Therapists for college students near Chicago, IL

Students who come to work with me often share some things in common: -They're high-achievers. Driven, capable, and holding it together on the outside, but quietly exhausted, burned out, or feeling like something's missing on the inside. -They might be navigating anxiety or OCD, going through a major life transition, or questioning their purpose and what comes next. They may be working through shifts in their relationships, with a partner, with their parents, or with themselves. -Many have never asked for help before. They're used to being the one who has it together, and reaching out takes real courage for them. If any of that sounds familiar, reach out for a free 20-minute consultation and let's get started together :)

We are a group practice with interns, LPCs and LCPCs providing individual therapy to teens, college students and adults. We also provide premarital and couples counseling. Some of our therapists have worked in either private practices, group practices or in a college counseling centers since 1997. We have all ages of therapists available to work with you. We find it a privilege to walk alongside people on their journey towards healing. Some clients say, that counseling is like having coffee with a friend who seeks to understand their pain & questions. We all have struggles, so why not "enjoy" walking through it together. There will be tears, there will be laughter, there will be serious dialogue.

I love to support folks in navigating self-image, depression, anxiety, sexuality and identity, stress and trauma, and more. We heal and grow when we are in community with others and when we are supported in finding balance and solidarity. I have been grateful for the opportunity to support my clients in finding rest, joy, and connection in their lives as they cope with the world's stresses and uncertainties. I have also helped many people who have experienced physical trauma or emotional abuse. I am an LGBTQIA+ and poly/ENM-affirming therapist. I welcome you to bring your authentic self - wherever you're at. My therapy style is warm and non-judgmental. I love incorporating systems and parts work to contextualize and find connections in your individual experiences. I provide therapy from an anti-oppressive, trauma-informed focus that values your holistic self, and love to bring social justice themes that are important to you into our work. I believe that joy and laughter can have a place in the room, too. I know that starting therapy can seem daunting. I'm here to make the process as smooth as possible, and to answer any and all questions along the way. I can say from my experience on the "other side of the chair," that it is so worth it to take that step. All inquiries are welcome.

SHFT is Chicago’s first mental health urgent care created specifically for young people and their families. Designed to bridge a long-standing gap in the behavioral health landscape, SHFT offers a full spectrum of services, including crisis assessments, one-time “chat” sessions with licensed clinicians, routine therapy, and medication management. Our clinical team brings deep expertise in adolescent and young adult mental health, with backgrounds across higher levels of care that allow us to respond to a wide range of needs quickly, safely, and compassionately. Open seven days a week, SHFT supports both walk-ins and scheduled appointments. Guided by a “come as you are” philosophy, our space is intentionally warm, contemporary, and non-clinical - created to help young people feel safe, welcomed, and understood from the moment they arrive.

Healing looks different for everyone. That's why our team of diverse, bilingual therapists offers personalized care for individuals, couples, and families. Whether you're navigating relationship challenges, trauma, addiction, eating disorders, anxiety, or major life changes, we're here to help. Through evidence-based approaches, including EMDR, we provide support in both English and Spanish to meet you where you are.

I am a Counselor with a passion for supporting emerging adults as they wade through the complexities of today's world. I believe in a Person-centered, Humanistic approach to therapy, building therapeutic relationships based around trust and mutual respect, fostering an environment of non-judgement, positive regard, and authenticity. I assist my clients on their journey towards their goals. Working together, we will discover ways to spur your personal growth and foster a greater sense of fulfillment in your life, utilizing, expanding, and developing skills and abilities, including ones you might not even know you already have. I have experience working with a broad range of clients. Including emerging adults struggling with life transitions, self-esteem, anxiety, and assisting clients of all genders with relationship concerns. I particularly enjoy working with clients involved in the creative arts as well as those living with physical disabilities and chronic health conditions. Drawing on my own experience living with a disability, I strive to listen and understand without judgment, and to honor your individual perspective on life and your world. I am excited to collaborate with my clients, providing compassion and support as we work together to address life's hurdles.

I believe therapy can be a place where you can leave the expectations and demands of the world at the door to focus on redefining what life, joy, and connection mean to you. I practice knowing that you are the expert in your lived experiences; my role is not to prescribe but to walk alongside you on your journey. I apply a trauma-informed, feminist, and disability justice lens to my work and utilize modalities such as narrative therapy, Self psychology, and Liberation psychology. This means I focus on your innate strengths as well as how experiences in the therapy room extend to your relationships outside of it. As a queer and neurodivergent therapist, I believe in the value of a therapeutic space where we both can show up as our true selves. I am passionate about working with LGBTQIA+ as well as neurodivergent clients. During my previous work in hospital and community mental health settings I supported clients with relationship issues, and identity exploration, and gender dysphoria, as well as substance use concerns, trauma, OCD, grief, and depression. I value my previous training providing queer competent counseling that additionally affirms the experiences of kink practitioners, sex workers, and those in polyamorous/ENM relationships. Currently I am receiving doctoral training at Center Focused Therapy as I finish earning my PsyD in Clinical Psychology. I offer a free 15-minute video consultation and my sliding scale rate starts at $25.

