Therapy can be the first big step toward better mental health. If you’re interested in working with a therapist in Illinois, consider online treatment. Barriers to care, like transportation challenges or a lack of available providers, can make finding in-person therapy difficult. An online platform like BetterHelp can make getting treatment more convenient and flexible.

With BetterHelp, you can work with a psychologist, licensed professional counselor, or other mental health provider from your home at a time that suits your busy schedule. BetterHelp therapists can guide you through the therapeutic process and help you overcome a range of challenges, including working through questions about gender identity, managing the symptoms of C-PTSD, overcoming job stress, and learning to heal from the psychological effects of marriage issues, divorce, and raising children. 

Therapy can be beneficial for those having trouble coping with the bigger problems in the world at large or trying to find happiness in their own lives.  If you’re looking for an online therapist, IL has practitioners licensed to provide mental health care state-wide. Connect with one of the providers below to learn how online therapy can help you live a more meaningful life.

 

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Dr. Steven Hurley

Offering therapy in Illinois
License: Psy.D., MA, BA
Stress, AnxietyAddictionsRelationship issuesTrauma and abuseDepression
18 years of experience

Steven Hurley, Psy. D. Specialties: Anxiety, Depression, & other Mood Disorders; PTSD; Anger & Stress Management; Coping Mechanisms; Drug & Alcohol Abuse; Non-Substance Addictions; Dual Diagnosis; Behavioral Management; Couples/Marriage Therapy - including Pre-Marital Screening and Divorce Mediation; Geriatric Disorders; Sports Psychology; Sexual Issues including: Dysfunction, Abuse, & Offender; LGBTQ concerns; Self-Esteem; Prisoner issues; Life Coaching; and Career Counseling Mindset: Inspiration for the process of therapy can be drawn from one of the best movie quotes of all time, "No! Try not! Do or Do Not, There is no try." These are very powerful words telling people, especially to those in therapy that you must either willingly make your own necessary and sometimes critical changes in your life or you don't. Therapy is about actively regaining control of your personal energy. Therapy is a collaborative approach to healing and well-being between a client and therapist. The therapist helps guide a person into making better life decisions, but the client must intuitively think of new ways of managing their life stressors that they are comfortable starting and maintaining. Clients not willing to make changes for themselves will continue to spin helplessly and hopelessly out of control. The mind is constantly changing; people in therapy must also learn to continually adjust and adapt to new situations while keeping a mindful-eye on their past. Education and Training: Dr. Hurley received his Master of Arts (MA) in General and Theoretical Psychology at Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) in Teaneck, New Jersey. He graduated with a Doctoral Degree (Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology at Forest Institute of Professional Psychology (FIPP) in Springfield, Missouri. At FIPP, Dr. Hurley specialized in Marriage and Family Counseling. Other areas of training include neuro-psychology, anger management, bio-feedback, and pre-marital counseling. During his doctoral program he worked in a children's psychiatric hospital. His internship was in community mental health, and he participated in a national study on Schizophrenia. Dr. Hurley's post-doc residency was in substance abuse and rehabilitation. After his post-doc residency he spent two years in private practice in Libertyville, IL. Dr. Hurley then became the medical director for a Chicago based firm doing home health care delivering mental health therapy to Chicago's south-side geriatric African-American population who live in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Dr. Hurley has taught undergraduate students at Robert Morris College in Aurora, IL and graduate students at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. He finds teaching to be a change of pace and a way of leading a new generation of therapists into the Health Services Industry. His career path changed when he moved to Knoxville, TN. Dr. Hurley was the Clinical Director for Mental Health for Tennessee's main intake prison facility. He worked with various criminals making sure that they received the help they needed and to minimize suicide attempts. Dr. Hurley's stance on his education, training, and career is to always strive to learn more, to do more, and to be the best therapist possible. Dr. Hurley has since moved and changed careers. He has worked in private practice dealing with individuals and couples while supervising trainees. He has also gone back into working with the criminal population in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Dr. Hurley is always looking for ways to help people become the very best version of themselves. Therapeutic Stance: My approach to therapy with my clients is multi-faceted. There is no one therapy to fit all. I like to approach issues from a psycho-dynamic, family systems, CBT, Gestalt, existential, and medical stance. When dealing with mental health disorders you have to consider the mind as well as the body for the root of a problem. Therapy needs to be understandable by those who seek help and I have spent years refining my technique to help clients understand the issues they're facing and the theories on how to resolve said issues. People feel more comfortable and understood if you can talk to them in the various places they are currently. I love to see individuals, couples, and groups in a calm, peaceful, and most importantly neutral environment. I love to make presentations to groups for psycho-educational purposes as well. Personal: Other psychological interests include neuro-psychology and brain imaging, music and movie therapy, sexual dysfunction and addictions, sports psychology, and psychopharmacology. I hope to further my training in psychopharmacology in order to receive prescribing privileges in Illinois. I love to use humor, music, movies and TV in sessions because they are examples of life experiences people can relate too. I have a wonderful wife and family who make me happy, and who help me strive to be the best person I can be.

