Therapists for college students near Chicago, IL

I am an individual and sex therapist specializing in working with clients exploring sexuality, gender, life transitions, and anxiety.

Meredith Starr is a Registered Dietitian and Director of Nutrition Services at Allow Wellness in Chicago. She is an alumna of the University of Illinois at Chicago Coordinated Nutrition Program and began her nutrition career at UI Health general inpatient services while working part-time at a residential treatment facility for eating disorders. Meredith is deeply passionate about the treatment of eating disorders and has been practicing in this field for the past nine years. Meredith's personal nutrition philosophy centers on building a healthy relationship with food and is inclusive of mental, emotional, physical and social health. Meredith aligns herself with size-inclusive and non-diet nutrition approaches. She is passionate about empowering others in their relationship with food and their bodies. Allow Wellness is currently offering outpatient group nutrition sessions and profession presentations. Meredith welcomes all stages of readiness with regard to your relationship with food and your body shape and weight. If ready to schedule, please contact her today.

I work with individuals on a range of issues, including identity exploration, life transitions, LGBTQIA+ topics, self-esteem issues, trauma, ADHD, autism, and executive functioning issues. Prior to working in Private Practice, I worked I work with individuals on a range of issues, including identity exploration, life transitions, LGBTQIA+ topics, self-esteem issues, trauma, ADHD, autism, and executive functioning issues. I have experience working at a Chicago City College campus, providing complimentary clinical counseling and art therapy services to a diverse range of students from various cultural, racial, and economic backgrounds, using an integrative, multicultural, person-centered approach to therapy. As a queer, transgender, multiethnic clinician, I delight in exploring themes of identity and personal values with clients and supporting them in embracing the parts of themselves that spark joy and a sense of meaning. I believe therapy should be a safe, encouraging, and collaborative experience. I love empowering clients to unlock their creativity as a tool for exploration and processing. In my practice, I strive to foster a space of transformation, authenticity and healing where clients feel seen and understood. Choosing a new therapist can feel daunting, and you deserve to find someone you feel comfortable with. Feel free to request a complimentary introduction call with me to give you some time for us to connect and discern whether I would be a good fit for you and your needs

I practice with a psychodynamic lens. I specialize in young adulthood and everything that the quarter life brings. Who am I, who do I want to be, who are my people etc.

Hi! I am a clinical social worker with experience with adolescents and young adult populations, and with topics such as anxiety, depression, self-esteem, academic challenges, life transitions, and school avoidance. I have worked in partial hospitalization & intensive outpatient programs, foster care, and outpatient hospital treatment settings. I gravitate toward cognitive behavioral therapy techniques in order to challenge and interrupt difficult or disruptive thought patterns that can keep clients stuck in overwhelming moments. I also have some experience with motivational interviewing, behavioral activation, and dialectical behavioral therapy of which I bring into sessions. I always use a client-centered treatment approach to establish safety and trust within the therapeutic relationship, as well as strengths-based treatment to highlight the tools clients already have available to them. I provide a supportive environment for my clients to share struggles, challenges and goals which I believe is essential to growth and the work we will do in sessions.

I'm a bilingual therapist offering both in-person and virtual sessions. Whether you're navigating life transitions, pursuing personal growth, or simply in need of support, I commend you for taking this meaningful step. My goal is to create a space where you feel safe, understood, and genuinely supported. Together, we’ll explore your experiences, uncover your strengths, and develop practical tools to help you move forward with clarity and confidence. I bring a unique perspective to my practice, rooted in connection, trust, and shared understanding. My approach is shaped by my professional experience, education, and personal journey—including my roles as a wife, mother, large family dynamic, and as a Chicago native. I look forward to the opportunity to support you on your path to growth and healing.

I earned my Master’s degree in Social Work from Loyola University Chicago with a specialization in clinical mental health, and hold certifications in alcohol and drug counseling (CADC) and in the assessment and treatment of trauma (NMT Phase I). In my training, I have worked with adolescents and adults in a variety of settings, including community youth programming, community mental health centers, and private practice. I work from a client-centered, strengths-based, and integrative approach in which I am able to tailor therapy to the individual client’s needs. I believe in the power of utilizing attachment and psychodynamic theories to better understand the origins of symptoms along with implementing cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness techniques to relieve symptoms. Because I believe that connection is fundamental to the healing process, I aim to create a warm and accepting therapeutic relationship that allows me to understand the challenges you face, help you determine the goals you hope to work toward, and empower you to create significant and lasting change. My areas of specialization include anxiety, trauma, substance use, relational conflict, self-esteem, and life transitions. When I’m not working, you can find me going to yoga classes, working through a long bucket list of Chicago restaurants, and planning my next travel adventure.

