Therapists for college students near Chicago, IL

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.

Envisage Counseling focuses on a plethora of life challenges such as anxiety, depression, stress, transitions, and grieving. We have a diverse background that entails working in public health, residential treatment centers, health care settings, community-based centers, crisis agencies, and therapeutic settings. We strongly believe therapy is an important asset in life where one is able to talk about life challenges and work on solutions that allow individuals to be the best version of themselves. Our goal is to create a natural experience by nurturing a safe and welcoming environment, establishing trusting relationships, and promoting a judgement free zone where one can express themselves freely, overcome their challenges, and find balance in their lives. We believe in the philosophy “give yourself space to evolve” (Krista Aoki).

Starting therapy can feel like a big step, especially when you're already balancing classes, relationships, family expectations, work, and everything else that comes with college life. Whether you're feeling overwhelmed, anxious, stuck, or simply looking for extra support, I'm glad you're here. I'm Mary Mesiha, a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) with over 20 years of experience helping young adults navigate life's challenges. I specialize in working with college students facing anxiety, depression, stress, life transitions, relationship concerns, self-esteem, trauma, and the pressures that often come with this stage of life. I believe the relationship you have with your therapist is one of the most important factors in successful therapy. My goal is to provide a warm, supportive, and nonjudgmental space where you can feel heard, gain practical tools, and build confidence as you work toward the life you want. I offer a free 30-minute consultation so we can get to know each other, discuss what you're looking for, and determine whether we're a good fit. I would be honored to support you through this chapter of your life.

At Connect Clinical Group, PLLC, we provide top-quality therapeutic services to residents of Chicago, Aurora, and all of Illinois. We specialize in a range of mental health issues from depression to anxiety – meeting each client with respect and empathy as they begin their journey toward healing. With our innovative approach combining teletherapy sessions alongside traditional counseling methods, we make sure your unique needs are met every step along the way!

As a therapist specializing in mental health and substance abuse, my goal is to provide you with a safe, supportive, and compassionate space where you can begin or continue your journey toward recovery and wellness. My work is guided by deep empathy for the challenges you face. I know that reaching out for help can be difficult, and I’m here to listen without judgment, offering the understanding and validation that can make all the difference in the therapeutic relationship. I look forward to walking the path of self-discovery and recovery with you.

I practice from an insight oriented, relational, and multicultural approach tailored to meet the unique needs of each individual I work with. My priority as a therapist is to create a warm, collaborative, non-judgmental space where you can work through your concerns and make the changes in your life you desire. People seek therapy for a number of reasons, perhaps to alleviate symptoms or distress, improve self-esteem, or address relationship issues. In my experience, symptoms often “mark the spot” of a deeper themes you may be grappling with and I aim to assist you uncover what the root of your concerns may be. Often therapy helps increase self-awareness, develop deeper understanding of how past experiences may be influencing the present, and provides an opportunity to learn tools to address problematic behavior(s). Having spent the majority of my training and professional life working in university counseling centers, I am passionate about working with college and graduate students. I completed my pre-doctoral internship at Pace University in New York City and my postdoctoral fellowship at University of Chicago Student Counseling Service where I gained experience working with life-transitions, relationship issues, eating disorders, and sexual trauma. Other areas of interest include identity development and intersectionality, family dynamics, anxiety, and stress management.

Hi, I am Shannon Duffy and clinically licensed in the states of Arizona, Illinois, Minnesota, and New York to provide virtual individual therapy and counseling. I specialize in working with high achievers with stress, anxiety, perfectionism tendencies, and relationship concerns. I provide a safe space and flexible scheduling to address current and past stressors that may be holding you back in not being able to achieve your goals and feel good about yourself. I also work with athletes for sports performance, disordered eating patterns and eating disorders, and injury recovery. I hope I can be of help.

I am a Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. I received my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Case Western Reserve University and my Master of Science in Nursing from Vanderbilt University School of Nursing. I am passionate about mental health and the people who struggle with it. As a provider, I aim to educate others as well as myself about what mental wellness and illness look like to a variety of people with a variety of life circumstances. I am especially passionate about the stories of marginalized populations and strives to provide accessible care. I am committed to ensuring that my clients have the resources they need to not only overcome their current struggles but to succeed and thrive in the future.

I provide in depth talk therapy to individuals and couples dealing with depression, anxiety, loneliness, grief, relationship issues, career concerns, trauma, and identity development. As a psychoanalytically oriented therapist, I feel I am most specialized in helping those I treat with what Christopher Bollas (a renowned psychoanalyst) refers to as the Unthought Known – those intimately familiar yet too elusive to comprehend patterns that inhibit our beings in ways exquisitely unique to each of us. It is my belief that our work together in learning more about these ingrained underlying “loops” (in an environment where you feel safe, nurtured, and free of judgment) has the potential to provide peace, present solutions, and produce change.

