Therapists for college students near Chicago, IL
Whether you're navigating a major life transition, battling anxiety or depression, facing burnout, or feeling stuck in patterns that no longer serve you—I offer a space where you can feel safe, supported, and truly seen. Therapy doesn’t have to feel clinical or cold. My goal is to create an open and honest connection where you feel comfortable being vulnerable and showing up exactly as you are. Clients often describe me as kind, collaborative, and real—with a sense of humor that brings ease to even the hardest conversations. I bring my full, authentic self to every session because I believe meaningful change happens when you feel truly connected and understood. I draw from a variety of evidence-based approaches, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and Solution-Focused Therapy. I also integrate strategies from my background in sport psychology to support focus, confidence, and performance under pressure. Together, we’ll clarify your goals, explore what’s holding you back, and move toward lasting growth.
Magdalena is a psychotherapist who specializes in treating anxiety, depression, and eating disorders. She is passionate about supporting adolescents and adults navigating eating and body image concerns, mood and anxiety disorders, relational challenges, life transitions, and identity exploration. Magdalena finds great fulfillment in supporting clients on their path to healing and feels honored to be part of their journey toward growth and well-being. Known for her warm and down-to-earth presence, Magdalena creates a safe, transparent, and non-judgmental space while helping clients work toward their goals. Magdalena's therapeutic approach is integrative, drawing from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), among other evidence-based modalities. She brings compassion, validation, and the understanding that recovery is not one-size-fits-all. Magdalena is committed to helping clients become their most authentic selves and empowering them to pursue meaningful goals. She recognizes that taking the first step toward change can be difficult and meets clients where they are, approaching each person with curiosity and empathy. You can directly schedule online at www.allow-wellness.com
Pari Health & Wellness approaches therapy through a collaborative & client-centered lens. I believe in creating a safe, nonjudgmental space where you can explore your thoughts, emotions, and experiences openly. Drawing from evidence-based practices such as mindfulness and CBT, I’m committed to transparency—not just in thought, but in dismantling the cognitive barriers between who you’re taught to be and who you truly are. I work with you to identify goals and build coping strategies while fostering this meaningful change. I integrate solution-focused, holistic techniques to help you develop self-awareness, resilience, and tools for navigating life’s challenges. Whether you’re addressing anxiety, depression, grief, child sexual abuse, or personal growth, my focus is on empowering your transformation at your pace.
Welcome. My name is Shinhae. I believe therapy is a journey of understanding and healing your inner self in the process of rebuilding a relationship with yourself as well as with others. My own therapeutic journey has allowed me to find new meaning and insight for me to embrace myself wholeheartedly. I strongly empathize with what it feels like to be alone in a cage of emotional and mental struggles. It is hard to overcome the situation with a hopeful mindset while in the state of being most vulnerable. I believe that understanding of self can uplift you to move forward with hope. I am grateful to walk along on your journey as if someone did to me.
It takes a lot of courage to reach out to someone for help. To share your most private thoughts and feelings with someone you don’t know. Yet entering into a relationship with a therapist is one of the kindest things you can do for yourself. Whether you're an 18 - 22 year old student facing the new challenges of college life or a returning student coming back to school after years away, the demands of college can take a real toll on your mental health. I'm here to help you sort out your feelings and organize your thoughts, to help you focus on what really matters to you. I practice depth-oriented psychodynamic therapy. This means that I will spend time listening to you to fully understand what's troubling you and how you got here. Through that shared understanding, we will chart a path towards healing.
Ashley (Evans) McTaggart is a Registered Dietitian and a alumna of Northern Illinois University. With over six years of experience in the eating disorder field, Ashley is deeply passionate about supporting individuals in their recovery journey. She began her nutrition career at a residential eating disorder facility in downtown Chicago and later expanded her expertise through roles in Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) levels of care. Ashley’s nutrition philosophy emphasizes building a healthy and positive relationship with food, integrating mental, emotional, physical, and social health.
Are you having trouble navigating big questions about who you are? Or where are you going? Are you anxious about where you fit in? Or ask yourself, “do I even belong?” I have a passion for supporting BIPOC individuals, specifically Latiné, Black, first-generation, and LGBTQ+ individuals. My role is to create a safe, nonjudgemental space where you can explore your thoughts and feelings openly. As a Latino and queer therapist, I deeply understand the pressures many students face, whether that is anxiety, depression, financial stress, imposter syndrome, or trauma. Many of us grow up carrying a ton, and college can bring both new opportunities and new challenges. I help individuals explore the root causes of their struggles by tapping into their unique strengths. My approach is collaborative and creates change which helps gain clarity, confidence, and a renewed sense of self. If you are figuring out your identity, dealing with stress, or just feeling overwhelmed and unsure then I want to emphasize that you are not alone. I want to create a space where you can show up as your authentic self, be heard without judgment, and start to build the life you want. I believe in walking alongside my clients as they work through what is hard and discover what is possible.
