Therapists for college students near Chicago, IL

In an individual or group session, I aim to bring a warm, curious, and deeply compassionate energy into the room. I believe that every person has their own unique story to tell, and I strive to honor that by providing personalized therapy to fit your specific needs. I draw mainly from family systems and psychodynamic therapy, which allows me to bring past or subconscious thoughts to the surface and gently guide you toward self-insight.

Are you struggling with the transition to college while navigating new responsibilities? You’re bright, creative, and motivated and yet finishing anything feels impossible. You call yourself “lazy” when tasks pile up and feel ashamed that simple things seem hard. You want clarity about your brain, tools that actually work, and a therapist who gets it. I am passionate about working with college students untangle executive-function struggles, perfectionism, trauma, and low self-esteem. I’m especially passionate about supporting BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ folks. Together we’ll kick shame out of the driver’s seat and build self‑compassion, understanding, and systems that fit you. Sessions are flexible and center your needs: if we need to laugh, move, play, or cry—we will. We explore the “what” with curiosity, not the “why can’t you just…”. I use strengths-based reframes, coping tools, and psychoeducation so you understand how your brain works and can actually use the skills between sessions. Fit matters. If you’re craving relief from shame, clearer systems that fit your life, and a space where all parts of you are welcome, let’s talk. I offer virtual and in-person sessions, a free 15‑minute consult, and accept insurance/sliding scale options when available.

Not every storm is visible, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t real. Whether it's the whirlwind of ADHD, the quiet complexities of autism, or the relentless loop of anxious thoughts, I help individuals navigate what others often don’t see. I specialize in supporting neurodivergent clients and those managing anxiety, with a deep commitment to honoring each person’s unique wiring. My approach is warm, collaborative, and grounded in evidence-based and scientifically proven practices tailored to your lived experience. We work together to customize therapy to meet you where you are—authentically, collaboratively, and with curiosity. In our work together, you’ll find a space that’s safe, curious, and empowering. I aim to guide my clients through the messiness of growth with compassion and clarity—helping them build self-understanding, reduce overwhelm, and rediscover their inner calm. To me, therapy is not about “fixing” but empowering—offering tools, insight, and support I’ve had the honor of walking alongside clients of all backgrounds as they reclaim confidence, build coping skills, and find language for what once felt unspeakable. Healing isn’t linear, but it is possible—and you're not alone in the journey. Together, we’ll make space for growth, resilience, and meaningful change.

Daniel Lovan, LPC (He/Him) is an LGBTQIA+ therapist specializing in trauma-informed therapy for adolescents and adults. Daniel earned his MA in Community Counseling from Loyola University Chicago and has extensive training in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) that informs his use of other evidence-based practices such as CBT, ACT, and Exposure Therapy. Daniel is also trained in and utilizes Written Exposure Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy, and DBT Prolonged Exposures as discreet trauma protocols for clients suffering from acute trauma symptoms. Due to his history and love of teaching in group therapy settings, Daniel emphasizes psychoeducation and a mindful, non-judgmental approach to help his clients see themselves in a more understanding and self-compassionate way that allows them to strip away the shame, guilt, and fear preventing them from curating their desired life worth living. Daniel prioritizes teaching DBT Skills, Polyvagal Theory, and Somatic experiences in his work with individuals, couples, and family systems. “If you’ve ever felt like you needed someone who just gets it, or if you’ve ever wanted a therapist who feels like a “real person” then you’ve come to the right place. How can I ask you to be your true, vulnerable self without also being vulnerable myself? I want to be on your journey of highs and lows with you and to teach you concrete skills along the way that will help you break free from patterns that you feel powerless to change. I’m looking forward to working with you and teaching you to see yourself, the world, and others, in totally new ways!”

We specialize in treating complex co occurring addiction, eating disorders, mood disorders and related trauma. Our patients are complex human beings and our goal is to treat the whole person and not just a single diagnosis.