I approach therapy as a collaborative endeavor. I strive to create a warm and accepting space where clients can safely explore the roadblocks they are encountering. My belief is that we are all capable of being resilient; we all have strengths we can rely on to support us through confusing and challenging times. Through therapy, my clients feel empowered to discover new ways to understand themselves and relate to others. My expertise includes relationships, family issues, academic stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, and depression. Born and raised in Taiwan, and having later moved to the U.S. as an international student, I am deeply attuned to the excitement, opportunities for growth, and challenges of studying abroad and navigating new cultures. In addition to offering bilingual (English/Mandarin) psychotherapy, I actively investigate how language and culture shape our identities and the way we interact with the world around us. Throughout my professional career, I have been an advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism. At the University of Indianapolis, I was an ambassador for international students at the Center for Global Engagement. I led initiatives to foster cultural humility among staff at Purdue University, as well as workshops on culturally-informed approaches to self-care at the Asian and Asian American Resource and Cultural Center. I am committed to working with people struggling with discrimination, microaggressions, language barriers, and identity explorations. I completed my Doctoral Internship at Purdue University, Counseling and Psychological Services. As part of my clinical training, I worked at university counseling centers in the Midwest (DePauw University, Indiana State University) and hospitals in Taiwan. I obtained a doctoral degree in Psychology (Psy.D.) from the University of Indianapolis, a program accredited by the American Psychological Association.

I am currently accepting new clients both virtually and in-person. Are you experiencing stress, relationship issues, anxiety, insecurity or a life transition? Together, we can work to develop an understanding of life’s circumstances, make positive changes, and find emotional relief. I believe (and have seen!) that healing and joy can come from working through the challenges you are facing. By integrating authenticity, encouragement, and honesty into each session, I provide space for you to process and tools to better manage your thoughts, feelings and behaviors. I am especially passionate about incorporating a biblical perspective for those who request Christian counseling. Please let me know when you reach out if this is something you are looking for, as my clients have varying spiritual beliefs and I respect each individual’s values. I currently have weekday and evening availability. I am happy to provide a 20 minute free phone consultation to answer your questions as you consider if this may be a good fit for you!

We live in a complex world, presenting unique struggles for individuals and couples moving through varying stages of life. In session, we will work to explore your challenges and process past influential experiences in a safe, supportive and open environment. Unlike big agencies or online therapy platforms, we have the time and emotional energy to treat each client as an individual. We don't believe in using a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, we tailor your treatment plan to you using evidence-directed methods. Our clinicians are also committed to pursuing specialized training and continued education to stay up-to-date on the latest research and advances in the field.

There is no denying that we live in a world steeped in struggles with food and body image. Whether these issues are severely impacting your life or simply hard for you to manage right now, I’m here to help. I have been a registered dietitian specializing in the treatment of eating disorders and disordered eating for almost 10 years. I’d love to work with you on your journey to heal your relationship with food, no matter your diagnosis or lack thereof. I have experience treating a wide variety of eating disorders, including EDNOS, AN, BN, BED, ARFID etc. I work with all ages, all sizes, all ability levels, all genders, all races, all religious backgrounds, and all cultures because eating disorders do not discriminate and neither does treatment for them. We can do this together. I didn’t always know this was my passion. Having studied Psychology as an undergraduate at Central Michigan University and obtaining my first Bachelor’s degree in 2004, I was unsure what my calling was. I took some time to gain some real-world experience and it wasn’t until several years later that I realized my passion for food and nutrition. In 2010, I went back to school to study nutrition and dietetics at Michigan State University. It was there that I learned about Health at Every Size for the first time, and I knew exactly how I was going to perfectly blend my newfound passion for nutrition, my psychology background, and my years of experience working service jobs – I decided then that I would be part of a revolution to break the self-hatred cycle that diet culture feeds us all and that we unwittingly pass on to each other by helping people learn food freedom, and I have never looked back. After obtaining a Bachelors in Nutrition, I went on to participate in an eating disorder-specialized dietetic internship and graduate program at Northern Illinois University, where I received my Masters in Nutrition. I have since worked in all levels of eating disorder treatment and have become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist/ Certified Eating Disorder Specialist Supervisor through the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals and I am a Supervisor for other professionals treating eating disorders. This is what I do and I’d love to do it with you.

At Chicago Therapy Group, we are committed to ethical conduct that creates a safe and trusted environment for you to explore your challenges and achieve personal growth. I am a bilingual (English/Serbian, Bosnian, Croatian) therapist. I offer culturally informed therapy and acknowledge individual, intergenerational, historical, racial, and social trauma. These traumas are often at the root of modern human issues. As someone who grew up in unstable socio-political circumstances and as an immigrant, I have reinvented myself many times, and I can help you do the same. I am a fierce fighter for social justice and a supporter of oppressed people.

