Finding a therapist in Chicago, IL to help you navigate life’s challenges can feel overwhelming, even in such a large city. Someone who is looking for a therapist to deal with family dynamics may have different needs than one who is looking for help with emotional regulation, and different still from those who are looking to heal trauma from systemic oppression.
Therapy is a collaborative process, and it can be essential to find a mental health professional who has the credentials for the specific type of therapy you need, builds a proper rapport with you, and most importantly that you feel comfortable with in a therapeutic setting. If you’re feeling stuck and having trouble getting started, visiting an online therapy platform like BetterHelp can be a simple and effective way to find the right support.
Mental health challenges aren’t always about diagnosing things like intrusive thoughts or anxiety disorder. Therapy can also be about learning coping skills for stress, learning to manage life’s challenges, or gaining a stronger sense of self and increasing your sense of well-being. BetterHelp has over 30,000 licensed mental health professionals like therapists, social workers, psychologists, and couples counselors. With online therapy, you can find a therapist that specializes in what you need, from applied behavior analysis to cognitive behavioral therapy.
Online therapy is convenient, as well. Many therapists are now trained in online counseling techniques, and you can meet with these therapists over video chat, texting, or over the phone from the comfort of your own home. For people who may not have the time to get to appointments, or who may not be in a mental space to go to in-person meetings, online therapy can be a gift.
Therapy can be effective at identifying and healing trauma, or at managing the symptoms of mental health conditions, but may also be a good way to learn more about yourself. If stress at work or home is getting you down, a licensed therapist can offer the coping skills you need to feel better and improve mental health and wellbeing.

Dr. Carnell Colebrook-Claude
With over 25 years of extensive mental health experience, I hold a Ph.D. (APA accredited) in Clinical, Health, Forensic, & Neuropsychology. I am also a Certified Nutritionist, a Board-Certified TeleMental Health Provider (BC-TMH); a Board-Certified Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Texas, Illinois, and New Jersey; a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) in Kentucky; a Licensed Independent Mental Health Practitioner (LIMHP) in Nebraska; a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) in Montana and Illinois; a Licensed Sex Offender Treatment Provider (LSOTP) and Licensed Sex Offender Evaluator (LSOE) in Illinois and Montana; , Telehealth Provider #TPMC864 (Florida) Licensed Professional Counselor #37PC00852500 (New Jersey) Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor #LCPC03319 (Kansas) Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor #CP5260-R (Nevada) and a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in The Bahamas. I am a Clinical, Health, Forensic and Neuropsych oly doctor. I have a PhD, a Bachelor's of Science, three master’s degrees (Professional Counseling, Clinical Psychology, and Christian Counseling). I have been inducted into the Psi Chi international honor society in psychology and the Pi Lambda Theta honor society in education. I have worked successfully and effectively administering a broad range of Clinical, Health , Forensic, Neurological, Educational and other Assessments inaddition with working with organizations both Christian and secular, and with individuals, couples, groups, and families with a broad range of concerns, including but not limited to parenting problems, addiction, career challenges, depression, divorce, domestic abuse, and eating disorders. I have also worked with persons coping with illness, grief, loss, family conflict, pre-marital concerns, anxiety, infidelity, OCD, men’s issues, sexual abuse, spirituality, suicidal ideation, PTSD, weight loss, women’s issues, relationships issues, panic attacks, etc. I have also helped many people who have experienced physical trauma and, or emotional abuse, Trauma and many other concerns. Throughout the years, in my Private Practice and working with other organizations, hospitals, prison systems etc. I have developed a comprehensive multidisciplinary background that has allowed me to recognize, diagnose, and successfully help and treat thousands of individuals of all ages and ethnicities. My treatment style is warm, interactive, and solution-based. My psychotherapy approach is integrative and eclectic, combining cognitive-behavioral, humanistic, psychodynamic, motivational, rational emotive counseling, smart recovery, positive psychology, and many other proven techniques. I show empathy and honestly believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. I do not believe in stigmatizing labels, so I will tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. I do my best to allow God to use me to assist you in achieving your desired results. It is commendable and takes courage for you to seek a more fulfilling and happier functional, actionable existence and to see you taking the first steps toward change and enhancement. If you are ready to take that step, I am here to assist you in achieving your purpose and goals for being here, in addition to encouraging, supporting, and empowering you. I look forward to working with you!

Crystal Williams
Hello, my name is Crystal Williams, and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of Illinois. I have been a practicing clinician for 11 years and have worked in many capacities of my profession from community therapeutic setting to psychosocial groups to hospitals. I have had the privilege to work with a diverse population of clients and to execute individual, family, couples, and group counseling in my career. My clients ages ranged from neo-natal age to geriatric age group. I have also been able to work with clients from all different racial, ethnic, religious backgrounds. The clients I have had the fortunate to work with have come into services for varies reasons: Depression, Anxiety/ Panic Attacks, Stress management, Relationship issues, Parenting issues, Self- identity concerns, Moderate/Severe Mental health diagnosis with learning coping skills, LGBTQ, couples counseling, grief counseling etc… My goals for my clients are to stabilize and help clients make progress towards their goal(s) in treatment which then helps elevate their lives to be better. I pride myself as being a therapist who is open-minded and relatable with clients. I want clients to feel comfortable being expressive of their thoughts, feelings, ideas and most important to have a safe space to feel heard and understood. My goal to learn about my clients, build rapport, and help them to the best of my ability and expertise. My best treatment approaches are collage of multiple treatment modalities such as Cognitive behavior therapy/ psychodynamic therapy/solution focused/motivational interviewing, strength based, and client centered to name a few. I utilize couple base treatment approaches, as well family treatment approaches. Services and treatment plans are created to each individualized client. Taking the first step of recognizing that things in your life can be improved is a small victory already. I am a person committed to walk along the journey with you therefore, you are not alone for your next steps. If you ready, let’s get started and I look forward to having the opportunity to work you.

