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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Raelene Faught

Offering therapy in Illinois
License: MA,LCPC
Family conflictsTrauma and abuseGriefParenting issuesSelf esteem
12 years of experience

I am a therapist licensed in Illinois with 10 years of experience. I view this work as helping people heal from hurts and move towards healthier choices and relationships to satisfy legitimate needs. I have worked with clients on issues including anxiety, transition and phase of life concerns, relationships, parenting and trauma. I try to come from a perspective that views you as the expert on your life and I am here to help you learn, heal and change. I use a humanistic approach along with Trauma Informed and Cognitive Behavioral strategies to work towards those goals. I hope that your choice is an easy one and I wish you well.

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Renee Rogers

Offering therapy in Illinois
License: MA, LCPC, NCC
Stress, AnxietyAnger managementDepressionCoping with life changes
3 years of experience

The Journey Hello, my name is Renee Rogers, and I am a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC), a National Certified Counselor (NCC) and a Board Certified Counselor (BCC) in the State of Illinois. I have over 15 years of professional experience working in the helping field. I received my Bachelor's Degree from Illinois State University in Child Development and my Master's Degree from Chicago State University in Counseling Psychology. My journey in the helping profession has given me the opportunity to work with a very diverse population. From the inner city of Chicago's social service agencies, to private practices, to the hospital and clinic settings, my versatile style and eclectic approach to therapy has given me the chance to work with clients/patients who present with generalized anxiety, depression, grief and loss, violent trauma, anger management problems, adjustment disorders, relationship issues, family conflict, self esteem and self worth challenges. I believe in meeting my clients/patients where they are and working from a nonjudgmental, compassionate point of view. My style takes on a holistic approach; looking at the whole person; past, present and future goals and objectives. I utilize many theoretical orientations, but I work closely with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy and Reality Therapy (Here and Now-Choice Therapy). The world as we've known it is vastly changing and presenting us with new challenges. I believe with my clinical experience, I will be able to provide a safe and nurturing forum for clients/patients to process their feelings and improve their immediate and long-term functioning. SPECIALTIES: Stress and Anxiety Management Depression Trauma and Abuse Anger Management Self Esteem and Self Worth I welcome the opportunity to work you through this journey.

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Lori Cheek Gilroy

Offering therapy in Illinois
License: LCSW
Stress, AnxietySelf esteemDepressionCoping with life changes
26 years of experience

Hello! You have taken a courageous step towards making changes in your life. Asking for help can be hard and I would be honored to walk with you in your journey. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Illinois. I have 26 years of experience working as a counselor and life coach. I have helped people with a wide range of concerns including depression, anxiety, relationship issues, parenting problems, career challenges, life transitions, trauma and caregiver stress. I have worked in several settings over the years including a child welfare program, family counseling clinic, family birthing center, crisis intervention agency and mental health clinic. My counseling style is client-centered, utilizing a holistic approach which addresses mind, body and spirit. I work from a Christ-centered philosophy, knowing that true and lasting healing comes only with God's help. Regardless of your background or beliefs, I believe you have value and I strive to communicate with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. You are the expert in your life and my role is to guide you to find the answers that are already within. I work from a solution-focused, systemic perspective. We will work together to develop treatment goals that meet your unique and specific needs. If you are ready to take the next step, I am here to support and encourage you. I look forward to working with you.

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Nina Reed

Offering therapy in Illinois
Stress, AnxietyTrauma and abuseParenting issuesSelf esteemDepression
10 years of experience

"You must be the change that you wish to see in the world,” has been my mantra for quite some time. It’s a reminder that if I desire to see positive change, I must be committed to contributing to the change I’d like to see. Although, I recognize that I cannot change every aspect of the world, my mission in life is to make a difference in any way that I can. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, with over 10 years of experience working as a psychocounselor, I practice this mantra daily in my work as a therapist. I have worked with people from the birth to the end of life with a wide range of concerns including depression, anxiety, relationship issues, parenting problems, and career challenges. In my work clients, I often use an eclectic approach. This allows me to tailor to the unique needs of all the clients I serve. I believe that change happens when people are given the support they need to draw upon their own strengths. I am committed to doing my absolute best to provide an environment full of compassion and support, so that people overcome obstacles and do not merely survive but are motivated to thrive.