You may feeling like you are not supported, seen or heard by others. You could be feeling alone, frustrated or hurt. Perhaps you’ve been putting others’ needs first and allowing no space for yourself. This could lead to burnout, frustration or even depression. You deserve to have someone listen to you, and someone to talk to who is not judging you, your feelings or your situation. You can have space and time for yourself. I have always been drawn to helping people since I was a very young age. I know what it is like to feel frustrated with your everyday reality and fumbling to figure out what is the next best step forward. Through my own experience and work environment, I can firsthand confirm how helpful it is to lean on someone. I provide a warm, understanding, and grounded presence. I strongly encourage people to have self-love and acceptance as we begin to talk through problems and concerns. I'm dedicated to helping people shift towards the changes they want to see. I understand how difficult it is not to feel like yourself or be understood by others. You are not alone and deserve to be heard. I am dedicated to creating a healing space where we can explore your unique experiences, perspectives, and obstacles. I am here to support you no matter what you are coping with. Let’s work through things together.

I enjoy helping people navigate things like the coming out process, grieving a death or anticipated one, relational struggles, exploring their sexual and gender identities, loss, major life transitions, and more. I specialize in treating grief, loss, complex trauma, and life transitions using attachment-based therapies and Internal Family Systems. Grief is a part of life that surfaces during death, loss, breakups, identity shifts, and more. As a grief therapist, I guide clients through the often overwhelming emotions that accompany these changes. Whether you're grieving a death, navigating a breakup, or facing life transitions like coming out, I offer tools to express pain, honor your experiences, and find meaning. Together, we’ll work on reconciling parts of you that may feel isolated in your grief or afraid to show your true feelings, while another part is longing for help and connection. Please reach out if you're ready to begin your healing journey. I care deeply about attuning to you and encouraging your healing process by asking meaningful questions and creating a space where safety and vulnerability can thrive. Therapy offers us a chance to collaborate on the issues you’re facing. Please reach out if you are interested in working together.

Perhaps you’re tired of not feeling good. Your relationships or career may be draining you and there could be a felt sense that there is more to life or something better for you out there. You might even be carrying a deep, nagging pain that needs release and yet, when the tears come, you hold them back in. Your struggles could leave you feeling unable to think clearly, experiencing tightness in your chest or your body, or even feeling like you weigh a million pounds. Over time, you could find yourself completely numb and not wanting to get out of bed in the morning. Whether these feelings are coming from the distant past or from something happening currently, this does not need to be your “normal”. With support, you can find relief and have greater peace in your life. I know what it’s like to feel empty or to question “how did my life get here?”. My experience with various mind body therapies, blended with traditional counseling, taught me that with compassion and determination, we can find our way out. I believe when we can openly share about ourselves without pressure and with knowing that everything is welcome, we are able to take small steps towards lasting change. From a young age, I had been fascinated with human behavior, introspection, and understanding our inner world. I became a therapist to help people explore all of the crevices where we hold our pain, not only to help connect the dots, but to expand awareness in both the mind and body. I believe this helps us to allow our tears to flow and hold our messiness with tenderness and grace. Working at the Family Institute at Northwestern University, showed me firsthand that change begins when we let go of labeling our thoughts, feelings, or sensations as “good/bad”, “right/wrong”, or “should/shouldn’t”. I am dedicated to helping people step away from these rigid beliefs and approach themselves with a gentle curiosity. I believe when we let go of the labels, we can learn to accept and integrate all parts of ourselves and our experiences with greater compassion. I also learned how important it is to blend a sense of lightheartedness and tough love during my role at Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center. I know change is not easy, and although we may never feel ready, it’s in doing it anyway and taking the first small steps that we begin to uncover our true nature. I understand how difficult it is to hold the uncertainty or pain in your life. You have the innate ability to regain a sense of balance and create internal space for any emotional experience. You deserve more and there is more for you out there. I am here to help you uncover and discover how big and free your life can be. Let’s connect now.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

If you are someone who is wrestling with perfectionism, adjusting to college life, struggling with classes and peer relationships, I can walk alongside you as you organize and process those feelings. Many college students do not discuss the grief and loss that may come up when they move away from loved ones. This can also be a complex time as you begin a new chapter of your life while also trying to appreciate a newfound independence as you enter adulthood. I want to provide my clients with the necessary coping skills and tools to better equip themselves for the obstacles ahead, while also taking the time to understand behaviors and habits in their daily lives that they want to enhance or limit!

Everyone has a story. We want to understand yours. Everyone's life is a unique and powerful story – one that deserves to be heard. At Elevate Counseling, our purpose is not just to listen but to uncover the individual narrative of every person we work with. With this deep understanding, we are able to move clients toward enhanced emotional health and balance in life. At Elevate Counseling, we believe that beauty, comfort, diversity, equity and inclusion are the keys to providing stigma-free mental health services for our clients. These ideals are held in deep regard in order to help ensure an environment that is positive, welcoming, effective, and completely stigma-free so that we can deliver exceptional results for all of our clients.