Therapists for college students near University of Chicago
Ember Psychotherapy Group
Trauma impedes our natural ability as humans to be able to identify and reach goals, and connect and form relationships with others. I know that this can all be worked through with a positive therapeutic relationship and guidance to rediscovering the inner knowing you possess about what you truly need to thrive. My personal approach to therapy is what allows for others to connect with me- I am laid-back, direct, funny, caring, and most of all, nonjudgemental. I provide that open space of comfort that is needed to be your authentic self.
Eliot B. Altschul , Ph.D.
I like to think of therapy as a journey of inner exploration and I am along as a guide. I believe that therapy is most effective when it is a combination of intellectual understanding and emotional experience. In that regard, it feels like your feelings are our road signs that we are in the right track to self-growth. I try to not have a specific agenda going into sessions, but rather to go where it is you feel like you need to go at that time. I believe that it is my role to create a safe space for you to express and explore whatever it is that is inside you. Compassion is key, and cultivating self-compassion is one of the most important elements of therapy. I look forward to helping you explore and become more self-aware and self-compassionate!
Elizabeth Culnan
Are you having trouble with falling and staying asleep? Are you feeling anxious and overwhelmed? I specialize in working with people who are having trouble sleeping, who are experiencing anxiety, and who are going through reproductive transitions or who are experiencing distress related to their reproductive health (e.g., PMDD, pregnancy, postpartum, infertility). In my work, I aim to cultivate a safe space to hold and honor your emotions, while also providing you with new coping tools to help you process your emotions, get some distance from your thoughts, and help you engage with your life. To do this, I use a blend of evidence-based psychotherapies such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, and Interpersonal Psychotherapy.
Elisa Balthazar
I’m a Clinical Therapist at Health and Healing Therapy and I work with teens and adults 18 – 30 years old who are working through various wanted and unwanted transitions, changes, and challenges of life. My therapeutic approach is grounded in collaboration and authenticity. Together, we’ll work to uncover your strengths and develop personalized strategies to navigate life’s uncertainty.
Megan Maiero, PLLC
I have extensive experience in the field working with college students. I specialize in working with anxiety disorders, mood disorders, trauma and PTSD. I have helped many college students navigate transitions into young adulthood, career exploration, and academic stressors.
Caring Conversations Center
All therapy starts with collaboration at its core. Seeking therapy takes a great deal of courage and I commend you for considering therapy as a tool for self-exploration and growth. Many find that building a supportive and interactive relationship with their therapist contributes to the overall effectiveness of therapy. I offer a safe and non-judgmental environment, with a commitment to placing the highest priority on your well-being. My services are offered to adults, specializing in difficulties related to: stress, coping with life’s changes, anxiety, trauma, identity, body image, self-esteem, and LGBTQ+.
Stephanie Ranson
Healing from trauma can feel overwhelming, especially when the past continues to affect your emotions, relationships, sleep, or daily life. I work with children, preteens, teens, college students, adults, families, and couples experiencing trauma, grief, anxiety, dissociation, or intense emotions. I support clients healing from abuse, neglect, domestic violence, accidents, loss, and other difficult experiences. My approach is compassionate, trauma-informed, and focused on helping you feel safe, understood, empowered, and better equipped to move forward. I specialize in trauma and related concerns, including sexual abuse, domestic violence, childhood abuse or neglect, traumatic experiences, dissociation, panic attacks, night terrors, chronic worry, irritability, sleep and concentration difficulties, and substance use. I also support clients navigating stress, emotional challenges, relationships, and other life transitions. My approach is affirming, strengths-based, and focused on treating the whole person. I believe you already possess strengths, abilities, and resources that can be built upon throughout the therapeutic process. Using evidence-based and trauma-informed approaches, I work collaboratively with each client to develop healthy coping skills, increase self-awareness, process difficult experiences, and create lasting positive change. Clients describe me as empathetic, understanding, encouraging, and attentive. I strive to provide a warm, supportive, and nonjudgmental environment where you can feel safe being your authentic self. I believe healing begins with trust, compassion, and the experience of feeling genuinely seen, heard, and understood. I offer in-person and virtual therapy throughout Tennessee, with weekday, evening, and weekend availability. I offer a free 15-minute consultation and accept self-pay and insured clients, including Medicaid/TennCare. My practice offers a warm, affirming, strengths-based approach that honors each client’s unique qualities, skills, and values. Together, we build trust, empowerment, and resilience while navigating life’s challenges and working toward meaningful goals. Taking the first step toward therapy can feel overwhelming, but you do not have to navigate it alone. Contact me by phone, text, or email to begin your healing journey. CALL ME, TEXT ME, AND EMAIL ME, as well as the ones going on on my websites. https://stephanie-ranson.clientsecure.me.
