Grief counselors and therapists in Buffalo Grove, IL

True wellness is a commitment to your best self. But what do you do if you don’t know what that looks like? When is the last time you had the space to reflect on your life and goals? Do you find yourself unbalanced due to life’s changes and in need of a reset? Meet with me! Let’s develop a plan for you to see yourself clearly. I utilize client-centered approaches with science-supported interventions. I won’t leave your wellness up to chance, let’s work together to make a change.

Dr. Christina Alexakos is a Clinical Psychologist with over 19 years of experience

providing psychotherapy to individuals across the lifespan from childhood to geriatric.

She has experience in assisting clients with adjustment issues ranging from changes in

occupation, education, grief, relocation, providing skills in parenting, stress and pain

management, health and wellness, mindfulness, increasing self-esteem and

assertiveness. She has worked with anxiety and depressive disorders, bipolar disorder,

trauma, anger management, personality disorders, and severe mental illness.

Dr. Christina Alexakos earned her Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Clinical Psychology

from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. She provided inpatient

psychological assessments and group psychotherapy at Hartgrove Psychiatric Hospital.

She trained in Health Psychology in the pain clinic at Swedish Covenant Hospital as

well as providing inpatient and outpatient psychotherapy to hospital patients. The

University of Chicago and The University of Illinois at Chicago provided comprehensive

training in neuropsychological evaluations with adults and children experiencing a wide

range of clinical concerns. She completed an internship at Southlake Community Mental

Health Center and a postdoctoral fellowship at Hopewell Academies, a therapeutic day

school for special needs/troubled teenagers.

I am a licensed clinical social worker in the state of Illinois with over 8 years of experience supporting individuals across the lifespan. I began my career as an Early Childhood Teacher which sparked my passion for helping others and transitioned to social work. I believe prioritizing mental health is essential to overall stability and well-being. I have experience working with children, adolescents adults and older adults who are managing PTSD, grief depression, anxiety and adjustment disorders.

If you're functioning on the outside but privately exhausted, stuck, or carrying more than you've let on, you're in the right place. I work with adults, many in the LGBTQIA+ community, navigating trauma, grief, relationship strain, and major life transitions. A lot of my clients come in saying, "I know what my patterns are. I just can't seem to change them." That's exactly where we start. Together, we'll get underneath what's keeping you stuck and build a path forward that actually fits your life.

Some weight is hard to name. Grief that surfaces unexpectedly. Trauma that won’t stay in the past. Anxiety that makes the present feel unmanageable. Whatever you’re carrying, I’m here to help you make sense of it.

I work with adults and adolescents, navigating trauma, anxiety, depression, grief, and major life transitions, including end-of-life care for individuals and families facing serious illness. With 8 years of experience across criminal justice and clinical social work, I bring a grounded, practical perspective to therapy, one that takes your full story into account, not just the presenting problem.

My approach is client-centered, strengths-based, and collaborative. I believe therapy should be a space where you feel heard, respected, and free from judgment. Together, we can better understand what you’re experiencing, build meaningful coping strategies, and identify practical steps toward healing and greater emotional well-being.

You don’t have to have everything figured out before you begin. Wherever you are in your journey, I’m here to meet you there.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who has been working in the mental health field 6+years. I have experience working with adolescents and adults of all ages, navigating trauma, eating disorders, anxiety, mood disorders, relationship difficulties, and complex life transitions. My background includes clinical, school-based, and higher-level care settings, which allows me to understand how emotional challenges show up across different environments and stages of life.

I specialize in trauma-informed care and work with clients who feel stuck in painful patterns, overwhelmed by emotions, or disconnected from themselves or others. My training includes CBT, DBT, ACT, EMDR, and Internal Family Systems (IFS), and I have completed specialized training working with betrayal Trauma and sex addiction through IITAP. I am especially experienced in supporting clients who have complex cases and/ or deep rooted negative beliefs helping them to build stability, insight, and resilience in a way that feels sustainable and empowering.

I believe therapy is a safe space where clients feel heard and accepted for who they are. I approach clients with compassion, understanding, and without judgement. I recognize that everyone has unique experiences, needs, goals, and strengths. For me, building a genuine and trusting relationship is an important part of the therapeutic process. I want my clients to feel that they can be open and honest while knowing that I’m there to support them. I see therapy as a collaborative process, where we work together to identify goals, explore challenges, and find tools and strategies that can make life feel more manageable.