Welcome. I’m glad you’re here. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 25 years of experience helping individuals, couples, and families navigate life’s challenges, relationships, and personal growth. I believe therapy is a collaborative process built on trust, compassion, and a genuine understanding of each person’s unique story. My approach is warm, supportive, and thoughtful while also helping clients identify patterns, develop new skills, and create meaningful change. I work with clients experiencing anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, life transitions, grief and loss, perfectionism, self-esteem concerns, and challenges related to family and interpersonal relationships. I believe that people often develop ways of coping that once served an important purpose, and therapy provides a space to better understand those patterns, build on strengths, and move toward a more fulfilling life. My goal is to provide a safe, nonjudgmental environment where you feel heard, understood, and supported. Whether you are feeling overwhelmed, stuck, facing a transition, or simply wanting to better understand yourself, I would be honored to work with you on your journey toward growth and healing.

We are a group of skilled clinicians dedicated to creating space for wellness through thoughtful, evidence based care. Many of us from marginalized communities know what it’s like to have our voices ignored or dismissed. At Ida Lillie, we acknowledge the history and reality of systematic oppression while offering our patients deep healing and change. Our team is passionate about providing reparative care through diverse representation in a field that often lacks it. At Ida Lillie, we offer expert clinicians who support all identities in their mental wellness.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

At Bridgepoint Psychology Center clients are the experts of their own lives and we, the clinicians, are here to provide support, guidance, and foster reflection. As a center that honors and celebrates diversity, Bridgepoint provides a safe space for clients to connect with their authentic selves. Equipped with unique specializations and advanced training, Bridgepoint Psychology Center provides superior care to individuals, couples, and families in the Chicagoland area.

I specialize in working with children, adolescents and adults struggling with anxiety, behavioral challenges, depression, addiction, grief & loss, and trauma. I also help those who are struggling with transitional changes, relationship stressors and identity challenges. Additionally, I help couples' work through conflict and improve communication in their relationship.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

Our boutique Lincoln Park counseling practice works with each individual to help them build on their strengths and to attain the personal growth they are seeking. This is accomplished by adhering to our practice’s central values: compassion, empathy, and courage. We work with teens, emerging adults, adults, couples, and families from diverse backgrounds who experience a wide range of anxiety and depressive disorders. Our areas of expertise include treating anxiety, depression, and relationship issues. Our therapists have specialized training to treat relationship issues, life transitions, post-traumatic stress disorder, difficulties in emotion regulation, and men’s issues.

As a queer, disabled person, engaging in topics of systems, religion, and relationships is both my lived experience and my passion. As a clinician-in-training, I see the counseling process as a collaborative, client-centered time for exploring patterns, story, and skill-building for your relationships to yourself and the world around you. Whatever patterns, questions, or pain you may bring, therapy is your space to make self-compassionate change happen. I utilize narrative, art, emotional regulation, somatic, executive functioning, and mindfulness approaches to the treatment of Depression/Anxiety, ADHD, LGBTQ+ Issues, and Relationship Concerns (self, others, political environment, earth, etc). In short: my style of therapy is warm, client-centered, trauma-informed, and rooted in curiosity. I am committed to providing therapy that recognize intersections of potential pain and power within myself and others (race/ethnicity, gender/sexuality, religion/spirituality, disability, immigration status, etc). Whatever your pain may be, I look forward to learning more about and from your lived experience as we work together towards healing.

Ami Goetz received her Masters from the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice (Top-Ranked). She is a compassionate and motivated therapist who strives to create a safe, accepting environment to help clients overcome obstacles, strengthen relationships, and achieve their goals. Ami has extensive experience partnering with individuals from a variety of socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. She has high interest in the areas of depression, anxiety, trauma, eating disorders, sexual assault, life transitions, grief, disabilities, executive functioning, and relationships. Ami also works well with patients who struggle with executive functioning and time management as a part of her disability background. She utilizes Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Trauma-Informed approaches, Mindfulness, and Contemporary Psychodynamic Psychotherapy to foster self-acceptance and build resilience. Ami applies a strengths-based, holistic approach that tailors treatment to each individual’s particular needs. She is certified in Trauma-Informed Care (TIC), is a Certified Trauma Professional (CTP), and practices cultural competency, attunement, and humility to cultivate a nonjudgmental, safe space where the therapeutic relationship can continue to evolve and progress. Ami values transparency, equity, loyalty, and unconditional acceptance which she emulates in each session. She is passionate about partnering with clients to improve their daily lives and achieve their desired outcomes.