I am a queer, neurodivergent, South Asian adoptee and first-gen immigrant who is dedicated to social justice and equitable care. I take a collaborative, compassionate approach, creating a safe and open space to explore your identities, experiences, and goals. I know finding the right therapist can feel overwhelming—particularly when navigating complex and marginalized identities. My priority is building an authentic, warm relationship where you feel truly seen and heard. Together, we’ll customize our work to support your growth and healing at a pace that feels right for you. I’m passionate about working with marginalized communities, including LGBTQIA+ folks, immigrants, adoptees, neurodiverse people, and people of color. I have a particular interest in autistic adults and ADHD, and also have experience working with mood disorders, anxiety, complex PTSD, and substance use concerns. I use trauma-informed applications of Client-Centered Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Video Game Therapy (ask me about it!). I believe that you’re the person who knows yourself best. It’s my hope that in our work together, we can find ways for you to implement compassion, kindness, and empathy in your life. A little about me: I am a Licensed Social Worker (LSW) with a master’s in social work from the University of Chicago. Outside of therapy, I enjoy playing video games, learning about herbalism, and engaging in artistic expression. If you’re interested in working together, I’d love to hear from you!

The Art of Being is a place that provides a warm and welcoming environment where you can explore your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Our team of experienced and compassionate therapists will work with you to develop a customized treatment plan that meets your unique needs. We offer a range of services, including individual therapy, couples counseling, and family therapy.

I earned my master’s degree in social work, with a concentration in mental health, from the Jane Addams School of Social Work at UIC in 2017. Since then, I have worked in multiple settings, including residential treatment, schools, and traditional clinical placements. I have a passion for doing this work and absolutely love my job. I have worked primarily with adolescents and families from diverse backgrounds, and I am excited to work with clients from all walks of life, whether they are on specific journeys of growth and healing, or just trying to figure some things out. I believe that everyone already has within them the inner strength and talents they need to create the life they want. Sometimes, we just need some help recognizing or tapping into our gifts. I’m a firm believer in the strengths-based approach, along with cognitive behavioral and reality therapy, and work from a combination of these perspectives. This means that in essence, I believe that learning the how and why behind the choices we have made in the past, is the most important part of learning how to choose wisely in the future. My goal is to create a safe place where we can talk openly about those choices without judgment, process the consequences both good and bad, and progress towards making different choices leading to different outcomes.

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Ellen is a Licensed Professional Counselor and art therapist. She received her Masters degree in Art Therapy & Counseling from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Ellen loves working with children and young people. She has experience working with neurodivergent children on issues such as social skills, impulse control, and emotional regulation. Ellen also has experience in providing affirming care to the LGBTQIA+ community. As an art therapist, Ellen utilizes art and art making to facilitate therapeutic discussions and insights with her clients. She utilizes a wide variety of art mediums to explore, create, and investigate within therapy. This practice appeals to a wide variety of populations and experience levels–no prior experience with art is required! Ellen firmly believes in the healing power of art making and sharing that power with others. Ellen’s practice as a therapist is founded on social justice and feminist frameworks, as well as relational-cultural theory. This means she conceives of therapy as a collaborative partnership between therapist and client, one that that relies on respect for each other’s knowledge and perspectives. Ellen holds space for all of a potential client's identities and cultures as you work together in the therapeutic space.

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Hello and welcome! Whatever you may be experiencing, I commend you for being here. It’s no simple task to address the challenges you may be facing, but I believe it is the most important step forward. My clinical approach is trauma-informed, strength-based, intersectional, and person-centered while utilizing psychodynamic and somatic modalities. I have experience working with individuals who face difficulties with stress, anxiety, loss, life transitions, self-esteem, relationship/family issues, identity development, trauma, burnout, and more. In our sessions, you'll l find a safe space to explore your personal history and encounter internal thought patterns, behaviors, and emotions while reclaiming a path toward security and equilibrium. Alongside helping you achieve your goals, my role is to foster an environment of compassion, collaboration, and confidence. I look forward to hearing from you!