Alisa Neary
Hi! I am Alisa Neary (she/her). I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. More specifically, I am passionate about inspiring hope and empowering change. My 30-year career has been centered around helping adults free themselves of toxic relationships and heal from interpersonal violence. Whether abuse occurred in your childhood, in a past adult relationship, or is happening in a current relationship, you can reclaim your personal power and heal. I support individuals in reducing symptoms of PTSD, anxiety and depression; decreasing self-blame and isolation; building self-esteem; finding self-acceptance; and recognizing healthy and unhealthy relationships. In my person-centered approach, I strive to create a therapeutic experience that is comfortable, non-judgmental and empathetic. I believe that every human being strives for and has the capacity to fulfill their own potential. The steps you have taken thus far, exploring services through BetterHelp, demonstrate your “readiness” for change. A trusted therapist can provide support and guidance on your journey toward self-discovery and healing. If you think I may be that person, let’s connect! I look forward to meeting you!

Dr. Zauditu McCants
Greetings! I’m Dr. Z. E. McCants. I am licensed in Washington D.C., Georgia, Nevada, and Illinois. I have 20 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with relationship issues, trauma and abuse, intimacy related issues, Bipolar, Depression, Anxiety, couples therapy, Christian Counseling & sleeping disorders. 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.

Marcelo Gonzalez
I am licensed in Illinois with 7 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with many issues. From feelings of isolation to managing the day to day stress, there are times when you need help finding a new lens view life's experiences. Working from a holistic perspective, my goal is to always provide an encouraging, empathetic and affirming environment to explore new perspectives. I'm experienced in aiding those who are struggling with issues of identity (gender, race, nationality, etc.), low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, phase of life issues, career transitions, LGBTQ-related issues, and acculturation issues. Meeting people where they are at with a judgment-free and authentic approach, I help individuals, couples, and families create room to find new ways to achieve their goals and create insight into the challenges, barriers, and patterns. To help create growth. People represent so many individual identities, from gender, culture, ethnicity, geographic location, etc. I strive to engage and assist each individual in exploring how the culmination one's identities within our society may affect how one walks through the world and the lens they use.

Kenneth Vick
I am licensed in Illinois with 25 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with coping with addictions, trauma and abuse, & relationship issues. 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 seeking a more fulfilling and happier life takes courage. I am here to support you in that process.

Laura Marcum
I am licensed in Illinois with over 15 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety & 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.

Shea Kamp
I am licensed in Illinois with 5 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, & coping with grief and loss. 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 sign up for therapy can take courage and I am proud of you for getting started!

Carla Morris
I am licensed in Illinois with more than 40 years of professional work experience. My experience includes helping clients with stress and anxiety, trauma and abuse, depression, ADHD & coping with life changes. 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 sign up for therapy can take courage and I am proud of you for getting started!

Jacqueline Lizarazo
Hi! My name is Jacqueline Lizarazo, and I go by Jackie. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Florida with 5 years of professional work experience. I specialize in therapy for individuals, children, and couples, focusing on stress and anxiety, trauma and abuse, coping with grief and loss, motivation, self-esteem, and confidence. 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, and I am here to support you in that process. Why Choose Me: I want you to read the following passages: On Abuse: “I lived in a glass house into which my mother could look at any time. In a glass house, however, you cannot conceal anything without giving yourself away, except by hiding it under the ground. And then you cannot see it yourself, either.” On Depression: “Trees aren’t supposed to display fruit; they’re supposed to produce it. As much as I wanted to see results, I knew that I had to wait. The tree had to become healthy and mature before it could produce the fruit, and that takes time.” If what you read resonates with you, this is the type of therapy I offer. I push, and sometimes might make you cry—not to harm, but for growth. I deeply care about my patients and only want the best for you. I am not judgmental; I am here to listen and provide feedback. I often ask myself the question: if I were sitting where you are, would I come back? And the answer is yes. I give homework, so don’t expect it to be easy unless we need it to be. I am flexible, and my schedule is pretty open to fit your needs. We’re going to have days where we just catch up and talk about what happened that week but be prepared to talk about your past.
Find a therapist serving clients in Illinois
What types of therapists are available to clients in Chicago?
Understanding the type of therapy you'd like to search for is crucial before finding a therapist or psychologist. Be sure to narrow your search for therapists in Chicago that can offer psychodynamic therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), therapeutic talk therapy, group therapy, marriage and family therapy for individuals or couples, or couples therapy depending on your needs.
Licensed therapists & mental health professionals available through BetterHelp's online platform
Mental health therapists in Chicago available through BetterHelp are accredited as psychologists to help individuals and couples. Chicago therapists' credentials can include licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT), licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), and clinician or doctor of psychology (PsyD). Regardless of their licensure, Chicago therapists are trained in any type of therapy in the Chicago region and in the state of Illinois.
How can a therapist help you destress, manage your emotions, and guide you towards the life you want?
Therapists in Chicago can help clients in improving healthy relationships, communication skills, working through life transitions, couples challenges, managing a mood disorder, improving coping skills, self help tips, offer life coaching, family life, or change in negative thinking patterns. A therapist in Chicago may also provide a safe place and validation for clients experiencing emotional pain, or that simply want a psychological assessment.
Is it better to find a mental health counselor or therapist in Chicago offering online therapy or in person?
Studies show online therapy can be just as effective as in-person counseling. Online therapy with licensed counselors is often more affordable, with BetterHelp pricing ranging from $65-$100 weekly, while in person therapy can cost up to $200 per session.