Therapists for college students near 60657

I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor and Art Therapist who believes in the power of art to help us communicate, explore, and understand our inner worlds. I combine talk therapy with creative expression to help clients process their experiences, uncover insights, and create meaningful change - whether or not you consider yourself “artistic.” My approach is collaborative and tailored to you. I take cues from each client to ensure therapy sessions meet your individual needs and goals, moving at a pace that feels comfortable. I practice radical empathy and unconditional positive regard, providing a safe, non-judgmental space where you can explore challenges and work toward growth. I specialize in supporting adults navigating substance use, depression, anxiety, identity concerns, and the complexities of being a child of immigrants. I also enjoy working with neurodivergent clients and LGBTQIA+ individuals, providing affirming and inclusive care. A little about me: Outside of therapy, I love creating arts and crafts, spending time outdoors, and exploring the Midwest. I also enjoy quality time with my family and our cat.

I work with individuals, couples, and families ages 16+, helping clients explore and address challenges in relationships, mood, and communication. Trained in systemic therapy, I view each client holistically, examining patterns within the individual, family, and relational systems to foster meaningful growth and change. I create a safe, judgment-free, and positive space where we can explore core issues, relational dynamics, and past trauma. My approach is collaborative, solution-focused, and often infused with humor, empowering clients to step outside their comfort zones and build healthier relationships with themselves and others. I specialize in supporting clients navigating relationship challenges, depression, anxiety, mood disorders, and communication difficulties, providing guidance and tools to create the life and connections they desire.

I am committed to providing person-centered, diversity-affirming care where clients feel safe, supported, and empowered to explore their experiences. My passion lies in helping individuals heal from trauma, complex trauma, and intergenerational trauma, reclaiming their voice and building the life they want to live. As a Hispanic American therapist, my lived experiences, along with my professional and educational background, have shaped my dedication to offering culturally sensitive, LGBTQIA+ affirming, and neurodivergent-affirming therapy. I value honoring each client’s unique perspective while creating a therapeutic space where authenticity and growth are always welcome. My career has spanned outpatient substance abuse treatment, inpatient and intensive outpatient programs, and private practice across urban, suburban, and rural communities. These experiences have strengthened my belief in meeting each client with empathy, respect, and collaboration. Together, we’ll build on your resilience while developing new ways to cope, shift unhelpful patterns, and create a more balanced way of seeing the world. I use an integrative, individualized approach, drawing from CBT, ACT, EMDR, ERP, and DBT to provide therapy that adapts to your needs and goals. A little about me: Outside of therapy, I enjoy playing video games (especially J-RPGs and fighting games), reading, baking, and crafting — particularly needle felting and diamond painting.

I have over a decade of experience supporting high-performance students and professionals in academic, medical, and military settings. My professional background also includes roles promoting community wellness, with organizations like the Clinton Foundation and NYU Law School. I am trained in a range of clinical modalities which allows me to use an integrative and holistic therapeutic approach that is individually tailored to each of my clients and rooted in empirically-supported treatments. I am excited to support you in building on your strengths and taking steps towards positive change.

My approach to therapy is warm, laid-back, and collaborative. I want my clients to feel like they’re sitting with someone who genuinely cares and meets them where they are, without judgment or pressure. I focus on creating a safe and comfortable space where you can open up, explore your thoughts and emotions, and move at your own pace. My goal is to support clients with a wide range of mental health concerns and promote overall well-being through culturally-responsive care, with a warm, empathetic, detail-oriented, and solution-focused approach.

Life can feel messy, complicated, and overwhelming at times. Therapy offers a space to pause, breathe, and untangle the parts that feel heavy. My goal is to create a warm, collaborative, and judgment-free environment where you can show up exactly as you are. I work with teens and adults navigating life transitions, grief, relationship or family challenges, ADHD or autism, anger, trauma, and the process of rediscovering yourself after major life changes. My approach is trauma-informed, flexible, and rooted in mindfulness. Together, we’ll use a blend of evidence-based approaches—including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and psychodynamic therapy—to support your unique goals and pace. I believe that healing happens through connection. In our work together, I bring warmth, curiosity, and compassion to help you feel seen and supported as you learn to make sense of your experiences. You may also get to meet my calm and gentle poodle, Ralph, who often joins sessions as a grounding and comforting presence. If you’re feeling stuck, anxious, or ready for change, therapy can be a powerful space to find clarity and connection. I’d be honored to walk alongside you on that journey.

