Kathleen O'Connor
Online Therapy
Therapist - LCPC, LMHC, CEDS
Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin
www.ailmtherapy.comAbout Kathleen
Like many therapist profiles, this page could list my degrees and credentials, provide a vague description of what clients I work with, and be distant but warm; however, that is not how I work with clients or how I am in the world. I want this page to help you decide if we’ll work well together, not just list the things I’ve done. What you probably want to know is 1) do I know what I’m doing and 2) are we a good fit in working together.
I have been working in the mental health field, specifically with eating disorders, since 2014 in a variety of capacities including inpatient, residential, and crisis stabilization programs. I am passionate about eating disorder recovery and collaborating with patients to find balance in their lives. I am body-positive and Health at Every Size (HAES) aligned. I have experience in working with families, couples, and individuals in addition to facilitating group therapy. My primary focus lies in helping to support clients and their loved ones in understanding and moving forward in the path to recovery through individual and family therapy. I have earned the distinction of being a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS) by the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals, and have been an officeholder for the Heartland chapter of iaedp since 2019 and remained committed to pursuing ongoing education within the field.
There are so many people who hesitate to come to therapy or to move forward in eating disorder recovery due to having been previously unsuccessful with a “one size fits all” approach. I work with you to figure it out. I’m not a smile-and-nod, sit in silence type of therapist. I'll call you out on your BS, but I can do that in a way where we can both laugh. I'm not afraid to talk about anything you need to talk about. Intrusive thoughts? Feeling like you’re the only person to feel this way? You’d be surprised to find that you’re not alone. Therapy will provide a safe space to be yourself and a supportive environment to help meet you where you’re at and work towards creating lasting change in your life.
Costs and Insurance
$50 - 200 per session
Sliding Scale
Out of Pocket
Blue Cross Blue Shield
Why did you become a therapist, and what motivates you to continue?
Becoming a therapist wasn't something I considered as a child or even when I started college. Initially I wanted to be a veterinarian, or a lawyer. After taking some thought and considering what I actually wanted to do, I narrowed that down into "helping." From there, and through a number of experiences in graduate school, I was drawn to higher levels of care in the mental health field and eventually into my work with eating disorders.
For people that are hesitant to try therapy, what do you wish you could tell them?
Give it a chance! Therapy can be daunting because there's no right or wrong answer, and it can be difficult to define what we can expect. All I ask is to show up as you, as best you can, and we'll figure it out from there.
What does a typical session with you tend to look like?
There's rarely a session I have that doesn't include some elements of laughter or levity, but there's also plenty of opportunities in session for us to work on what brings you here, and for me to (gently or not so gently) call you out on your stuff.
Interested in talking?
(708) 580-6818Costs and Insurance
$50 - 200 per session
Sliding Scale
Out of Pocket
Blue Cross Blue Shield
Specialties
Anxiety
Eating Disorders
Self Esteem
Self-Harming
Approaches
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Cognitive Processing (CPT)
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
Family Systems
Interpersonal (IPT)