Hi, I'm Sierra! I'm a licensed therapist in Chicago offering fully virtual sessions. I have expertise in helping people heal from trauma, anxiety, and depression. As a once first-generation college student, I understand the difficulties of navigating this particularly trying time in life. Working with a new therapist can sometimes feel daunting, so I get to know each person on a human level with a bit of (appropriate) humor. I'm queer, gender-affirming, and like to incorporate skills in sessions to help you develop better coping strategies. I accept all major insurance plans and can work with anyone in Illinois. If you'd like to see if we'd be a good fit, feel free to email me and we can set up a time to chat! Interested in a therapist with a different specialty? I work with Cityscape Counseling, a group practice in Chicago with over 55 licensed therapists offering treatment both in-person and online for eating disorders, substance use, OCD, and more. Connect with us at cityscapecounseling.com!

Young adulthood can be both exciting and overwhelming—full of choices, change, and uncertainty. Whether you're graduating from school or navigating college, starting your career, facing relationship challenges, or feeling stuck, anxious, or down, therapy can be a grounding space to sort through it all. I understand the complex stressors that come with early adult life, and I am deeply passionate about supporting adults navigating a range of emotional and psychological challenges, such as anxiety, depression, life transitions, academic concerns, relationship troubles, and grief. My therapeutic style is compassionate and empathetic—I work to create a safe, supportive environment where you feel seen and heard. I also believe in the importance of being direct and gently challenging when needed, to help you grow and move toward meaningful change. I tailor my work to meet your unique goals and with respect to your lived experience.

At Restartt, we work with individuals struggling with anxiety, depression, anger, emotional dysregulation, addiction, procrastination, relationship stress, and life transitions. Many clients feel stuck in cycles of overthinking, avoidance, people-pleasing, shame, or self-defeating behaviors. Our team uses evidence-based approaches, including REBT and CBT, to help clients understand how their beliefs influence emotional distress and behavior. We focus on building emotional discipline, self-awareness, healthier coping, and lasting behavioral change.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who provides trauma-informed care targeted toward empowering individuals to move beyond survival, and toward a more fulfilling, connected life. I provide services for children aged 5 and older, adolescents, and adults. I utilize an integrated approach that considers your unique needs, contexts, and goals. Drawing from evidence-based modalities including Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Internal Family Systems (IFS), we will build practical coping skills, increase psychological flexibility, and cultivate self-compassion. Through narrative processing, we will work to assign meaning to your experiences—transforming painful or confusing chapters into integrated parts of your story. My specializations include targeted treatment for: Posttraumatic Stress, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Depression, Generalized and Social Anxiety, Relationship Difficulties, Parenting Challenges, Family Instability Our work will prioritize helping you become more functional and engaged in the aspects of your life that are most important to you by exploring recurring patterns and the beliefs and emotions that shape them. Together, we examine how past experiences influence present dynamics, allowing you to better understand yourself and respond more purposefully. Whether you are navigating the long-term impacts of adverse childhood experiences or more recent life transitions we will focus not only on symptom relief but also on deep, sustainable change.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

Our mission at Center Focused Therapy is to provide the highest level of ethical, competent and intentional treatment to our clients. We appreciate how difficult it can be to start therapy and do not take this decision lightly. Whether you have a clear idea of what you hope to address in therapy or are unsure of where to begin, our therapists are determined to meet you where you are in your own journey of healing and growth. Interested in learning more? Email or call us and we will be happy to answer any questions you might have.

We specialize in working with clients who are struggling with transitions, like new living situations, shifting relationships, job changes, and striking out on a new path. We especially love supporting recent college and graduate school graduates in figuring out their next steps to create a life they love. Please check out our website to learn more about our team! We'd love to meet you.

Life can be challenging. I believe psychotherapy with a therapist who is a good match can help one more successfully navigate those challenges. I work collaboratively with my clients. I aim to create a nonjudgmental and supportive environment to explore difficult issues together -- to better understand what one is currently facing, to help manage those difficulties, and to ultimately make life more rewarding and meaningful. I have over 30 years of clinical experience and have worked in a variety of settings including university counseling centers (Univ. of Illinois, Univ. of Michigan, Northwestern Univ., The School of the Art Institute of Chicago), and LGBTQ and feminist services (Howard Brown Health Center, Planned Parenthood, Chicago Women's Health Center). I maintain a general practice where I see a wide diversity of men and women for issues including anxiety, depression, relationship problems, and identity.

