Book a therapist or psychiatrist in Skokie, IL covered by Cigna

I am a LCSW with more than 11 years of experience supporting individuals and families navigating life transitions. I earned my master's degree from the University of Chicago, where I focused on clinical practice and community based mental health.

My background includes work in foster care, community mental health, and supporting people navigating anxiety, stress, and major life changes. I’ve spent much of my career helping clients build emotional resilience, strengthen identity, and feel more grounded in their daily lives.

I work with adults, teens, and caregivers, and I bring a collaborative, down to earth style to therapy. My goal is to create a space where you feel understood, supported, and empowered to make meaningful change.

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 have been a therapist for over twenty five years with a varied background including hospice, nursing homes, home care and individual counseling settings. I became a licensed, clinical social worker after graduating from the University of IL-Urbana 30 years ago.

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.

Life can feel like a lot sometimes, whether you're navigating anxiety, grief, addiction, or the emotional weight of caring for a loved one. Maybe things feel tangled, or you're used to being the strong one for everyone else. You don’t have to figure it all out alone. I want to understand your story, what’s been heavy lately, and what you’re hoping will feel different. Together, we can begin to make sense of it all and help you feel more steady, supported, and like yourself again.

I work with Adolescents and Adults who are struggling with stress and anxiety, the effects of trauma, attachment issues, and Parenting concerns. I have an Individualized approach that allows me to join with Clients on their journey toward growth and healing.

I'm Christine Manuel, LCSW, a Client centered and goal oriented Therapist. I earned my Masters Degree from the University of Chicago, and I have been in this field for over 18 years.

It’s exhausting when your own mind feels like a hurdle. Maybe you’re navigating intrusive thoughts that feel impossible to shut off, or you’re struggling to get things done and remember what’s important while your brain feels like it’s constantly misfiring. Perhaps you’re grieving a version of yourself that felt certain, watching the life you planned get derailed by chronic illness or the weight of a diagnosis you didn’t ask for. When your "to-do" list feels like a mountain and your past keeps creeping into your present, it’s easy to feel lost or, worse, dismissed by the people who are supposed to help.