We are a team of anxiety therapists who serve individuals and couples struggling with anxiety. The clients we treat mostly come in to decrease anxiety individually and in their relationships and have a healthier lifestyle. Some clients describe their state of being as feeling stuck and overwhelmed while others present with specific issues such as relationship conflict, panic attacks, social anxiety, depression and/or alcohol and marijuana use. Treatment at our group practice focuses on a holistic approach where trust and self-compassion are the foundation for healing. Our approach is rooted in the relational elements of the therapeutic work, and we strongly value both mindfulness and self-compassion.

College and young adulthood can come with a lot of pressure to figure things out while still keeping everything together. You may be navigating anxiety, relationships, family expectations, grief, past experiences, or questions about who you are and what you want next. You might also be the person others rely on, even when you’re struggling yourself. I especially enjoy working with Black students, BIPOC clients, and emerging adults who want a space where their culture, identity, relationships, and lived experiences are part of the conversation. You don’t need to know exactly what to talk about before you come in. My style is warm and collaborative, but I’ll also gently challenge you when it’s helpful. Some days we might unpack what’s been weighing on you; other days we might practice a difficult conversation, work on a boundary, or look at a pattern that keeps showing up. We’ll start with where you are and work toward helping you understand yourself, trust yourself, and feel more confident navigating what comes next.

You are the expert on your own life, and I see my role as a supportive partner in helping you navigate it. Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed by anxiety, struggling in your relationships, going through a period of change, or simply feeling stuck, you don’t have to figure it out alone. I view therapy as a collaborative process built on care, curiosity, and trust. My role is to walk alongside you, offering support, perspective, and guidance as we work toward your goals. Together, we’ll explore what’s been going on, better understand the patterns that may no longer be serving you, and build on the strengths you already have. I especially enjoy working with children, adolescents, young adults, and women through the many changes that come with growing up and finding your way. For children and teens, that might look like navigating anxiety, big emotions, friendships, family relationships, school stress, self-esteem, or simply needing a safe place to talk and feel understood. As a parent, you may know your child is struggling but aren’t quite sure what they need or how to help. Therapy can give them a space of their own to better understand what they’re feeling, build confidence, and develop tools that can support them as they grow. For teens and young adults, therapy can also be a place to slow down and figure out who you are and what matters most to you. Whether you’re adjusting to high school or college, navigating changing friendships and relationships, starting your career, building confidence, or questioning your next step, we can make space for all of it. My hope is that you leave therapy feeling more confident in yourself, more connected to your values, and better equipped to navigate life's challenges with greater self-compassion. Above all, I want therapy to be a place where you feel heard, supported, and empowered to make decisions that feel authentic to you. Wherever you are in your journey, I'd be honored to walk alongside you. My Approach My approach is collaborative, flexible, and shaped around what works for you. I don’t want therapy to feel like another place where you’re being given an assignment or told what you’re supposed to focus on. I often begin sessions by asking, “What’s most top of mind for you today?” From there, we’ll decide together what feels most helpful. Some days we’ll process something difficult. Other days we might explore your values, strengthen communication, build practical coping skills, or incorporate mindfulness into your daily life. I draw from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and mindfulness practices, tailoring our work to your individual needs and goals. My hope is that you leave therapy feeling more confident in yourself, more connected to who you are, and better equipped to navigate life’s challenges with greater self-compassion. Above all, I want therapy to be a place where you feel heard, supported, and comfortable showing up as yourself. Wherever you are in your journey, I’d be honored to walk alongside you. Experience I earned my Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Adler University. During my graduate training, I completed my clinical internship at Clarity Clinic, where I provided individual counseling and facilitated therapeutic groups for adolescents and adults navigating a variety of mental health concerns. Prior to becoming a therapist, I worked as a case manager at Thresholds and Journey Mental Health Center. These experiences deepened my understanding of the many factors that influence mental health and strengthened my commitment to providing compassionate, person-centered care. My background has given me experience supporting individuals through life transitions, emotional challenges, relationship concerns, and personal growth, while recognizing the resilience each person brings to the therapeutic process. Licensure I am a Clinical Fellow at Balanced Awakening, completing the final steps toward LCPC licensure. I have several years of clinical experience and I am currently accruing additional supervised practice to be eligible for the LCPC credential in Illinois. I am supervised by Zana Van Der Smissen, LCPC, PMH-C.

Our mission is to help individuals, couples, and families live authentic, connected, and happy lives.