Therapists for college students near 60657

Hello! For over 30 years, I have worked with clients as a clinical psychologist providing a safe, compassionate, and non-judgmental space for adolescents, adults, and couples of all genders and sexualities. My counseling focuses on embracing tools for self-empowerment, self-worth, self-compassion, self-care, and assertiveness through reclaiming parts of oneself to feel whole. Reaching out for therapy can be intimidating and my goal is to make this experience as comfortable, safe and welcoming as possible! I have worked extensively--30 years with college students specifically--struggling with depression, anxiety, bipolar, suicidality, body image issues, abuse, trauma, self-mutilation, addiction, ADHD, grief/loss, gender/sexual identity, parenting, intimacy issues, spirituality, and cultural/religious identity. I also have supervised/consulted with doctoral students and fellow psychologists to help them find their own unique way of practicing. Additional certifications: EMDR for trauma MBSR/Yoga/Reiki for meditation/movement/breath work Insurance: BCBS PPO/out of network receipts are provided

I know that reaching out for therapy can feel overwhelming, especially when you're already carrying so much. You don’t have to do this alone. I’m Mariana Bednarek, a Licensed Professional Counselor, and I work with adults navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, eating disorders, and life transitions. I offer a warm, nonjudgmental space where you can feel seen and accepted as you are. As an LGBTQ+ and neurodiversity-affirming therapist, I am committed to helping you feel safe, validated, and understood.

I want to support you in finding mental and physical health through counseling and body-centered approaches to healing. Whatever challenges you may be facing at this time, I look forward to helping you meet your goals and find a satisfying life filled with ease, happiness, and connection!

It's my belief to "Keep life simple." Life is stressful enough. Balancing work, family, social life, friends, and relationships can be overwhelming at times. I practice from a harm reduction holistic theoretical orientation. It combines person-centered (respect for autonomy) with CBT/systemic therapy (a critical look at culture and attachments). By identifying wants and needs, I can assist clients with locating triggers and establishing healthy coping skills to alleviate any mental, emotional, or physical stress. I work particularly with parents and clients dealing with ADHD, Life choices, anxiety, self-esteem and accountability. I assist clients in adjusting to unexpected life transitions by constructing healthier boundaries with themselves and others to balance their lifestyles. I value the importance of creating a supportive, transparent, and collaborative relationship throughout the therapy process. I do this by providing a safe space for clients to embrace their vulnerabilities. Difficult experiences often show up in the body. Accessing embodied experience helps clients evolve. These shifts in the body have a corresponding effect on our actions, routines, and relationships. Through mindful awareness, we discover how the body holds our experiences. We learn to recognize habitual patterns and create new ones. The healing starts now...

Anda Health is a culturally responsive therapy practice supporting adolescents, young adults, and adults as they navigate anxiety, depression, ADHD, trauma, identity concerns, relationships, school and career stress, and major life transitions. We work especially well with students who may feel overwhelmed, stuck, disconnected, or unsure of how to manage the pressures of college and early adulthood. Our therapists provide a supportive, collaborative space where clients can better understand themselves, build practical coping skills, strengthen relationships, and work toward meaningful personal and academic goals. We welcome clients from diverse racial, cultural, immigrant, and family backgrounds and strive to provide care that feels respectful, relevant, and individualized. Anda Health offers telehealth throughout Illinois and accepts multiple commercial insurance plans. Our intake team helps clients navigate insurance, scheduling, and therapist matching so getting connected to care is as simple as possible.

I offer a warm, flexible, and low-pressure space where clients can show up exactly as they are. I honor sensory needs and nervous system responses, incorporating mindfulness practices to bring gentle awareness to our experiences. I often use somatic strategies to support connection and foster a sense of safety that is essential for growth. My background includes training in a wide range of approaches from traditional talk therapy to play-based modalities. I’m especially passionate about working with clients who may feel misunderstood or overwhelmed by conventional models of therapy. Clients can expect to feel supported and encouraged without pressure or judgment. I aim to co-create a space that feels steady and grounded. Whether we’re working through emotional regulation, identity, relationships, or everyday overwhelm, therapy can be a space for you. It can feel overwhelming to know where to start, but reaching out is the first step.

