Therapists for college students near University of Chicago

Hold Your Own is an invitation. An offer of solidarity, connection, and hope to anyone who has experienced the profound impact of shame, loss, depression, anxiety, conflict- and the many other ways we as humans hurt or feel lost – and an opportunity to work through it together.

Amy Wilhelmi is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) serving clients in Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Virginia. With over 15 years of experience, she specializes in trauma, relationship issues, and family conflict, offering a supportive and inclusive environment for diverse family structures and identities, including the LGBTQ+ community. Amy's practice integrates a variety of therapeutic approaches, including Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and mindfulness. She also provides Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP), which is available both virtually and in clients' homes, allowing her to address complex needs with innovative methods. In addition to therapy, Amy is trained in Divorce Mediation, providing a peaceful and financially responsible alternative to traditional divorce proceedings. Her practice offers flexibility, with in-person sessions available in West Dundee, Illinois, and telehealth options throughout her licensed states.

I am a Chicago area Licensed Professional Counselor at Obsidian Counseling Wellness. I specialize in life transitions, including the transitions into and out of college. My approach is eclectic and centers around your specific needs. My therapeutic approach is nonjudgmental and accepting of your whole self. Approaches that I draw from include Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). With these theories I will help you acquire tools for dealing with the stressors of daily life, while exploring your identity and values. Being a student is hard enough, figuring our how to navigate life alongside school can be a difficult balance. The individuals that I see are often facing major life transitions. These transitions include moving to a new place, the end of a relationship, the shifting of friendships, transitioning into and out of college, the loss of a loved one, and other major transitions.In addition to major life transitions, the individuals that I work with are often experiencing anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, and working on figuring out who they are and where they fit in.

I have experience working with adults and teens in an outpatient setting. A priority of mine is helping clients develop healthy coping mechanisms to reduce stress, depression, anxiety, and burnout. Everyone’s healing journey is unique, so I utilize a multi-dimensional approach, incorporating both Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) with a person-centered approach. I customize sessions to find what works best for each person. It is my honor to be a part of your healing journey. I believe in creating a safe, empowering, and collaborative space for each of my clients while holding space for each client to be unapologetically themselves. My goal is to help you live a happier life and reach your highest potential!

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I am committed to providing quality mental health services that promote positive change through collaboration, compassion, reflection, and direction. I like to help patients explore and carve innovative changes and opportunities in one's life. Through the provision of confidential psychotherapy that integrates sensitivity and warmth, I integrate the latest approaches on how lasting improvements in overall wellbeing and our relationships with others can be achieved. I realize that patient needs are not one-size fits-all and I aim to provide personalized mental health services that empower a process directed at meeting personal and professional aspirations. I'm experienced in working with children, adolescents, and adults with behavioral challenges, ADHD, substance use issues, Depressive and Bipolar Disorders, Anxiety Disorders, trauma experiences, as well as providing psychoeducational services related to major life transitions, such as assimilation to the demands of college from high school, among other areas of interest. In addition, I maintain competencies related to a multitude of psychological assessment and evaluation contexts, including neuropsychological assessment, personality assessment, therapeutic assessment, substance use assessment, among others. Lastly, I am a fully bilingual clinician in English and Spanish.

Navigating college and young adulthood can be overwhelming—balancing academics, relationships, and personal growth while managing stress, anxiety, or past experiences that weigh heavily. I work best with students who feel stuck, uncertain, or disconnected. Whether you're struggling with anxiety, depression, substance use, self-doubt, or major life transitions, I provide a supportive space to explore, process, and grow. My approach is warm, interactive, and nonjudgmental. I believe therapy should be a place where you can be your full self—messy thoughts, complicated emotions, and all. Together, we’ll untangle challenges, develop strategies that work for you, and build confidence in your ability to navigate life’s ups and downs. Having worked in both mental health and substance use treatment, I understand how stress, coping, and self-destructive patterns can get in the way of the life you want. I also know change is possible. Whether you need a space to be heard, tools to manage emotions, or guidance in rediscovering your strengths, I’m here to help.

Life comes with its own unique challenges and triumphs. Often during the challenging parts, we can find ourselves feeling stuck. Sometimes the reasons are obvious. Other times, not so much. As a therapist, I take pride in providing a safe, non-judgmental space to explore these more vulnerable parts of life. In my work with teens and adults, I take a client-centered approach while drawing from psychodynamic principles. I aim to build an authentic relationship with you as we explore different aspects of your life. This allows us to identify patterns and themes while setting goals that are meaningful to you. When working together, your autonomy is of the utmost importance to me. I value your collaboration in order to work at your own pace. Throughout my training and professional experience, I worked in various settings including schools, hospitals, the child welfare system, and private practice. These experiences have prepared me to work confidently with clients experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, identity-related issues, life transitions, and relational wounds.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

Hi, I’m Ben Fendrich, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Clinical Substance Abuse Counselor in Wisconsin. I specialize in supporting adults navigating mood challenges, including bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, and mood disorders. My approach is warm, engaging, and collaborative—I provide a supportive space to process life’s stressors, whether they stem from work, relationships, or personal struggles. Together, we’ll explore new perspectives, develop coping strategies, and help you move forward with confidence and clarity.

