Grief Therapists in Illinois

Tara Thompson is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Illinois, providing telehealth counseling services since December 2021. She works with adults, couples, families, and children, drawing on nearly two decades of experience supporting clients across the lifespan—from children to older adults.

I provide counseling and therapy services to children and teens ages (9-14 y/o), adults, and parents. We all develop unhelpful patterns that often hold us back and can harm us instead of helping us. When this happens it’s helpful to have someone we can talk to who listens and supports us without judgment.

I’m an LCSW with nearly 20 years of experience working across outpatient therapy, school-based settings, home-based services, crisis intervention, and telehealth. Over the course of my career, I’ve worked with people across a wide range of ages, backgrounds, and life circumstances, which has taught me to quickly understand what each person needs and adapt accordingly. My particular area of focus is relational trauma, especially the lasting impact of manipulation, control, emotional invalidation, and difficult family dynamics. I work with adults who may have spent years questioning themselves, over-explaining, people-pleasing, feeling responsible for other people’s emotions, or struggling to trust their own perceptions. I have a particular interest in helping adults of manipulative or narcissistic parents, partners, or caregivers understand these patterns and begin to reclaim a stronger sense of self. Clients often describe feeling supported and understood rather than judged. My goal is not simply to help someone cope with what is happening, but to help them develop greater clarity about their experiences and relationships, recognize patterns that may no longer serve them, develop greater compassion for themselves, and build the confidence and courage to make meaningful changes. I believe therapy should be collaborative and individualized. I respect each client’s values, beliefs, spirituality, culture, and perspective on what healing and wellness mean to them, and I work with clients to identify approaches that feel both supportive and genuinely useful within the systems they are part of.

I am a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) passionate about helping people navigate life’s challenges, including anxiety, trauma, and difficult transitions. I create a safe, supportive space where clients feel heard, understood, and empowered to explore their thoughts and emotions. My approach is collaborative and tailored to each person’s unique journey. Together, we identify patterns that may be holding you back, build practical coping skills, and work toward meaningful change in your daily life. I focus on fostering self-awareness, resilience, and personal growth, always with compassion, empathy, and respect for your individual experience. Clients often describe me as warm, approachable, and insightful—someone who listens deeply, challenges gently, and supports them every step of the way toward clarity, balance, and well-being.

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Illinois. I completed my Bachelor of Science degree (B.S.) in Rehabilitation Services in 2006 and went on to earn my Master of Science degree (M.S.) in Rehabilitation Counseling in 2015 from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. I started providing online therapy 4 years ago but I have been in the counseling field for 19 years.  My professional background includes working with a wide variety of clients from children to older adults and couples.  I am passionate about all matters pertaining to mental and emotional health and well-being. I enjoy helping my clients to be able to identify their own strengths and to start believing in their capabilities to achieve their goals and realize their dreams. I feel that, often, the necessary ingredient for this to happen is simply having someone believe in you and to walk side-by-side in the journey.  I provide online therapy services using secure video teleconferencing for the comfort, convenience, added privacy and safety of my clients. When not working, I enjoy spending time with my friends, family and my pets. I enjoy traveling and going to the gym

If you are struggling and you want to reduce your anxiety, depression, stress, and/or relationship conflicts therapy can help. We can work together so you can advocate and care more for yourself and connect to what you need.

Welcome! I'm glad you're here. Feeling increased stress from the pandemic? Struggling with obsessive behaviors or destructive thought patterns? Perhaps severe anxiety and panic attacks feel debilitating. Does a past or recent traumatic event feel unbearable? Do you often feel worthless and "never good enough?" You are not alone and there is help! I bring a wide range of experience in mental health and wellness and have experience in multiple therapeutic approaches. This allows me to effectively use evidence-based approaches for a specific issue. I tailor a plan specially designed for you - your unique goals, characteristics, and drives. Mental health can be isolating; you are not alone. It takes tremendous courage to come to therapy and devote yourself to introspection and growth. My intention in working with you is to promote self-understanding and concrete skill-building. It is important to own your agency and trust your resilience, and move toward a compassionate self-narrative.

Are you feeling overwhelmed and emotional on the inside? You work hard to create the life you want, but you feel like it might fall apart at any moment. Do others view you as the strong friend or family member who saves the day, but there is rarely anyone who consistently shows up for you? You wonder if you’re a people pleaser, too hard on yourself, and why others don’t respect your boundaries. Is there past trauma that could be affecting your current relationships that you need to process? Unmanaged anxiety, depression, or unhealed trauma can leave you feeling dissatisfied with life. As a Caribbean American, I help men and women heal from trauma and toxic relationships by providing a safe, judgment free zone where you can learn new coping strategies to live your best life. I utilize cognitive-behavioral interventions and a psychodynamic and systems-based perspective that focuses on providing you with the tools to do the work to heal yourself. Are you ready to do the work? I am currently accepting new clients for 2024. Let us collaborate to improve your emotional intelligence, build your confidence, and maintain healthy relationships with others so you can experience as much joy and peace as possible. Licensed in USVI, AZ, CO, DE, FL, GA, IL, MA, MO, NE, NJ, NV, NH, OK, TX, UT, and other PsyPact states.

Hello and bienvenue! I work with a diverse clientele and specialize in providing social justice oriented psychotherapy to people of color, as well as members of LGBTQIA+ communities. I provide culturally responsive therapy, which focuses on the strengths that you already have. I tend to use an Interpersonal Process theoretical approach (IPT) as well as a cognitive-behavioral theoretical approach (CBT) while also paying attention to your environment and access to social support. I work with you to build a safe space where you can share your experiences without the fear of being judged, and where you can focus on becoming clear about what you want, and how you want to go about making that happen. I believe that it is important to build a strong therapeutic relationship, as well as paying close attention to what is happening for you in-the-moment. I find it helpful to work to understand the different values and beliefs that we bring into the room, and how these worldviews might affect our interactions with each other. Understanding how your thoughts are related to your behaviors can empower and help you to actively account for your reality. You can use this insight to make the changes that will be necessary to live life more healthily.