Let’s be real: adulting is hard. Figuring out how to build a life—navigating new jobs, getting enough sleep and exercise, living alone for the first time, dating (ugh), or trying to make real friendships—it can all feel like a lot. You don’t have to figure it all out by yourself. I’m here to support you in making sense of it, finding your voice, and creating a life that actually feels like yours. I’m passionate about supporting LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities. As a relational therapist, I believe changes happen in connection. I pull from a range of approaches depending on what you need—whether that’s insight, tools, or simply someone who gets it. I’m warm, collaborative, and affirming—but also very direct. If something needs to be named, I’ll say it—with compassion and honesty of course. Growth requires truth. Starting therapy can feel overwhelming, but reaching out shows real courage and a deep commitment to yourself. Whether you’re working through identity questions, navigating complicated relationships, or just trying to feel more like yourself again, I’m here to walk with you through it. Message me and we can have a chat about it!

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

If anxiety, intrusive thoughts, OCD, phobias or depressive thoughts take up too much space in your life, I will work with you to uncover their sources. You can establish and engage in useful coping skills that will allow you to spend less time battling your thoughts and more time living the life you want. If you're a couple struggling with relationship concerns, I will work with you to restore harmony in your relationship and strengthen your connection. I aim to provide a safe, warm and non-judgmental environment for my clients to explore their emotions, while also feeling comfortable and validated when sharing experiences, thoughts and behaviors. I practice using evidence-based modalities like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Radically Open Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (RO-DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), as well as self-compassion and mindfulness techniques. Gottman Method Couples Therapy informs my work with couples. If you choose therapy as a next step, I would be honored to work with you and support you in your journey of self-growth and healing! Schedule an appointment online or reach out with any questions.

Clients can expect a supportive and nonjudgmental environment where they feel heard, respected, and encouraged to grow. In our sessions, we will work together to build insight, develop healthy coping strategies, and set realistic goals that align with your personal values and needs. My approach focuses on creating a space that fosters trust and emotional safety, where clients can explore challenges, build on their strengths, and take meaningful steps toward healing and positive change.

Tonya Vander, LCSW, understands what trauma and grief look like when life is severely altered, and she offers a strong, empathic ear and tools to guide clients through healing. She creates safe spaces for individuals to feel heard, encouraged, and accepted. She supports clients age six and up struggling with depression, family conflict, mood disorders, stress, and is especially skilled at treating: Trauma/PTSD: Tonya is highly skilled at treating trauma and supporting clients through the tremendous repair work needed to heal. She helps clients focus on hope and resiliency no matter what barriers they're facing. Tonya understands change takes time, but there's possibility to overcome anything and move forward.

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.

I am a young adult therapist who helps clients control their behavioral response to challenging emotions, effectively adjust to change, and live a life that makes them proud. I have experience with young adults with anxiety, depression, self-injurious behavior, ADHD, and life transitions. I create a safe space and act as a guide, assisting the client as they explore past and current issues, unhealthy patterns, and identify overall goals. I utilize evidence-based strategies and techniques from an integrated cognitive-behavioral, individual psychology approach. Additionally, I incorporate aspects of mindfulness, solution-focused therapy, and motivational interviewing. I am accepting new clients and would love to be apart of your journey to overall wellness and success.

Do you feel disconnected from yourself, your relationships, or the life you want to create? Are you longing to feel more authentic, grounded, and at home within yourself? Through curiosity and exploration, I help you honor your experiences, soften protective patterns, and reconnect with your inner wisdom and strength. I support individuals navigating trauma, anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, complex family dynamics, PCOS/PMOS, PMDD, and life transitions. I especially enjoy supporting those who have learned to prioritize others’ needs while losing touch with their own voice, desires, and inner knowing. My approach is holistic, intersectional, feminist, and trauma-informed; I integrate mindfulness, somatic, and body-based practices to support individuals navigating anxiety, stress, life transitions, and patterns that may no longer serve them. I welcome clients who are seeking a deeper connection with themselves, their bodies, and their relationships. Together, we can create a nurturing and collaborative space where you feel seen, supported, &understood. Through presence, self-exploration, and self-compassion, we can move toward greater clarity, connection, and alignment. There's also room for play, creativity, and humor along the way!