I aim to make therapy a space where, above all, two humans can come together to connect, while working to understand and process the difficult thoughts, feelings, and sensations that come along with life. I work primarily with adults, and always seek to create a therapeutic space based on connection, empathy, understanding, and sometimes humor. I specialize in the treatment of OCD and anxiety diagnoses, as well as experiences with chronic pain, illness, and other somatic-based problems. Others areas within my experience include: depression, trauma-based diagnoses, relational problems, and psychodynamic informed talk therapy. I aim to make therapy a space where, above all, two humans can come together to connect, while working to understand and process the difficult thoughts, feelings, and sensations that come along with life. I work primarily with adults, and always seek to create a therapeutic space based on connection, empathy, understanding, and sometimes humor. I specialize in the treatment of OCD and anxiety diagnoses, as well as experiences with chronic pain, illness, and other somatic-based problems. Others areas within my experience include: depression, trauma-based diagnoses, relational problems, and psychodynamic informed talk therapy. I have experience and expertise working in CBT, specializing in the modality of ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy). I also utilize techniques and philosophies from DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) and RO-DBT (Radically Open Dialectical Behavioral Therapy). We will work to clarify your strengths, current obstacles in life, and create a path forward.
At The Kedzie Center, we aim to provide a safe space, by providing confidential and empathic care. Within this frame, therapy is guided by the initial concern that prompted the individual or family to seek treatment. Areas of concern may include emotional distress, relationship issues, work or employment stress, grief and loss, major life transitions, adjustment issues, behavior problems, acculturative stress, and exposure to trauma, abuse or violence. Therapy can be brief in nature, allowing for an exploration and resolution of the presenting concern. Treatment can also be long-term, with a greater focus on seeking to understand the internal and interpersonal dynamics at play in one’s life. How therapy is structured and scheduled is part of the ongoing collaboration between therapist and client. Based on an initial assessment, recommendations are made for individual, family and group therapy for children, adolescents and adults. Services are available in both English and Spanish at this time.
Hi, I’m Maddie Scudiero, and I’m so glad you’re here. If you’re a college student, you’re navigating a time full of transitions, pressures, and questions—about identity, relationships, the future, and sometimes, just how to get through the week. Therapy can be a space to pause, reflect, and build tools that help you feel more grounded, capable, and connected. I view therapy as a collaborative process, where you and I work together as a team. Our relationship is at the core of this work—because growth happens when you feel safe, supported, and truly seen. I’ll show up authentically with you, and together we’ll clarify what you want to work on and check in regularly to make sure you feel like we're moving in a direction that matters to you. In our sessions, we’ll identify the areas where you might feel stuck—emotionally, socially, academically, or in your self-worth—and look for strategies that feel realistic and empowering. I like to think of these as “social experiments” you can try out between sessions. We’ll talk through what happened, what worked, and what didn’t—then fine-tune things so they feel more effective for you. It’s not about getting it perfect; it’s about learning through experience and being gentle with yourself as you grow. Whether you’re dealing with anxiety, burnout, identity exploration, relationship challenges, or just feeling overwhelmed by life, I’m here to help you navigate it with curiosity, compassion, and clarity. You don’t have to do this alone—and you don’t have to have it all figured out. Let’s take it one step at a time, 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.
As a queer, sex-positive therapist, I specialize in trauma informed care providing support for the LGBTQIA+ community. I work with individuals experiencing emotional dysregulation, depression, complex and religious trauma, grief, neurodiversity, systemic oppression, substance use, HIV/AIDS, GNC, kink, CNM, and identity-based marginalization. Our work together will be a process of learning and unlearning. My approach is relational and strengths-based. We will explore transgenerational patterns and observational behaviors generated from a place of survival. It is my goal to promote the process of healing by creating a safe and affirming space for you to cultivate an understanding within yourself that will unveil the deeper meaning your struggle is pointing towards. I will help you recognize the effects of the larger societal and cultural environment that have shaped how you move through the world. I believe there is no limit to human capacity. There is wisdom and truth to be found within the struggles that we face. You have the ability to develop profound knowledge and acceptance of these conflicts and the strength to move forward in your life. The road ahead is often a vulnerable one, and I am grateful for the trust that you may bring to the process.
