Family therapy and counseling in Illinois

Clients often describe me as approachable, practical, and easy to talk to. Therapy should be a collaborative process, and I strive to create a space where you feel comfortable being yourself without fear of judgment. My style balances support with practical problem-solving, helping clients gain insight while also developing strategies they can use in everyday life. Above all, I want you to feel heard, understood, and supported as we work toward your goals together.

With over a decade of psychiatric nursing experience, I've built a practice around making people feel truly understood from the very first conversation. I'm fluent in English, Hindi, Punjabi, and Urdu, and I've found that meeting someone in their first language changes everything about how safe they feel opening up. I work with adults and teens navigating anxiety, depression, substance use, and eating disorders, combining medication management with therapeutic support to care for the whole person. My practice is fully virtual, so you can access care from wherever feels most comfortable for you.

I love helping both children and adults to cope better with stress, feel more hopeful about the future, and to process difficult moments from the past. Many of my clients have the goal to start living a life that aligns with their values; getting closer to what really matters to them. I see the goal of therapy as helping a client to live, work, learn, and play more freely. That might mean helping a child be brave enough to speak in front of their classmates or help an adult learn to set boundaries in their relationships.

I'm a lifelong learner who has many specialties, but my primary specialties would include Exposure and Response Prevention (Anxiety and OCD), Cognitive Processing Therapy (PTSD), ACT (Depression), Theraplay (children 0-5), treatments for neurodiverse peoples (ADHD and ASD), and Psychological Testing. I can also offer services in Spanish and English.

I appreciate the bravery it took to search for a therapist, and I hope I get the chance to help you and your family carve the next step forward. You are welcome to message me with questions or to set up a quick consult call to see what it'd be like to work with me. I guarantee I will respond to your inquiry within 2 business days.

I’m Carlos Ruiz, a bilingual LCPC, psychotherapist, and Spiritual Director with graduate training in counseling and divinity. In my practice, I foster a safe, collaborative space where we can work together to help you move away from self-judgment and toward greater self-acceptance, curiosity, and meaningful connection. I work with individuals and couples navigating family issues, grief and loss, trauma, LGBTQ+ concerns, relationship and sexuality issues, transition struggles, anger management, and cross-cultural concerns. My hope is to help you discover the unreleased energy within you that can support healing, healthier living, and deeper connection with yourself and others.