Family therapy and counseling in Aurora, IL

I’m a Licensed Social Worker with over 30 years of experience providing mental health services in Northern Illinois and the suburban Chicago area. Since earning my master’s degree, I have worked with individuals, couples, and families facing a range of concerns, including mood disorders, panic disorder, anxiety, depression, and grief. I believe therapy should be a place for fresh starts and meaningful change. My goal is to create a supportive, interactive environment where clients feel heard, understood, and empowered. I’m committed to helping people build practical skills and insight so they can move toward a more balanced, fulfilling, and happier life.

Len Schmelkin is a LICSW who specializes in treating anxiety, depression, adjustment disorders, in adults and families. Len completed his graduate training at the University of Wisconsin. He is completing his certicated in family therapy at the Intensive Family Therapy Program in Boston.

Welcome! I am a US military veteran with over two decades of experiences as a provider of mental health care services at the individual, groups and organization level(s). I use my skills and training of over two decades as a psychotherapist, neuropsychology practitioner, addictions treatment professional, forensically credentialed and certified provider of sex offender assessment and treatment services, to provide general telemental health outpatient counseling care. My treatment approach is eclectic, in that I provide patients with e-therapy care that is both collaborative and integrative. Our work will be anchored with the best ideas and concepts from both conventional and alternative methods of healing, incorporating scientifically-supported technologies and techniques from nutritional psychology, neuropsychology and nutritional psychiatry as well as both ancient and.modern methods of psychotherapy.

Hello, I’m Sherri Larson, an LCPC who is passionate about helping people feel grounded, understood, and supported. I’ve worked with individuals experiencing trauma, anxiety, depression, grief, and relationship difficulties, and I value the resilience people bring to therapy.

If you've been carrying the weight of trauma, grief, or anxiety for longer than you can remember, you're not alone.

I've spent 12 years as a licensed counselor in Chicago working with people of all ages, from young children to seniors. What keeps me in this work is the moment a client realizes they've been surviving something hard, and that there's a different way forward.

I have a particular passion for working with mothers navigating postpartum struggles, families dealing with grief and loss, and adults working through trauma and PTSD. Many of my clients were looking for someone who would be real with them, not just professional. That's what you'll find here.

I’m Annmarie O’Connell, a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) with over 15 years of experience supporting individuals through some of life’s toughest moments. My background is rooted in community mental health, where I’ve worked with people from all walks of life dealing with anxiety, depression, trauma, and major life transitions.

I’m also trained in Brainspotting, a powerful therapeutic technique that taps into the brain-body connection to help clients process and release deeply held emotional pain. This approach, along with my real-world experience, allows me to support clients in a holistic, meaningful way. My work is deeply personal to me—because I’ve experienced firsthand how life-changing therapy can be.

I believe people can change, no matter how stuck they feel. Whether you're dealing with anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD, relationship struggles, or substance use, my goal is to provide a place where you feel heard, challenged, and supported. I use practical, evidence-based approaches like CBT, REBT, and Motivational Interviewing to help you build lasting change. Therapy changed my own life, and I'm passionate about helping others find hope, healing, and a path forward.

I've spent more than 30 years working at the intersection of trauma, behavioral health, substance use, and the legal system — the places where people's lives get the most complicated. My background includes community mental health, child welfare, residential treatment, and forensic social work throughout the Chicago area. I've worked with courts, directed multi-site programs, and served populations that most therapists don't encounter. Now I bring all of that experience into one-on-one telehealth sessions for adults across Illinois.I work best with people who have been through real complexity: trauma that runs deep, co-occurring mental health and substance use challenges, grief that doesn't follow a timeline, life disrupted by legal system involvement, or histories that are hard to explain to someone who hasn't seen it before. If you've worked with other therapists who didn't quite get it — I understand, and I'm not starting from scratch with you. I'm also currently completing my Doctorate of Social Work at the University of New England, which reflects my commitment to staying at the leading edge of clinical practice. My work is grounded in evidence-based approaches — CBT, Trauma-Focused CBT, Motivational Interviewing, Strength-Based Therapy — applied with warmth, directness, and 30 years of real-world experience behind them.

Welcome! My name is Kandice Hightower, and I am a dual board certified nurse practitioner specializing in family and psychiatric mental health. With over 18 years of experience as a nurse, I am dedicated to providing compassionate, knowledgeable care to every person I work with. I have experience treating ADHD, Depression, Anxiety, and Bipolar Disorder, and I truly enjoy helping clients feel understood, supported, and empowered. If you are ready to take the first step, I would be happy to support you on this journey. Book today!

As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor in Illinois and Michigan, I believe that therapy is your space, shaped by what you need right now.

With 13+ years of experience in community mental health, residential treatment, and inpatient psychiatry, I provide therapy and parent coaching to:

• Children (5 years and older) & Families
• Young Adults & Adults
• Parents & Caregivers

I work alongside individuals navigating hard moments—especially those who feel overwhelmed, stuck, or powerless. Often, the people I work with are themselves experiencing or have a loved one impacted by:

• major life stress or conflict at home or school/work
• trauma
• grief and loss
• depression
• anxiety
• psychosis
• mania
• substance use

You are the expert on your own life and your own healing. My role is to meet you where you are and walk with you on your path, sometimes guiding, sometimes following, but mostly walking side-by-side.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. I specialize in talk therapy. I have worked with various situations, and feel that I am a traveler along your journey, there to assist and guide as you draw closer to your personal desires and purpose.