I love working with people who think they may have lost the plot. Who wonder if their symptoms may be a natural reaction to our society and our utter disconnection....from everything. I see you, and I get it. I think there is more to a life well-lived than mainstream notions of success. Come explore your life through values exploration and honest self-assessment, whether short or long-term. Welcoming and affirming for LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC. I have an eclectic approach, which is a fancy way of saying that I don't rely on any one way of approaching curiosities. But my starting point is always from a place of your strengths, the things you are doing well, and your unique interests/wants/needs. I trend toward elements from Acceptance and Commitment, Positive Psychology, Existentialism, Brief Solution- Focused, Motivational Interviewing, Behavioral Activation, Radical Acceptance, and Mindfulness. I am progressive in my politics, non-religious, and I believe that cursing is a valid form of self-expression. Humor is a big part of how I communicate and I believe it can get us through a lot of things. Despite being a middle-aged white woman who grew up in the south, you will find no bigoted mindset here. I will never pretend to understand the totality of your experience, but I do promise to see you, hear you, and respect you, while being mindful of the systemic, familial, and cultural issues that may be impacting you. I have stopped taking insurance because of all the barriers it creates from its medical model of viewing functionality and need. I know this creates a financial barrier for some, but I believe that until the system changes, its more of a detriment overall. But lets check those out-of-network benefits and see what we can squeeze out of the insurance company for you :)

Congratulations on taking this big step in your mental health journey - seeking therapy. Whether you are struggling with sadness, worry, work/school-related stress, substance use issues, relationship difficulties, or emotions resulting from traumatic experience(s), I offer a supportive ear and a nonjudgmental environment in which we can work together to identify and implement strategies to move you toward your goals. I strive to assist clients in fully exploring their emotions in an environment characterized by compassion, acceptance, and safety. I take a holistic view of each person and consider the physical, emotional, behavioral, and spiritual components of well-being. I feel strongly that connection with values facilitates growth and satisfaction. I am particularly interested in partnering with my clients as they seek to better understand and apply their values.

Hello, I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who works with teens, adults, couples and families with over 15 years of experience in the psychology/counseling field. My focus is to provide a comfortable and supportive atmosphere in order to help individiuals feel better in their day to day lives. My specialty is working with anyone who has been through small or big traumas. I use EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) to help the client move past the event and stop having so much reactivity in their daily lives.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

Hi there! My name is Reese Minshew, and I work almost entirely with transgender (broadly defined) adults who have had traumatic (broadly defined) experiences. I’m licensed in California, Illinois, and New York, and work via telehealth with people located in any of those states. Clinically, I believe that the reactions we have after experiencing trauma and stress are fundamentally adaptive to the trauma, but can disrupt everyday life. In other words, if you had a difficult experience (including chronic exposure to structural stressors such as anti-trans bias, white supremacy, ableism, etc), you might not be able to eat, sleep, focus, calm down, feel excited, or be in relationships in the way you want. Whatever reaction you’re having was very helpful to you at one time, but if it’s no longer serving you then we can work on that. Most of the time we would do this by talking about what’s going on in your life right now, and working to understand it in the context of your past experiences.

Ace Counseling Group is a Chicagoland & Illinois practice that strives to help aid clients in their journey for self-reflection, self-improvement and growth. We provide Mental Health Therapy through Telehealth for those with a limited schedule, the inability to meet face-to-face, or if you might just feel more comfortable seeing a therapist via a video platform. Our mission is to make sure each client feels the utmost comfort in their counseling journey and is able to feel heard and understood by their counselor.

I am Dr. Daniella Lang. Being fluent in Spanish and the daughter of Argentine immigrants has instilled in me a passion for working with culturally, linguistically, and socioeconomically diverse clients. ​ I find profound meaning in assisting individuals who have experienced trauma. My work has included supporting survivors of domestic abuse and providing critical on-site assistance to those impacted by significant tragedies, such as the Parkland and Highland Park shootings, as well as the Surfside building collapse. ​ I am a licensed clinical psychologist (Psy.D.) in Florida and Illinois. I received my doctoral degree from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology. I then completed my APA accredited pre-doctoral internship at Miami Dade County, Community Action Human Services Department, and my postdoctoral residency at Nova Southeastern University. I have experience working with clients who have struggled with a wide range of challenges spanning their entire lifetimes. I received clinical training within universities, schools, hospitals, and community-based settings serving individuals, groups, and families. I have served individuals who have experienced anxiety, trauma, depression, adjustment issues, interpersonal deficits, grief, and struggles with acculturation. However, I am especially fond of helping children, adolescents and young adults.

Find individual, couples, family and group counseling, in person at one of our 5 Chicagoland locations or from the comfort of your home, using a secure, online platform. Find out about Telehealth Services, serving all Illinois and Indiana, here. The Juniper Center is here to help you or someone you love to heal from symptoms of anxiety, depression, stress, trauma, behavioral issues, relationship issues and more. We work at the forefront of brain science to provide evidence-based results for you.

Hi! I’m Mixi, a bilingual licensed therapist. I understand the impact intrusive thoughts, constant worry and repetitive behaviors have on your well-being and daily life. I have had the opportunity to provide care in private practice, school, and medical settings. This array of experiences has fostered my ability to understand clients through a multi-disciplinary lens. My clinical approach to therapy is grounded in ERP, PE, ACT and CBT. Most of the clients that I work with are navigating OCD, anxiety, trauma, stress, and/or depression. I am a trained OCD specialist and a member of the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF). I am dedicated to welcoming adults of all identities. I prioritize learning about my clients to create an inclusive environment that best supports them. My goal is to teach you the skills and tools to make you your own therapist over time. I am licensed to provide Telehealth therapy services to clients in Massachusetts, Washington, Illinois, District of Columbia, and Virginia. (Please visit my website embracelifetherapy.com for more information)

I believe in using a holistic, collaborative approach that focuses on client’s strength in order to promote progress and healing. I recognize that facing fears and challenges can be an incredibly difficult process. Therefore, I believe it is imperative to hold a balance of warmth and compassion, as well as honesty and authenticity, to help individuals achieve their goals. In my work I use a myriad of evidence-based treatments to individually tailor care to my clients; yet, additionally I acknowledge there is no “one size fits all” approach. This distinction informs the devotion, care, and time I take to ensure my clients feel empowered in their treatment