Addiction therapists & psychiatrists in Oak Brook, IL

I am a solution focused therapist with 39 years of experience. My therapy style is cognitive, interactive, compassionate, and, if need be, challenging. I believe effective therapy should produce change, not just insight. I will listen to you deeply, help conceptualize the problems, patterns, and dynamics which are causing you trouble, and give you feedback. Together, we will develop a strategy for more effective functioning and a better quality of life. therapy.

I do not do phone consultations.

Thank you for taking the first step in sharing your story—your Mental Health Matters, and you deserve to be heard, supported, and understood.

Welcome to Integrated Family Behavioral Health & Counseling PLLC! I'm Mihaela Vladu, PMHNP-BC, a Board-Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with over 16+ years of experience in healthcare, dedicated to helping individuals achieve lasting mental wellness and regain control of their lives.

I provide compassionate, personalized, and evidence-based care in a safe and supportive environment where you can feel heard, understood, and empowered. My approach focuses on treating the whole person—not just symptoms—while working collaboratively with you to reach your goals.

I specialize in working with a diverse range of individuals, including younger/older adults, children aged 6 and up, women dealing specifically with trauma and abuse, and veterans, as well as active-duty personnel experiencing PTSD. As a certified ADHD specialist, I provide targeted, evidence-based interventions to help individuals improve focus and daily functioning. I also have extensive experience treating bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, depression, panic disorder, OCD, and other complex mental health conditions.

Areas of Expertise:

• Dual-Diagnosis Care (SUD + mood/anxiety​/​psychotic disorders)

• MAT: Buprenorphine​/​Suboxone inductions & maintenance; relapse-prevention planning

• Alcohol​/​Opioid Withdrawal & Detox protocols (court order MAT program, inpatient, outpatient, and halfway houses)

• Depression, Anxiety, Bipolar Disorder, Psychosis

• Residential​/​PHP​/​IOP programmed care & step-down planning

• Trauma-informed care, veteran populations, and complex comorbidity

My commitment to therapy isn't just professional — it's deeply personal. With fifteen years of hands-on experience, I've navigated my own life journey and know firsthand what it means to search for purpose, confront unresolved barriers, and actively fight for inner healing. That lived experience is the fuel behind everything I do.

I am lively, warm, and I truly never meet a stranger. I welcome everyone with open arms and bring an uplifting, hopeful energy to every session — while also being the kind of counselor who will sit with you safely in your pain with a deeply empathetic heart. I am fiercely loyal and dedicated to your long-term growth and victory.

I work with faith-based individuals and spiritual seekers, adults in transition, adolescents and young adults, couples, and those navigating trauma, addiction, and recovery.

I specialize in counseling individuals with addictions, eating disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and trauma. My goal as a therapist is to help patients live the life they imagine, so please feel free to come in and let me know what you're struggling with, and we will work collaboratively to figure out the best way to move toward healing. I know life can get really challenging at times, symptoms flare up, you feel lost. I'm here to listen to you and work together to help you cope and rebuild the life you want to live.

I am a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC) with over a decade of experience in mental health care, supporting individuals across inpatient and outpatient settings. Through my work, I have cared for clients with a wide range of needs, including chronic and severe mental health conditions, and I understand how overwhelming it can feel to navigate symptoms while trying to maintain daily life.

My care philosophy is centered on partnership. Treatment is not about taking over your care, but about working with you to explore your symptoms, goals, and values. Together, we develop a treatment plan that feels respectful, personalized, and empowering. If you have concerns or hesitations about medication, we will discuss all available options openly and thoughtfully, moving at a pace that feels right for you.

I work with individuals experiencing depression, anxiety, trauma, ADHD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, OCD, and other mood and thought-related conditions. During the initial session, we focus on understanding your concerns, reviewing your history, and identifying practical steps toward improvement. Care may include psychiatric evaluation, medication management when appropriate, brief psychotherapy, education, and ongoing support.

I believe mental health care should feel supportive, clear, and collaborative—not rushed or overwhelming.

You do not have to face these challenges alone. My role is to help you reduce symptoms, strengthen coping skills, and regain balance so you can function at your best and move forward with confidence and stability.

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.