Monica Fields
Hi, I’m Monica Fields, LCSW, PMHC. I work with multicultural and first-generation young adults, as well as new and expecting parents, helping them navigate identity, relationships, and life transitions such as adjusting to college. Using Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), ACT, and mindfulness-based tools, I support clients in understanding relationship patterns, managing emotions, and reconnecting with their values. My approach is warm, collaborative, and down-to-earth—I create a space where you can feel seen, supported, and empowered to move forward in your life with clarity and confidence. Whether you’re adjusting to parenthood, balancing cultural expectations, or exploring who you want to be, I’m here to help you navigate these challenges with self-compassion and practical strategies.
Regina Verhelst
No matter what you do, you feel like you are never good enough. You are consumed with thoughts of food and shame about your body. You’ve tried everything to control your eating, but in the end feel like it is food that controls you. If this is you, know that you are not alone and you can find healing. If you are struggling with an eating disorder, disordered eating, or body image, I can help you find acceptance and finally feel at home within your body. We will work together to explore your beliefs about food, your body, and yourself to uncover what’s not working and keeping you from what matters most to you. I provide a warm, compassionate space, (with some humor sprinkled in) in which you can breathe and connect with who you truly are. Through a social justice-informed Health at Every Size framework combined with acceptance and mindfulness-based approaches, we will explore and practice new ways for you to cope with difficult thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Many of the clients I work with struggle with intense self-criticism, perfectionism, and feeling like they are both “too much” and “not enough.” During our initial sessions, we will explore the challenges impacting you most deeply and work together to identify initial goals to help you soften that self-critical voice and build more self-compassion. I also collaborate with clients to identify specific skills to work on between sessions to integrate what you are learning into daily life.
Dr. Ashley Cares
Your path to a calmer, happier life starts here. I am ready to support you at your own pace, providing flexible appointments and personalized care. Whether you are an individual seeking personal growth, a couple looking to strengthen your connection, or a family aiming to foster harmony, I am here to help. Let’s work together to address anxiety, depression, and stress, creating a healthier path forward for yourself, your relationships, and your family.
Caroline Lavelock
Have you experienced trauma? Maybe you've figured out some ways to manage it in the past, but it's getting harder since starting/going back to school. Those old coping habits aren't cutting it anymore, and it's finally time to do the work, both for the sake of your academic future, and also so you can live an authentic, fulfilling life. Welcome! My name is Caroline Lavelock, and I have worked in university counseling with large, diverse, nontraditional student populations for nearly 15 years. I bring expertise in college mental health, especially for first-generation students and children of immigrants who are balancing competing expectations between work, school, and home life. Now that I am in private practice, I am pleased to offer the longer-term, trauma-focused therapy that many students need but struggle to find in short-term counseling university counseling models. I am also a Certified Integrative Mental Health Professional and can provide information about how you can use nutrition to optimize your mental health. I offer instant online booking through my group practice, Tailwinds Psychology, where you can also access psychiatry and testing services. Let's get to work!
Cassie McCarthy, LICSW
Cassie McCarthy's therapy practice is tailored to help individuals, especially college students, navigate and overcome the challenges of anxiety or living through traumatic/painful events in their past. She also has a specialized expertise in helping survivors of sexual trauma overcome the unique effects of sexual & relationship violence. Cassie leverages science-backed approaches, and focuses on teaching practical skills and techniques to effect lasting change. Her approach is results-oriented, utilizing homework, worksheets, and real-time progress tracking to ensure therapy is tailored to each individual's needs. This practice is ideal for college students looking to take control of their mental health and wellbeing, offering tools and support to move beyond their past and thrive in their personal and academic lives. She uses Evidence-Based therapy approaches such as Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) to help clients meet their goals. For a free phone consultation, visit www.CassieMcCarthy.com or call 978-403-6400
Collective Balance Counseling
Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.