I am deeply passionate about supporting young adults who are navigating the heavy waves of depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. These challenges often speak much louder than our day-to-day living, making it difficult to feel present or "at home" within ourselves. I also specialize in walking alongside those moving through grief, trauma, and major life transitions—those seasons where the ground feels like it has shifted and you’re searching for a new way to stand.

As a therapist who specializes in Dance Movement Therapy, I believe in the full integration of mind and body in the therapeutic process. I strive to provide a space where all parts of you can be seen and accepted. I want to hear your story and support you as you cultivate a more compassionate relationship with your body and mind. I specialize in supporting people dealing with complex trauma, anxiety, struggles with identity, neurodiversity, and body image issues. I am strongly committed to challenging systems and narratives that tell people their worth is tied to their size or ability. Everyone deserves to inhabit their body with dignity, compassion, and freedom from shame. I see therapy as a collaborative process, building from a place of safety and authenticity. Together, we will cultivate a sense of open curiosity to help you find and use your inner strengths and resilience. My process is strongly rooted in body justice and fat liberation, and I approach our time together through trauma-informed and neuro-affirming lenses in order to decolonize the therapeutic process. These values will guide our verbal and embodied processing, and our work together in these ways will help you to connect the body and mind and aid you in self exploration. We will find a pace and structure that feels safe for your body and mind, and give you a space to step into your most authentic self.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

Michele Artunduaga specializes in supporting individuals facing depression, anxiety, and challenges with future planning. Michele is dedicated to helping clients recognize that meaningful changes to their goals stem from their unique needs and what they are able to accomplish in the present moment. By focusing on practical solutions that can be applied today, Michele empowers clients to make real-life changes and move forward with confidence. Michele’s approach centers on building trust and engagement, ensuring that each client feels heard and supported throughout their journey.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

College can look like you're doing fine on the outside while internally you're overwhelmed, anxious, burned out, questioning yourself, or struggling to keep up. At Balanced Awakening, we work with college students, graduate students, and young adults navigating anxiety, academic stress, perfectionism, burnout, relationships, identity, trauma, body image, ADHD/neurodivergence, and major life transitions. Our Chicago therapists offer different personalities and approaches, including talk therapy, somatic and body-based therapy, art therapy, and relationship-focused care. Whether you're looking for someone warm and validating, direct and action-oriented, or somewhere in between, our team can help connect you with a therapist who feels like the right fit. We know searching for a therapist can feel like one more thing on an already-full plate. Our team makes the process easier by learning what you're looking for and matching you with a therapist based on your needs, preferences, personality, and availability. We offer telehealth throughout Illinois and in-person therapy at multiple Chicago locations. We are in network with BCBS PPO, Aetna PPO, and Optum/UHC plans. You don't need to have everything figured out before reaching out. If you're ready for things to feel different, we're here to help you find a therapist you can feel comfortable talking to.

Therapy can be a space to explore feelings that have been hard to express, step out of patterns that no longer serve you, and build stronger connections with yourself and others. I work with children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families navigating anxiety, depression, relationship concerns, life transitions, and stress related to identity, self-worth, or major life changes. I approach therapy with warmth, curiosity, and evidence-based care, focusing on your lived experience and growth. My work is trauma-responsive and rooted in creating a safe, non-judgmental space where we collaborate to understand patterns, build insight, and develop skills that support meaningful change. I draw from modalities including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and relational methods, tailoring strategies to each person’s needs and goals. I understand that feeling supported in therapy begins with patience, respect, and genuine presence. The therapeutic relationship matters, and my goal is to walk alongside you as you work toward clarity, balance, and forward movement. If you are seeking a therapist who values collaboration, curiosity, and human connection, I welcome you to reach out.