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Adriana Franco

Offering therapy in Illinois
License: MSW,LCSW,CRADC
Stress, AnxietyAddictionsSelf esteemDepressionCoping with life changes
19 years of experience

Hi, my name is Adriana. I am a Bilingual Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Addictions Counselor with over 16 years of experience. I studied Clinical Social Work at UIC Jane Adams School of Social Work. I also practice yoga, mindfulness, and meditation. This is my second career and my passion. I have the honor, and privilege, of providing mental health services to young adults, adults, families, and couples, as well as working with children from 4-12 years of age. I have worked with clients with a wide range of concerns including, anxiety, depression, substance use disorders, anger, domestic violence, career challenges, and parenting. My counseling style focuses primarily on empowering clients to lead better lives, and in so doing, treat them with respect and dignity in a safe, supportive, encouraging, and warm space. My role as a therapist is to understand you as an individual, listen, provide a non-judgmental safe space, guide, advocate, advice, and educate those in need as they find their voices and healthier lifestyles, meeting them where they are at – believing that clients are the experts of their lives. I strive to establish rapport through understanding, honesty, and positive regard towards the individual while applying person-centered, person-in-environment theoretical orientations, and motivational interviewing. I use an integrated approach, based on the client’s needs through the course of therapy, established on client-therapist collaborative treatment plan development. This plan might integrate a combination of cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness, meditation skills, dialectical behavioral therapy, and acceptance commitment therapy, grounded on the client’s preferences and needs. You are here, you have taken the first courageous step on the path to building a healthier, responsible, joyful life. I believe I could help you to succeed in this journey. I would love to get started working with you and am happy to answer any questions you may have for me.  I look forward to working with you.

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Tressey Adams

Offering therapy in Illinois
License: MSW,LCSW,Nutrition Counselor
Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesFamily conflictsTrauma and abuseDepression
15 years of experience

I am passionate about helping individuals, families and couples strategically use the skills they already embody to move them closer towards their goals. With training in cognitive, solution and nutrition based counseling, I work with individuals, families and couples to ensure they take an active role in creating positive changes in their lives, emphasizing, and building confidence in their own abilities. It is my mission to partner with individuals, families and couples, in a supportive relationship, providing guidance as they navigate self-guided action steps. I’ve worked with youths, adults, families and couples in the greater metropolitan area for over 15 years, in a supportive partnership capacity, providing guidance as they navigate self-guided action steps. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and graduate from the University of Illinois at Chicago, with a Masters Degree. My approach embodies cognitive behavioral, client-centered, solution-focused therapies to reinforce the clients strengths and instill their confidence in themselves to make the best supportive daily choices for their well-being. Treatment is tailored to match your unique and specific needs. I'm here to coach you toward a more productive life for sustainable change.

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Myrna Pledger

Offering therapy in Illinois
License: MA, LCPC
Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesFamily conflictsTrauma and abuseDepression
21 years of experience

I was trained as a Community Counselor and as such, I am prepared to work with the issues and concerns that occur with individuals and families in the community, and everyone lives in a community. As you can imagine, there are not many individual situations I have not encountered. In the beginning of my career, I worked with children behaving violently or inappropriately in school environments primarily. I realized that the child experiencing mental health difficulties is a member of a family experiencing mental health difficulties as a system. I believe that most maladaptive behavior is learned from the family environment or may be from inherited tendencies. I also believe that many problems you see in both children and adults are the results of having to be in close proximity to someone who is a narcissist or someone who is exhibiting enough narcissistic traits to be dangerous to those with whom they associate. I am licensed in the state of Illinois as a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and have over 10 years of experience working as a Counselor. I specialize in treating survivors of narcissistic abuse both mental, spiritual and physical. I have worked with clients with a wide range of concerns including depression, anxiety, relationship issues, parenting problems, career challenges, OCD, and ADHD. I also helped many people who have experienced physical trauma or emotional abuse. I am faith-based as I myself believe it is important to recognize The Creator when attempting to offer help to His people. My therapy style is truth-based, educationally focused and kind. I believe in treating anyone in the manner that I would want to be treated if I was in their situation. I don't believe in labels, but I do believe in presenting examples of others who have overcome similar circumstances. I am primarily faith or Christian based. I am solutions focused and combine cognitive-behavioral and rational-emotive therapy. I will tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. It takes courage to seek a more fulfilling and happier life and to take the first steps towards change. If you are ready to take that step, I am here to support and empower you. I look forward to working with you!

