Therapists for college students near University of Chicago
College can be one of the most exciting and overwhelming seasons of your life. You may be adjusting to being away from home, navigating new relationships, questioning your major, managing academic pressure, or quietly carrying anxiety, depression, or past trauma that hasn’t had space to heal. On the outside, it can look like everyone else is handling it just fine — but inside, you might feel stuck, exhausted, unmotivated, or unsure of who you’re becoming. If you’re in that space, you’re not alone. And you don’t have to work through it by yourself. I work with college students who are in the middle of real life transitions — identity shifts, relationship changes, academic stress, family expectations, grief, trauma, and the quiet weight of self-doubt. Depression during college often doesn’t look like “sad all the time.” It can show up as procrastination, isolation, low motivation, difficulty focusing, or feeling disconnected from the person you used to be. Trauma can show up in relationships, in trust, in sleep, or in how hard you are on yourself. Together, we slow things down. We make sense of what’s happening beneath the surface. We identify patterns that are keeping you stuck and build practical tools that help you feel more steady, confident, and grounded. My approach is collaborative and straightforward. I don’t believe in sitting back silently while you struggle to find words. We talk. We process. We challenge unhelpful thoughts. We work through emotional blocks. I integrate approaches such as CBT, trauma-informed care, and other evidence-based strategies to help you build resilience while honoring your story. My goal is not just symptom relief — it’s helping you understand yourself better so you can move forward with clarity and confidence. College is a time of growth — but growth can feel uncomfortable. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, numb, stuck, or unsure about your direction, therapy can be a space to reset and regain momentum. You deserve support as you figure out who you are and who you want to become. If you’re ready to take the next step, I invite you to Request an Initial Appointment and begin therapy. You don’t have to wait until things get worse. Let’s work together to help you regain balance, rebuild confidence, and move through this season with strength.
I am so happy you're here! Higher education is challenging and comes with a lot of changes. If you're feeling anxious, depressed, or not like yourself, therapy may be a good place to start feeling better! Clients can expect a non-judgemental, empathetic environment where it's safe to be authentically yourself. We are connected by our relationships and managing/maintaining relationships can be extraordinarily challenging in college. In therapy with me, we will look at your history, how that informs your present and collaborate on ways to healthily and positively impact your future. Please reach out if you have any questions or if you're interested in working with me!
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I specialize in supporting people navigating anxiety, OCD, and ADHD. My therapeutic style draws from evidence-based approaches like ACT, and ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention) with plenty of room for reflection and flexibility. You are a complex & unique person, not a diagnosis, and we will work together to tailor therapy to your specific needs
I am here to help college students who are facing challenges with anxiety, depression, relationship/roommate/friend/family issues or just want help with improving their study habits and study-life balance. I have worked with many, many college students across the country. I am available weekends, all day and evenings on different days to accommodate your busy academic and social life. Feel better and enjoy your college years!
Online therapy for women in Chicago and across IL Specializing in: Vaginismus and Pelvic Pain Pregnancy and Postpartum Relationship Issues
About me I approach therapy from an existential worldview with a psychodynamic approach to help clients better understand their distress. I tailor therapeutic interventions to the specific needs of each client with the goal of empowering my clients to make meaningful decisions regarding their well-being and safety. Therapy is often difficult, and I work to create a safe space for each client to allow for authenticity and genuineness. Specialties Multicultural concerns, college/graduate student mental health, international student concerns, religion/spirituality, trauma, sexuality, LGBTQIA+, relationship issues, identity development, intersections of identities across race, culture, religion, and/or sexuality.
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.
Sara Pelaez is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Professional practicing in Georgia, Illinois, and Florida. She works with individuals and couples with a focus on students. Many of her clients have found great success in their personal and college lives, but struggle to feel connected in their relationships or at peace in their daily lives. Sara is particularly sensitive to clients facing present-past trauma, moments of transition, relationship or emotional issues when the delicate balance can seem to tremble, and symptoms of anxiety, depression, and self-doubt can emerge. Sara’s approach is rooted in EMDR, Somatic Experiencing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Emotional Focus Therapy. These are evidence-based approaches that focus on helping clients understand how their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected so that they can begin to make a targeted change. It is a bottom-up/top-down approach that provides a 360 view of the client's inner world. She works to help clients understand their physical response to external stressors, and begin to problem-solve ways to introduce moments of calm, to choose to respond rather than react in the face of change. Sara is focused on ensuring that her clients see real progress: her style is interactive, non-judgmental, and positions clients as the experts on where they are now, and where they want to go. A trauma-informed therapist, Sara is sensitive to the influence of past experiences on present challenges and works closely with clients to reframe the narrative of their life in a way that increases self-confidence and compassion. Sara’s first priority in starting with a new client is ensuring that they feel safe, heard, and like an equal partner in the therapeutic process. As a seasoned telehealth provider, she offers the convenience of remote sessions to help make therapy a core component of your self-care calendar.
How you feel about yourself, relate with others, and make your way in the world is significantly influenced by your earliest relationships. If your caregivers struggled with their own psychological health, their ability to connect with and be emotionally available to you may have been impaired. You may have felt invalidated, rejected, smothered or unwanted. Since you had no choice but to adapt and attach to the adults available to you, you may now find yourself in relationships that feel empty, end abruptly, or are riddled with conflict. Such disharmony only exacerbates feeling depressed and anxious. As a psychodynamic therapist, I am trained to recognize the underlying thoughts, feelings, and patterns that keep you from sustaining meaningful relationships and stuck in emotional pain. Rather than viewing you as a diagnosis or problem to be solved, I'm most interested in understanding and helping you work through what is troubling you. I completed training at The Object Relations Institute of New York City, The Center for Religion and Psychotherapy of Chicago, and I am an Assistant Professor at Indiana University South Bend . I am also a classically trained musician and former high school choral director. Please visit my website at www.kurtmhanus.com
LGBTQIA-Affirming Trauma-Informed Art Therapy & Counseling in Chicago. I'm M (they/she), a Chicago-based art therapist, counselor, and trauma survivor. With two decades self-publishing comics and zines, I know firsthand how image-making and storytelling reach what words can't. I specialize in complex, religious, and sexual trauma, PTSD, anxiety, depression, burnout, grief, and chronic pain, and I work with folks exploring gender identity and family estrangement. My approach draws on expressive, narrative, and somatic therapies, including Instinctual Trauma Response (ITR). I've also completed 40 hours of sexual trauma crisis training and can help survivors navigate Chicago's support systems. Your voice leads the way. Let's figure this out together.