I offer a warm and affirming space for you to move away from shame or past traumatic harms toward self-compassion and a stronger sense of agency in your life. My approach to therapy centers the therapeutic relationship and honors the ways that people heal alongside one another. I aim to be nonjudgmental, exploratory, and compassionate in my work with you. In my work, I draw largely from relational, psychodynamic, somatic, and trauma-centered frameworks to help individuals strengthen their relationships to themselves, their bodies, and those near them. Further, I take a social justice approach to therapy that acknowledges the role that power and oppressive systems have in shaping mental health. I have special interest in working with people seeking support for complex trauma, grief, burnout, significant life transitions, or relationship challenges. I welcome all communities but bring lived experience to work with LGBTQ+ and Latine individuals as a queer Mexican-American therapist.

Grey Area Therapy is a small, private practice conveniently located in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood with easy access to public transportation and an emphasis on building meaningful, authentic connections with clients. As a therapist with Grey Area Therapy, I work with clients on needs related to anxiety, major life transitions, chronic illness, and depression. With individualized approaches to empathetic therapy, we will work to help slow things down, become more intentional, and build awareness of our life experiences. I offer both in-person and virtual appointments. I accept Anthem, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, and Cigna insurance and offer free 15-minute phone consultations to help you find a therapist that works for you!

Therapy can be a very powerful way to show up for yourself- opening yourself up to new ways of approaching life’s challenges and building the skills to work with your emotions rather than against them. If we work together, I will help you explore what your emotions are trying to tell you. From there, we will focus on developing the skills to feel more of what you want to feel and less of what you don’t, to treat yourself with kindness and respect, and to show up authentically in your relationships. I make it a priority to create a space that feels safe and affirming, while also challenging you to push toward your goals. Clients often describe me as warm, gentle, and encouraging, while also valuing my humor, directness, and genuine connection. If this sounds like a good fit for you, I look forward to meeting you!

Hi I am Sophia, LSW (they/she)! I believe life’s challenges can shape us, but they don’t have to define us. I believe people have an innate capacity for growth, healing, and change, even when circumstances make that possibility difficult to see. Therapy can be especially helpful when anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship difficulties, life transitions, or other challenges begin to interfere with how you want to live. I view therapy as a space to slow down, make sense of your experiences, develop greater self-understanding, and discover tools that support meaningful and lasting change. I take a collaborative, relational, trauma-informed, and strengths-based approach to therapy. I recognize that there is no single path to our growth and change, and that each person brings their own experiences, identities, strengths, and goals into the therapeutic space. Rather than viewing clients as problems that need to be fixed, I work alongside each person to understand what they are experiencing and identify what may help them move forward. I believe therapy works best when clients feel genuinely heard, respected, and empowered to take an active role in their own healing. My therapeutic orientation is integrative, drawing from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, expressive arts therapy, relational frameworks, and trauma-informed approaches. These approaches allow me to help my clients explore the connections between their thoughts, emotions, behaviors, relationships, and past experiences. I specialize in working with adults, adolescents, and couples dealing with complex trauma, neurodivergence, and chronic pain. I am particularly passionate about supporting individuals whose experiences have been shaped by interpersonal or systemic oppression. I understand that responses to difficult experiences often develop as ways of coping or adapting, and therapy can provide an opportunity to understand those patterns while building new ways of responding that feel more supportive and authentic. I have previously had the opportunity to support clients who were navigating bipolar disorder, anxiety, depression, autism, ADHD, psychotic disorders, and sociopolitical concerns. I am motivated by the opportunity to build genuine connections with clients and to create a therapeutic environment where people feel safe enough to be honest, curious, and themselves. I encourage anyone considering therapy to remember that you do not have to have everything figured out before reaching out. Therapy can be the place where we can begin figuring it out together.

I’m a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor based in Illinois with over 10 years of experience. I’m also a Board-Certified Art Therapist and hold a trauma professional certification. I work with individuals 13 and up around concerns such as anxiety, depression, life transitions, grief and loss, self-harm, self-esteem, and trauma. I take a holistic, strengths-based approach that honors your whole self. I draw from a variety of treatment approaches, personalizing care to focus on what feels most supportive for you. As an Art Therapist, I offer art making as an outlet for emotional healing and joyful creativity. Art Therapy can be especially helpful to express thoughts and emotions that may be difficult to verbalize, while also supporting self-worth and mind–body connection. I deeply value the therapeutic relationship and believe it is the foundation for meaningful change. I bring compassion, curiosity, and respect to each session, honoring that change can be both brave and hard. You don’t have to do this alone—I’ll be alongside you as you build skills, connect with your strengths, and create a more balanced, fulfilling life. “Only when we’re brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.” -Brené Brown