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Raegan Caras

Offering therapy in Illinois
Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesTrauma and abuseGriefDepression
20 years of experience

I am licensed in Illinois with 20+ years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, depression, coping with grief and loss, and dealing with everyday life stressors. I work with my clients to create an open and safe environment where thoughts and feelings can be shared without fear of judgment. It takes courage to seek out a more fulfilling and happier life and to take the first steps towards a change. I am here to support & empower you in that journey.

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Kimberly Monk

Offering therapy in Illinois
AddictionsFamily conflictsParenting issuesCareer difficultiesCoping with life changes
6 years of experience

I am licensed in Illinois with 6 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with coping with addictions, family conflicts, parenting issues, & career difficulties. I believe that you are the expert of your story and that you have many strengths that will assist you in overcoming things that challenge you. Taking the first step to seeking a more fulfilling and happier life takes courage. I am here to support you in that process.

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Mackensey Carter

Offering therapy in Illinois
LGBTRelationship issuesFamily conflictsGriefCoping with life changes
9 years of experience

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 7 years of experience providing psychotherapy to individuals. My work largely focuses on recovery & healing from past and present traumas as well as work around self-discovery, identity, and positive growth. I see my job as providing support, validation, & relational safety. You are an expert in your life and experience; therefore, my therapeutic approach is flexible so that each session can be client-centered and client-directed. It takes courage to seek a more fulfilling and happier life and to take the first steps towards change. If you are ready to take that step, I am here to support and empower you. I look forward to working with you!

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Deborah Palmer Thomas

Offering therapy in Illinois
License: LCSW
Stress, AnxietyFamily conflictsTrauma and abuseParenting issuesDepression
10 years of experience

Hello! I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Colorado with over 10 years of experience working as therapist. I have worked with clients with a wide range of concerns including depression, anxiety, relationship issues, trauma and parenting problems, with a special focus in adoption and foster care issues. I worked in the public child welfare system for over 20 years. My counseling style is warm and interactive. I consider the client/therapist relationship to be the most important thing in counseling. I believe in treating anyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. I believe everyone has strengths and with a little hope all can be resilient.. My approach combines trauma-focused, solution focused and motivational interviewing counseling styles. . I will tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. It takes courage to seek for a more fulfilling and happier life and to take the first steps towards a change. If you are ready to take that step I am here to support and empower you.

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Tilaya Bradford-Hollins

Offering therapy in Illinois
Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesTrauma and abuseSelf esteemCoping with life changes
8 years of experience

I am licensed in Illinois with 36 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, & motivation, self esteem, and confidence. I believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. I will tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. Taking the first step to seeking a more fulfilling and happier life takes courage. I am here to support you in that process.

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Jessica Wall

Offering therapy in Illinois
Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesGriefIntimacy-related issuesDepression
31 years of experience

I am licensed clinical Social Worker in Connecticut and Illinois with 31 years of experience working with adolescents, young adults and adults in psychotherapy. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, relationship issues, coping with grief and loss, & intimacy related issues. I believe that you are the expert of your story and that you have many strengths that will assist you in overcoming things that challenge you. We will work together to understand how your past has influenced your current circumstances and work through the feelings, conflicts and tensions that disrupt your life. It takes courage to begin therapy but the benefits are innumerable.

How can a counselor support you?

Therapists can practice many types of counseling, from marriage and family therapy to cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). They may also assist you with symptoms of depression, stress, or anxiety.

Therapists may help you set and achieve career goals, work on current issues you may be facing, or address your past. Over 11,181,370 people live in IL, and one out of five Americans has a mental health condition. Searching for local licensed professionals may help you find mental health support for personal growth, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other mental health concerns. You do not need a mental health diagnosis to seek support from one of BetterHelp's licensed providers above.  

The mental health field can include psychiatric medication management, online therapy, marriage counseling, couples therapy, clinical social work, licensed counseling, and other mental health services in person and online. Seeing a licensed provider can help you navigate mental health conditions and life circumstances through mindfulness and other specialized techniques.

Please note that a BetterHelp therapist does not offer diagnostic or medication management services.

Why do people choose to work with a licensed counselor?

People reach out for mental health support for a variety of reasons. Many individuals work with a counselor for general life advice, while others may attend therapy for a specific concern. Whether you live in a large city or a smaller county, BetterHelp can match you with a licensed professional tailored to your preferences noted when you sign up.