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Dr. Paula Alvarez

Offering therapy in Illinois
License: EdD,LCSW,MBA
Stress, AnxietyTrauma and abuseAnger managementBipolar disorderDepression
30 years of experience

Greetings! I am a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in the states of California, Illinois, and Missouri, and I have a doctorate in Organizational Psychology. I have worked in locked and outpatient mental health facilities for the last 30 years. I facilitated group treatment of domestic violence perpetrators in Spanish and English for eight years. I specialize in treating trauma-related symptoms, anxiety and depression, anger management, geriatric well-being, mental health recovery, cultural diversity issues, and self-esteem issues. My doctorate degree (EdD) In Leadership and Learning with a specialization in Organizational Psychology was conferred on May 27, 2021. I use a client-centered approach (Carl Rogers), and I know that the client is the expert. I tailor my therapy sessions to what the client wants. I used cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) with those who like CBT interventions. I offer homework assignments and bibliotherapy for those clients who want those interventions. I also use Brief-Solution Focused Therapy, Trauma-Informed Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing techniques. I invite you to contact me to see if I am a good fit to help and empower you on your journey to better living.

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Elizabeth Newman

Offering therapy in Illinois
License: LCPC,LMHC,NCC
Stress, AnxietyLGBTFamily conflictsParenting issuesDepression
5 years of experience

I am an experience clinician who is dedicated to treating teens and adults deal with and overcome anxiety, depression, and trauma. My philosophy is client-centered, Mindfulness based, trauma informed, and goal oriented. I have training and experience with Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), and Mindfulness. My areas of focus include trauma, attachment issues, and difficulties with distress tolerance and emotional regulation. I am a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC in Illinois), and a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC in Washington State). I want perspective clients to know I genuinely care about the people I work with and have a passion for joining people on their journey to a new self. The fact that you are searching for a therapist shows you would like something to change. This is very brave. We can often lose perspective about situations and how we deal with them. We can also struggle with things we have buried from our past, or relationships that did not support us in the way we need. I will give you a safe and supportive place to look at your unwelcome patterns and find a way to make your journey more fulfilling. Your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are what make you who you are. As we work together to understand these parts of you, we will find a way to alter those thoughts that no longer work for you and strengthen those that are helping you become who you wish to be.

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Holly Ambrose

Offering therapy in Illinois
Stress, AnxietyGriefSelf esteemDepressionCoping with life changes
33 years of experience

I am licensed in Illinois and Florida with over 30 years of professional social work experience. I have experience in helping clients to cope with stress, anxiety, grief and loss, motivation, self esteem, self-confidence, & depression. I believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion and will tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. 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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Maya Maclin

Offering therapy in Illinois
Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesTrauma and abuseSelf esteemDepression
12 years of experience

I am licensed in Illinois with 12 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients (adults and adolescents) with stress and anxiety, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, & motivation, self esteem, and confidence. 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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Chaunte Wilder

Offering therapy in Illinois
Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesTrauma and abuseSelf esteemDepression
5 years of experience

I specialize in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy which allows clients to restructure their thinking and change their lives. My belief is that if people can change the way that they think and view things, then they can change their lives! My goal as your counselor is to empower you as well as increase your self-awareness. I offer a warm, genuine, and gentle approach which allows my clients to feel understood and respected. Additionally, I provide a safe place for clients to feel supported and willing to share their experiences in order to reach their optimal mental wellness.

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Yadira Chavez

Offering therapy in Illinois
Stress, AnxietySelf esteemCareer difficultiesDepressionCoping with life changes
6 years of experience

As a bilingual Latina and child of immigrant parents, I strive to provide a safe space for clients of all backgrounds and experiences. I am here to offer acceptance and support while helping clients navigate and cope with life’s challenges. There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to therapy and I find it important to explore specific strategies and tools that work for clients and their goals. I have experience working in community behavioral health and have extensive knowledge of mental health needs. This experience has helped me find my passion in working with individuals struggling with mood and anxiety disorders, relationship stress, painful life transitions, individual and intergenerational trauma, cultural stressors. My style is meeting my clients where they are at while using humor and spirit to build a strong relationship. I utilize eclectic strategies from various theoretical approaches such as but not limited to cognitive behavior therapy, mindfulness, psychodynamic, and attachment. As a team, clients and I explore areas for change and growth.

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Anthony Kokalj

Offering therapy in Illinois
Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesTrauma and abuseSelf esteemDepression
14 years of experience

I am licensed in Illinois with 14 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. 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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Jennifer Noonan

Offering therapy in Illinois
Stress, AnxietyAddictionsTrauma and abuseBipolar disorderDepression
22 years of experience

I am licensed in Indiana with 22 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, coping with addictions, trauma and abuse, & bipolar disorder. I work with my clients to create an open and safe environment where thoughts and feelings can be shared without fear of judgment. Taking the first step to sign up for therapy can take courage and I am proud of you for getting started!