I love working with clients to both identify their strengths and to help them understand what constrains them from reaching their goals. After exploring these areas, we collaborate to create a plan for change. I am an expert on tools and possibilities but you're the expert on you and what will resonate in your life. I'll be asking for your input every step of the way! I know campus culture. I've been a therapist in a busy University Counseling Center and loved my work students and faculty. I've also been a been a professor at the graduate level. I understand that with the all the stressors daily student life being successful means having a support network in place. I'd love to see if I'd be a good fit for your support network.

Colette, "Coco" is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over two years clinical experience providing therapy in private practice. She earned her Master's of Social Work from the Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Before working in private practice, Coco worked in the Madison, WI school district as an inclusion specialist and assistant director, working to integrate children with Individualized Education Plans into all aspects of the school experience. Her experience in the school system solidified her desire to become an effective and compassionate child and adolescent therapist. Coco is a therapist driven to work with children and adolescents so that they can thrive in their environment. She is passionate about neurodiversity-affirming practice and takes an individualized approach to each session with her clients. Coco recognizes the value of understanding each person's unique experience, and is passionate about creating a safe and trusting relationship with her clients. She understands that every child’s environment is complex and unique, which is reflected in her flexible approach to therapy. She is committed to taking a strengths-based approach to her therapy practice, and aims to empower each and every child and family that she works with. Coco focuses on navigating a variety of diagnoses such as OCD, Anxiety, ADHD, DMDD, Autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders, and certain genetic disorders. She focuses on supporting her clients with the skills to live as comfortably in their lives as possible, such as emotional expression and regulation, executive function, self-esteem, and social skills.

We are an evolving collective of mental health professionals who have committed to the pursuit of personal and systemic growth on every level of our society. Our practice began as a friendship and has continued to grow as we have built associations with highly competent, seasoned and relationally oriented therapists. We have become a vibrant community, with a broad base of clinical expertise. However, we remain small enough to be accessible and responsive to each individual we support. Our practice is effective, innovative and totally down to earth. The client and our relationship with them is the central focus of treatment. Our clinical expertise and relational approach work in harmony to provide an ideal foundation for exploring a co-constructed, mutual process of growth.

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We love working with college students. Our team brings a wealth of experience working in college counseling centers, helping undergrads and grad students navigate the unique demands of balancing school and life. We provide individual, couple, and family therapy to students of all ages and in all phases of life, and we offer assessment/testing to identify issues such as ADHD or learning challenges, so that students can show up with personalized strategies and skills to best support their learning. Beyond challenges that can emerge academically, we know that students struggle with trauma, anxiety, depression, or other mental health concerns, and they often need help managing relationships, making big decisions, or dealing with pressures or demands in their families. We are here to help.

Life can be difficult and everyone needs help at some point. I believe in a humanistic/person-centered approach that emphasizes the potential within people. Everyone has a different story, a different journey, a different destination. My goal as a therapist is to give you the support you need to get to where you want to be. Therapy is a collaborative effort and so it is through the combined work of the therapist’s experience in the mental health field and the client’s expertise in themself that this process is most effective. My previous work has primarily been focused on people within the LGBTQIA+ community as well as individuals dealing with substance use disorders and co-occurring conditions including but not limited to anxiety, depression, trauma, OCD, mood disorders, and personality disorders Between my time working at a residential sober house and a community mental health center, where I led substance use and LGBTQIA+ support groups, I have experience working with individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds dealing with a wide variety of mental health issues.

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You’re thoughtful and self-aware. You can name your patterns and handle daily demands and yet you still feel burnt out, empty, or stuck. Maybe you’ve tried therapy before and learned helpful strategies and yet something deeper still feels unsettled. For many, college brings more than academic pressure. It can intensify questions about identity, belonging, relationships, family expectations, and who you’re becoming. Sometimes what looks like anxiety or procrastination is tied to something more relational — how safe you feel being fully yourself, how you learned to manage closeness, or how you’ve had to adapt in order to be accepted. My work is depth-oriented and relational. That means we pay attention to what unfolds between us, not just the symptoms you want to reduce. I won’t rush to give you techniques or quick fixes. Instead, we slow down enough to understand what’s been shaping your experience and create space for something different to emerge.