Create Balance Counseling
I am focused on creating an affirming, safe space for growth and exploration. I am passionate about working with teens and young adults experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, life transitions, and identity development. In therapy, you can expect to build skills in learning how to cope with life's difficulties. I also integrate a person-centered approach with an emphasis on cultural humility and LGBTQ+ affirming care. As an art therapist, I provide a variety of creative opportunities to cultivate insight, self-expression, and non-verbal emotional processing when it aligns with the needs of the therapeutic process. My goal as a therapist is to provide a comfortable, collaborative space that will meet you wherever you are in your journey.
Jessie Shanks Counseling, Inc
Hello, some of my strengths include identifying and cultivating strengths in others, giving language to complex feelings, detangling complex issues and finding paths to wholeness. My goal in therapy is to support others to reach their personal goals and even help them identify what those may be if they are unsure. My ideal Patient is motivated to change and open to trying various techniques. I'm dual licensed in the States of Massachusetts and Illinois and provide only Teletherapy. I've been in clinical practice since 2013, yet have 20 years of experience through mentoring young adults. One of my strongest areas of expertise is healing from trauma, of all kinds. What I often find in practice are Patients unaware of neglect and abandonment that they have lived through. I support Patients in identifying pain, creating space to grieve and heal, and creating a new way to experience life alive.
Dana Palermo | Indigo Butterfly Counseling and Wellness
With over 20 years of experience as a therapist and school counselor, I am dedicated to supporting students as they navigate life’s challenges and transitions. My approach is grounded in compassion, collaboration, and evidence-based practices, with a deep understanding that every individual’s journey is unique. I specialize in providing meaningful support for individuals with ADHD, anxiety, and/or special needs. Whether a client is struggling with focus and organization, feeling overwhelmed by worry, or needing tailored emotional and academic support, I strive to create a safe encouraging space where growth and confidence can flourish. Drawing on two decades of experience in educational and therapeutic settings, I can help clients of all ages build practical skills, emotional resilience, and self-awareness. My goal is not only to address immediate concerns, but to empower individuals with tools they can carry forward—at school, at home, and in everyday life.
Harper Grace Counseling
Here at Harper Grace Counseling, we see a wide variety of clients and offer vast specialties. We work to diligently to ensure you are placed with the clinician who is most skilled and able to help you with your current struggles. We provide both in person and telehealth services to ensure that we are able to service anyone who resides in the state of Illinois. We are able to support clients navigating gender transition, survivors of trauma, LGBTQiA++, couples, polyamorous relationship systems, caregivers, individuals with chronic medical conditions, financial/ career concerns, racial identity, anxiety, depression, grief/loss, addiction, and neurodivergence.
Jameeka Moore
Experiencing anxiety can feel overwhelming and you may find yourself avoiding people, places and things in an attempt to manage your symptoms. You may find that your world is getting smaller and smaller and may feel like you are in a constant cycle of anxiety and a mix of other painful emotions. I would like to help you change your relationship with anxiety. Through collaboration, you can learn skills to help you face and manage your anxiety symptoms, so that you can live the life that you want to live.
Three Circles of Healing, LLC
I work well with clients who want to learn skills to cope with what they're going through as well as get to the root of the issues. As a therapist I am warm, flexible, and seek to create a brave space in which clients can bring their full selves to the room. While my focus has been trauma and trauma treatments, most of my clients are coming in for help with understanding the role their families have in their lives and changing relationships. Many of my clients are navigating how to be in relationship with parents who have different values and experiences, or maybe don't understand how their actions and choices have impacted my clients. Some topics I work with clients on include: anxiety, stress, perfectionism, over achieving, negative childhood or family experiences, and issues around identity. Some of my clients want to learn concrete skills for managing where they are at in their lives, while others want to get into the depths around who they are and why they do what they do. For both I show up consistently as a sounding board who provides gentle and often direct feedback.
Lindsay DiPasquale, Kindset Counseling
Hi! Thank you for checking out my profile. I am a DePaul double grad - undergrad (2009) and grad (2014) and am so appreciative the time I had there. I remember that time fondly, but I also remember how stressful life can be during that period with lots of changes going on. The most important thing to me as a therapist is that my clients are getting what they need from the therapeutic process in order to grow and life their most fulfilling lives. I look forward to connecting with you to see if I can be a helpful support for you.