The mental health therapists in Illinois support clients with varying issues through therapy, such as:

  • Challenging situations or life stressors
  • Eating disorders
  • Anxiety disorders
  • Depression or depressive conditions
  • Adjustment issues
  • Emotional support for a terminal illness
  • Chronic pain emotional support
  • Grief
  • Personality disorders
  • Trauma
  • Relationship conflicts and concerns

Finding a therapist that takes new clients in online therapy can be the first step in finding a treatment plan that works for you. Your therapist can provide a safe space for you to focus on self-care and well-being.

If you're interested in speaking to one of the therapists above or being matched with a counselor in 24 to 48 hours, consider signing up for BetterHelp. BetterHelp has over 35,000 providers, including those listed above.

Emergency services to contact in a crisis

If you are experiencing a crisis or emergency, don't use the BetterHelp site. If you are in life-threatening danger, call 911. If you require support for a crisis, reach out to the hotlines below:

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Some of the most commonly asked questions about therapy can be found in the section below.

How much does a therapist cost?

Mental health professionals can differ in price. Forbes found that the average cost of in-person therapy in the US is around $100 to $200 per hour. Pricing can also vary based on your location. 

BetterHelp offers payment plans of $60 to $90 per session, charged monthly in a lump sum. You can also take advantage of this pricing on one of BetterHelp's sister platforms, like ReGain for couples or TeenCounseling for teens aged 13 to 19.

Many therapists may be upfront about their pricing and whether or not they take health insurance from the beginning. Additionally, some in your area may offer a sliding scale plan to allow those with lower incomes to pay less for therapy. However, services online can often save individuals a few hundred dollars per month.

When should I get a therapist in Illinois?

Mental health services and mental health providers may help you navigate various concerns. You do not need a diagnosis or condition to attend therapy; You can discuss grief, relationship concerns, stress, or life changes and ask for general advice. A counselor may help you gain power over your life and emotions while you navigate day-to-day experiences.

Mental health issues don't always present as a crisis. Many professionals provide talk therapy and support for life transitions, skills learning, relationship problems, or life coaching. Online therapy sessions can allow clients seeking therapy to experience professional help through video, phone, or live chat sessions without commuting to an office.

Does insurance cover the cost of therapy?

Different counseling services can vary in cost. Therapists must apply to accept insurance through insurance companies, which may take time and money, so not every therapist offers services through insurance. If you cannot find a therapist that accepts your plan, BetterHelp may be cheaper than visiting an in-person therapist.

Is online therapy the safe option?

Online therapy through BetterHelp and its sister platforms is safe. Therapists are licensed, experienced, and vetted before being contracted with the platform. If you experience any concerns with your therapist, you change your counselor through the platform or app at any time.

In today's fast-paced society, mental well-being has become a cornerstone of a fulfilling life. Amid the daily challenges and stressors that can overwhelm even the most resilient individuals, seeking professional guidance often offers a path to clarity and balance. The journey toward improved emotional health involves understanding personal triggers, embracing self-compassion, and developing effective coping strategies. While self-help books and online resources provide valuable information, nothing compares to the personalized support offered by a qualified mental health professional. One-on-one sessions with experienced experts can help uncover the underlying issues contributing to anxiety, depression, or other emotional hurdles. With a careful and empathetic approach, these professionals tailor their advice to suit individual needs, ensuring that each person receives strategies that work best for their unique circumstances. Whether through cognitive behavioral techniques, mindfulness practices, or other innovative methods, the aim is to foster resilience and empower individuals to take control of their inner lives. For those living in bustling urban centers, engaging in face-to-face sessions in a welcoming environment can be particularly beneficial. Access to a caring clinician provides not only a safe space to explore difficult emotions but also builds a support network essential for long-term recovery. The process encourages self-reflection and greater insight into behavioral patterns that might otherwise go unnoticed. While the journey can be challenging at times, the rewards include enhanced emotional stability, improved interpersonal relationships, and a renewed sense of self-worth. In one notable case, the guidance provided by a highly trained therapist proved instrumental in navigating a tumultuous period. Through structured sessions and tailored interventions, the individual learned to identify stressors and develop healthier responses to adversity. This experience underscored the transformative impact that dedicated support can have on one's overall quality of life. In a region like Texas, community-based initiatives and accessible mental health programs further reinforce the value of professional help. These efforts emphasize early intervention, preventive care, and continuous support, ensuring that more people are equipped to face life's inevitable challenges. Ultimately, investing in mental well-being is an act of self-care that yields lifelong benefits. By embracing professional support, individuals can unlock new levels of emotional resilience and discover pathways to a brighter, more balanced future. Each step taken toward healing represents a commitment to personal growth, enabling a life filled with renewed optimism and strength. Embracing this transformative journey consistently paves the way for deeper understanding, lasting peace, and meaningful personal progress.
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