I honor the strength and courage it takes to begin therapy. Engaging in therapy can support emotional expression, deepen self-reflection, and open the door to self-compassion and empowerment. My approach is collaborative—we’ll work together to explore your experiences, gain understanding, and create meaningful change. I strive to offer a supportive and affirming space where authenticity can be safely expressed and embraced. I have experience working with a wide range of concerns and tailor my approach to each individual. I recognize how self-expression and self-advocacy can sometimes be overshadowed by the ways people learn to protect themselves from pain. I also understand that the past can shape the present in subtle ways, and that societal expectations can lead us to disconnect from our true selves. My experiences working with college students started during my doctoral training and have continued throughout my ten+ years in private practice. I provided psychotherapy to students at the UIC counseling center, where I completed both my training as an extern and my training as a Postdoctoral Fellow; at DePaul University Counseling Services where I completed my training as an extern; and at NIU Counseling and Consultation Services where I completed my training as an intern.

Many people I work with feel overwhelmed, stuck, or unsure of their next steps. They want clarity, steadiness, and a space where they can slow down and feel genuinely understood. I welcome clients from all backgrounds and strive to be culturally responsive, with a deep respect for those from marginalized or stigmatized communities. I offer a calm, collaborative space where you can explore your story, reconnect with your strengths, and move toward meaningful, lasting change. I support adults navigating substance use, shame, guilt, or impulsive patterns. My approach is compassionate, collaborative, and grounded in harm-reduction and emotional insight. Together, we slow things down, build awareness, and create practical strategies that support healthier choices and greater self-trust. Reaching out can feel intimidating, and it’s okay if you’re unsure where to begin. I offer a brief 15–20 minute consultation where you can ask questions and get a sense of whether we’re a good fit. When you’re ready, I’m here to help you take the next step.

Born and raised in Puerto Rico, I use a culturally-responsive approach to therapy. We will work together to understand personal and societal factors that contribute to your everyday well-being. Through self-exploration of personal narratives (Constructivism), analysis of interpersonal experiences (Dialectical), and understanding of the intersections between our past and present (Psychodynamic), we become more in charge of our future and aware of how we occupy and share spaces with others. My goal is to guide you towards healthier mental habits that can alleviate your suffering and enable a life-long journey of fulfillment. I obtained my doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from the APA-Accredited program at the University of Puerto Rico and completed my masters degree in Psychological Research at the University of Guadalajara. I specialized in psychodynamic psychotherapy, studying Lacanian Psychoanalysis in Quebec at the GIFRIC Institute. I believe that therapy is a co-creation of a shared vulnerable space, therefore my role as a therapist requires intellectual humility, transparency, and empathy. I have helped clients understand how to communicate and regulate their emotions through interpersonal skills, acknowledgement of unhealthy attachment patterns, and self-regulating practices. I have worked with a wide range of clients including adolescents, young adults, women, couples, families, and people who are incarcerated. As a former Montessori educator, I am aware of the importance of recognizing the needs of each developmental stage, and I strive to meet everyone where they are. I look forward to embarking on this journey with you! Types of Therapy Attachment-based Culturally Sensitive Gottman Method Multicultural Psychoanalytic Psychodynamic Relational

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

Feeling like a mess in a world that wants you to have it all figured out? Same. That’s why I work with young adults who are anxious, burnt out, and/or in the thick of transitions. Let’s be honest: Change is hard, even when it’s good or what you chose. Whether you're starting college, navigating early adulthood, managing relationships, or facing big questions about who you are and what you want. Here's the thing... You don't need to process it all alone. Therapy can be the space where you process and figure things out. And with me, therapy is without judgment, pressure, or weird florescent lighting. My clients are often reflective, engaging, and open. They’re trying their best (and tired of pretending that’s enough). Together, we create space for real conversations, reflection, accountability, which leads to insight and change. I’m a big believer that healing doesn’t have to be heavy, sometimes even light. You don’t need to have a specific “goal” to start therapy. You might just be tired of pretending you’re fine. You might want to stop spiraling at 2 AM, or to figure out why the smallest things feel so overwhelming. You are not broken. You’re doing your best. Let’s start there and get to work.