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Najah Hawkins

Offering therapy in Illinois
Stress, AnxietyParenting issuesSelf esteemCareer difficultiesCoping with life changes
10 years of experience

I am licensed in Illinois with 10 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, parenting issues, motivation, self esteem, and confidence, & 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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Toya Carroll

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

I am a Christian therapist licensed in California, Illinois and Missouri with 15 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, & coping with grief and loss. 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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Aidarina (Aida) Basarudin-Pigott

Offering therapy in Illinois
Stress, AnxietyTrauma and abuseGriefDepressionCoping with life changes
21 years of experience

Aida is an astute and an accomplished psychotherapist and hypnotherapist and a gifted intuitive who has, for the last 20 years, chosen to dedicate her life to helping others live in peace, free and liberated from the sufferings that bind them. For Aida, being a psychotherapist is more than a profession- she considers it as her mission and her purpose. Aida was born in Penang, an island located on the west coast of the Malaysian Peninsula. Her interest and curiosity in people developed early on in her life when she had the privilege of forming close friendships with many others whose culture and socioeconomic backgrounds differed from hers. As a highly sensitive child, she took a keen interest in the human conditions, after encountering homeless individuals on the streets of Penang, and what she witnessed was etched deep in her soul. Yet it was only after she graduated from the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration that Aida realized her learning as a student of life had just begun. She heeded the echoes in her soul to bring psychiatry to the streets by serving the homeless living on the south and west sides of Chicago for 7 years. She is an avid proponent of equal access to mental health care-for several years, she dedicated herself to serving low-income seniors, clients with disabilities and clients living with HIV/AIDS by making home visits in economically distressed communities. Over the years, her strong desire to ease sufferings was evidenced by her work with Hospice, in drug rehabilitation centers, in hospital in-patient units, in nursing homes, in the courts system, in weight loss center and in private practice. She has seen through her years of living and working that none of us will leave this world unscathed; and with the same token, none of us is beyond redemption because we are all greater than the pains we had held within us. Aida brings a wealth of knowledge, patience, perseverance, warmth, compassion, empathy, deep listening, humor, curiosity and creativity into her sessions to engage with her clients who are adolescent, young adults, adults and older adults. Her understanding of human nature combined with her deep emotional depth and a sharp intellect make her a therapist who gets it; and is therefore, able to form strong relationships even with her most resistant clients. She firmly believes that the medicine required for healing is embedded within the therapist-client relationship, making therapy an art form that is anchored in science. She is certain that peace-a priceless treasure- is achieved when we are awakened to our true selves, untainted by circumstances, or even traumas, that distort our perceptions of ourselves and others, and incapacitate our adaptability and functioning. Through her work, she has come to understand that self-distortion is at the root of our sufferings and influences how we relate to ourselves, to others and to circumstances. To that purpose, Aida is successful in serving many clients who have crossed her path due to her unrelentless pursuit in guiding them to journey deep into their psyche, to feel their emotions, to embrace all parts of themselves, in search of understanding what happened to them. She has helped her clients gain new insights about themselves, to shape their new decisions moving forward, to live the life they had always wanted but never quite knew how to achieve. She has seen through her years of living and serving that none of us will leave this world unscathed, yet none of us is beyond redemption, no matter what we endured, because we are all greater than the pains we have held within us. Aida continues to attend to her own healing process as she walks through life with her clients. She considers herself a pilgrim seeking spiritual growth, seeking the pathless path towards an ever greater awareness, evolution, connection and Oneness with all creation. She is an avid student of Jungian psychology and altered states of consciousness as well as a long time practitioner of yoga and meditation. Her wisdom which she integrates into her sessions comes from studying various traditions including Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Shamanism and the Yoga Sutras. She gives gratitude to her years of learning and healing under the guidance of her current teachers, David Hartman and Diane Zimberoff, who are founders of the Wellness Institute and Zacciah Blackburn who founded The Center of Light.

How can therapists in Illinois support you?

Therapists in Illinois 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 Illinois, and one out of five Americans has a mental health condition. Searching for licensed professionals in Illinois 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 BetterHelp does not offer diagnostic or medication management services.

Why are many residents in the state of Illinois working 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 in Illinois, BetterHelp can match you with a licensed professional tailored to your preferences noted when you sign up.

Mental health counselors in Illinois support clients with varying issues, which can include:

  • 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

If you are experiencing a crisis or emergency, don't use this site's online services. 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 commonly asked questions can be found 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.

How do I know if I should get a therapist?

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 in Illinois can allow clients seeking therapy to experience professional help through video, phone, or live chat sessions without commuting to an office.

Does insurance cover 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 safe?

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.

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