Hi! I'm Eleanor. I love working with both queer and neurodivergent individuals, especially individuals who are just beginning to explore or understand their identities or may have doubts about if their experiences are “enough.” Many of my clients experience anxiety and struggle to trust themselves or express their needs and are ready to start exploring what is most important to them and how to build a value-aligned life. Additionally, I have a specialty in treating OCD and use a mix of exposure therapy as well as non-exposure based therapies. I am warm, collaborative, and transparent with my clients. In sessions, you can expect me to ask questions, provide education and resources, and add a little humor into the mix. My main goal when working with clients is to help them understand themselves and their patterns better and practice responding flexibly and compassionate to the difficulties that inevitably rise in life. This is often a mix of exploring past experiences and relationships to understand how this shows up in the present as well as learning new coping skills. It can be hard and scary to start therapy! If you're feeling ready, feel free to reach out to me to learn more about my style and see if we might be a good fit.
Relationships are at the heart of our lives, whether they’re with family, partners, friends, or even ourselves. Navigating these connections can sometimes feel challenging, especially during big transitions or when conflicts arise. As a therapist specializing in relationship dynamics and systems theory, I work with individuals, couples, and families to create stronger, healthier connections. My approach focuses on understanding the patterns and interactions that shape your experiences. Together, we’ll uncover insights about how these systems influence your life and work toward meaningful change. Whether you’re dealing with communication struggles, family conflict, or simply looking to grow as a person, I’m here to support you. Therapy is a collaborative process, and I strive to provide a safe, nonjudgmental space where you feel heard and understood. Using evidence-based techniques, we’ll tackle challenges like conflict resolution, self-awareness, and improving relationship satisfaction. No matter where you’re starting, I’m here to help you create deeper connections and find clarity in your relationships. Let’s work together to help you build the fulfilling, balanced life you deserve.
Welcome to The Healing Palace ✨ College life can feel like a whirlwind — balancing classes, relationships, work, and figuring out your future. At The Healing Palace, we understand that behind the hustle, students often carry stress, anxiety, trauma, and unspoken challenges. We’re here to be your safe space. A place where you can breathe, unpack the weight you’ve been carrying, and discover healthy ways to thrive mentally, emotionally, and socially. Our team of therapists specializes in supporting young adults as they navigate identity, relationships, and the pressures of everyday life. Whether you’re seeking one-on-one therapy, group support, or just a space where you can feel heard without judgment, The Healing Palace is here to walk with you. Because your mental health matters. Your voice matters. You matter.
My approach to therapy is individualized, attentive, direct, and flexible. Guided by Lacanian psychoanalysis and grounded in social justice, I offer patients a space to speak freely about their suffering, history, questions, wishes, fantasies, and desires. I listen carefully for the unconscious in their patients’ speech, focusing on the unique complexity of each patient. Speaking, listening, and being heard in this way opens up new possibilities for ways of relating to oneself and others. This approach works for a wide variety of concerns, including those that are difficult to put into words. I offer individual art and talk therapy to patients of all ages who are willing to speak about their suffering and learn new things about themselves. I also provides couples and relationship counseling to partners, exes, and roommates. I reserve a number of appointments each week for sliding scale patients. Please reach out if a reduced fee would allow you to access my services.
My goal as a clinician is to create a safe space where we can work through issues that may be causing you distress. Together, we will explore the patterns in your life that are no longer serving you. I may be a particularly good fit for those seeking support around relationship issues, life transitions, anxiety, depression, trauma, chronic illness and pre/postnatal mood disorders. My approach is rooted in trauma-informed, attachment-based and anti-oppression frameworks. I rely on a supportive and collaborative process in setting and working toward your goals. Starting therapy can feel intimidating, but it shouldn’t have to. I believe in meeting people wherever they are in their journey and working together to build a path toward wellness. My goal is for you to feel empowered, supported and worthy of positive change. Feel free to contact me to set up an initial appointment so we can start to explore your goals.
Dr. Jay works with individuals- especially women of color and those with immigrant backgrounds- who: - Struggle to manage the stresses of daily life and experience emotional distress like depression, grief and/or anxiety - Are survivors of complex trauma, inter-personal, generational and/or collective trauma - Experience existential, spiritual, identity-based questions and are yearning to clarify their purpose in life - Seek a space to dream beyond the moment they are in to create new futures for themselves and those they love - Value holistic, compassionate, relational care
Do you struggle with stress or negativity? Effectively managing stressors and self-compassion for a greater sense of fulfillment is a very important investment for a brighter future. I'm a board certified psychotherapist and practice an eclectic blend of psychotherapy with adult individuals and couples, respecting the uniqueness of each person and their ability to correct self-defeating patterns for a clearer path to personal growth, understanding, mindfulness, and happiness. My interactive, compassionate therapeutic approach facilitates a process of effective self discovery by examining matters close enough to be of help, yet far enough away to see the whole person. Assessing different points of view in the therapeutic process empowers you to make more self-affirming, grounded choices in your life.