Prenatal and postpartum therapists & psychiatrists in Northbrook, IL

Hi, I’m Dr. Linda Wickens, a doctoral-level therapist and coach who works with individuals navigating stress, life transitions, relationship challenges, and patterns that keep them feeling stuck while preventing forward movement and growth. Many of my clients are high-functioning on the outside but feel overwhelmed, disconnected, or frustrated that change feels harder than it should.

Therapy and coaching with me are never one-size-fits-all. We work collaboratively to create a plan that is specific to you, your goals, and your capacity, adjusting pace and structure as your needs evolve. I focus on helping clients understand their patterns, build emotional awareness, and develop practical skills they can actually use in daily life.

I hold a Doctorate in Social Work and am a fully licensed clinical social worker, with over nine years of experience in the mental health field. My work integrates evidence-based therapy with a coaching-informed lens when appropriate, allowing sessions to be both supportive and goal-oriented while still making space to explore the past and its impact on the present.

Clients often describe my style as warm, direct, and collaborative. As part of my concierge model, clients work directly with me rather than an assistant, and I remain accessible to my clients outside of sessions through secure communication when needed. I believe growth happens through understanding, compassion, and honest conversation, and that progress is most sustainable when care feels personal, intentional, and consistent.

Please Note: I do not provide couples or marriage counseling. I do not treat adolescents under the age of 21. Additionally, I am not able to treat clients who are experiencing active suicidal ideation or self-harm behaviors. If these services are needed, I encourage seeking a provider who specializes in these areas or contacting appropriate crisis resources if immediate support is required.

Are you the person everyone depends on, but lately you're feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, or like you're carrying too much? You may be dealing with anxiety, depression, burnout, grief, trauma, workplace stress, relationship concerns, or a major life change and know something needs to change, even if you're not sure where to start. That's where I can help.

I work with children, adolescents and adults and provide both ongoing therapy and short-term, solution-focused support. My goal is to create a space where you can talk openly, feel heard, understand what's getting in the way, and develop practical strategies you can actually use in everyday life.

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.

My style is eclectic and strength based. I see human nature as intrinsically good. Sigmund Freud said we are bio-social animals. I believe a great deal in listening to one’s self talk. The more positive our dialogue with ourselves is, the more positive our dialogues with others and our lives are. I’m also experienced in CBT, DBT, MI, Solution Focused, ACT, Gestalt, Interpersonal, and person-centered counseling.

My training includes lots of wonderful supervision and workshops, a three-year certificate from the Gestalt Institute of Chicago, and two one month intensives with Virginia Satir, the founder of family therapy. Virginia taught that exploring the self is like mining gold. We all have gold inside of us. That is our basic goodness. A lot of emotional suffering is the result of being detoured from that basic goodness.

For me, I aim to help others transform their lives through compassionate, personalized care (with plenty of humor along the way). I specialize in working with people of color, student-athletes, and those who are neurodivergent. If you’re neurodivergent and reading this, you’ve finally found someone who specializes in and deeply understands your unique perspective. Whether seeking clarity on behaviors, understanding how you interpret the world, or navigating challenges, I am here to help.

Hi! I am a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor with over 5 years of experience in the mental health field. I have worked in a wide range of practice settings, supporting clients across the lifespan—from youth to older adults.

My desire is to see humanity thrive; past the stuck points and adversity. I am passionate about helping people navigate life’s challenges and would be honored to support you on your journey.