Tapia is a Nurse Practitioner in Illinois. Noel helps his clients by focusing on a treatment plan that is tailored specifically for the individual. In his spare time, Noel enjoys running, fishing, and weightlifting.

Robyn has experience across therapeutic settings. Her experience includes inpatient treatment, partial hospitalization program treatment, community-based services and outpatient settings. Robyn specializes in treating individuals who suffer from suicidal ideations, self-esteem issues, relationship difficulties, depression, anxiety, personality disorders, trauma (with extensive training and experience with domestic violence & sexual assault), adjustment phases, and substance abuse/dependence. Robyn utilizes a range of therapeutic modalities, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Solution-Focused, and Person-Centered Therapy. Robyn believes in the importance of the therapeutic relationship and meeting individuals where they are at. She provides psychoeducation and offers encouragement to empower individuals to make changes to live a more fulfilling life. In her free time, Robyn enjoys spending time with family & friends. She also likes to read, travel, and attend baseball games and concerts. Robyn is also a lover of dogs and currently attends agility classes with her own dog.

Nina Pieroni, LCSW, is dedicated to helping individuals across Illinois navigate life?s challenges and work toward improved mental health. With extensive experience in various care settings, including emergency rooms, hospitals, residential treatment centers, and outpatient clinics, Nina provides compassionate, individualized therapy tailored to meet each client?s unique needs. She serves adults and seniors, helping them address a wide range of mental health concerns and guiding them toward personal growth and resilience. Nina specializes in supporting individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, and grief, utilizing evidence-based interventions such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). She is particularly passionate about assisting clients through significant life transitions, including midlife and later-life changes, reproductive challenges, and postpartum depression or anxiety.

Victoria Stoklosa-Caldwell is an LPC, who has been practicing since 2017. She graduated from Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, IL with a MA in Counseling Psychology. Victoria believes in a non-judgmental approach that creates a warm, empathic, genuine, and understanding environment for clients to build a trusting and respectful relationship. She utilizes various therapeutic techniques and approaches based on client needs. Victoria's main areas of focus include clinical mental health counseling for children, teens and adults, gerontological counseling and spiritual counseling. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family and pets, reading and continuing her education, traveling, gardening, cooking, crafting, exploring religions and spiritual beliefs of other cultures.

It can be exhausting trying to hold everything together while you're also trying to figure out who you are. Maybe you're navigating anxiety, struggling with self-esteem, questioning a relationship, grieving a loss, or adjusting to a major life change. Whatever you're carrying, therapy can help you better understand yourself and move through this stage of life with greater confidence and clarity. I work with college students, graduate students, and young adults navigating anxiety, depression, stress, burnout, relationship challenges, identity development, grief, trauma, and life transitions. Together, we'll explore the experiences that have shaped you, strengthen your sense of self, and develop practical tools to help you manage life's challenges in ways that feel authentic and sustainable. My approach is warm, collaborative, and culturally responsive. I believe meaningful change happens when you feel supported enough to explore your emotions, relationships, and patterns without judgment. We'll work together to strengthen self-esteem, set healthier boundaries, improve relationships, and create a life that feels more aligned with your values. I integrate Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and mindfulness to help you build resilience, develop self-compassion, and navigate difficult emotions with greater confidence. My hope is that therapy helps you feel more grounded in who you are, more confident in your relationships, and better equipped to handle life's inevitable changes with resilience and self-trust.