Background Holly (She/Hers) is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and has a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from National Louis University. She is a Certified Trauma Professional and received sexual assault and crisis intervention training through the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault (ICASA). She brings clinical experience from the Zacharias Sexual Abuse Center in Skokie, IL as well as a variety of evidenced-based therapeutic trainings to the practice. She is also a Certified Tele Mental Health Associate. In addition, she is an active member of state and national professional counseling associations. Prior to the counseling field, Holly worked in corporate, as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ukraine, as a refugee resettlement worker, and received a Master of Science in International Public Service from DePaul University. Holly has had the privilege of dedicating much of her career to helping people. Therapeutic Approach Holly’s priority is to build a trusting therapeutic relationship with each whole person. In this relationship, she can attune to each person and naturally hold a gentle and safe space for individuals to deal with and heal from unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, life stressors, adverse childhood experiences, and trauma. Holly believes healing is a collaborative and egalitarian process where clients should feel safe and validated. She is warm, dedicated, intentional, direct, and passionate about her work as a therapist. Holly is a culturally sensitive, relational therapist who is drawn to working from attachment, feminist, and systems lenses. She received training in Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Trauma-Focused-CBT. She uses a strengths-based, client-centered, and compassionate approach in working with her clients. Holly integrates a range of therapeutic techniques and methods to meet her clients where they are at in the present moment. Other areas of therapeutic focus include Somatic modalities, Breath work, Motivational Interviewing (MI), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP). Specializations and Clinical Interests: anxiety, attachment issues, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, chronic illness, coping skills, cultural and societal oppression, depression, dissociation, divorce, emotional abuse, emotional regulation, first responder work, food allergy adjustment counseling, gender and sexual identity development, life transitions, men’s issues, parenting, parent-child relationships, relationships, school performance, self-esteem, self-harming, sexual assault/abuse survivors, stress/stress-management, trauma/PTSD, women’s issues. Currently working with: All genders and sexual orientations, older adolescents, and adults. She works with trauma survivors of all ages (3 and up). Individuals and families. “It is an honor to sit with you and witness your healing journey”-Holly

Dr. Schmitt is a dual board certified Adult and Forensic Psychiatrist. She treats psychiatric conditions in adults. She has experience treating anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder She values compassionate all-encompassing care.

I provide individual therapy for college students and previously worked at a college counseling center. I work with individuals around a variety of topics, which include body image, eating disorders, grief and loss, identity exploration and development, athletic performance, sex and sexuality, chronic pain, anxiety, depression and trauma. I am both a talk therapist and art therapist, so students have the option when working with me to incorporate art making if they'd like too (but there's no pressure). I also was a collegiate athlete myself and tend to work well with student athletes. Please reach out if you feel like we could be a good fit- I'd be happy to help!

Feeling burnt out, anxious, or stuck in patterns that just won’t let up? Maybe you’re constantly putting pressure on yourself to do it all and do it perfectly. Or maybe past experiences, stress, or anxiety are making it hard to enjoy college the way you hoped. You don’t have to figure it all out alone. I work with college students navigating trauma, anxiety, eating disorders, identity shifts, and the pressure to succeed—especially athletes, pre-health students, and anyone juggling high expectations. I also support individuals who are trying to make sense of their relationships with partners, friends, roommates, or family and want to set healthier boundaries or reconnect with themselves. Therapy with me is laid back, collaborative, and totally tailored to you. We’ll look at the patterns holding you back, unpack what’s been weighing on you, and build tools to help you feel more grounded, confident, and connected. Whether you’re struggling with self-esteem, body image, intense emotions, or just trying to figure out who you are and what you want, I’m here to help.

Hi there...Are you seeking a space where you can show up exactly as you are, with no pressure and no judgment?! I believe real change starts with feeling heard and supported during the good and challenging times in our lives. College life can get overwhelming — balancing classes, relationships, mental health, chronic or invisible illnesses, or trying to heal from things that still stick with you. My style is down‑to‑earth and easy to talk to. Therapy with me is collaborative and conversational, with a mix of curiosity, humor, and steady guidance.I’m here to support you as you make sense of the patterns shaping your life and build practical tools you can use day‑to‑day. Whether you’re looking for clarity, healing, or stronger relationships, therapy can be a powerful step toward creating a life that feels more like you. I’d be honored to walk alongside you as you grow and find your footing...Let's get to work !! I serve clients in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Missouri.

We are a group practice with many practitioners who have extensive experience working with college students. Services are available in person and virtually. Services are available in English and Spanish.

There are so many reasons to engage in art therapy and counseling services. You may feel highly rewarded yet emotionally exhausted from your work. You may find that living with your emotions while protecting those around you leaves you feeling disconnected and isolated. You may be a student and completely overwhelmed by the demands of the virtual classroom, social distancing, work and finances. You may have a traumatic history that continues to dictate how you engage with others. You know you want to make a shift, that you desire a deep and lasting change but don’t know where to start.