Individual Therapy in Chicago — Personalized Care for Real Change

What Is Individual Therapy?

Individual therapy — also called psychotherapy, talk therapy, or counseling — is a collaborative process between you and a licensed therapist. It’s a dedicated space where you can explore your thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and life experiences without judgment. Through regular one-on-one sessions, therapy helps you develop insight, build coping skills, and create meaningful, lasting change.

At 2nd Story Counseling, individual therapy isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. Our Chicago therapists tailor every treatment plan to your unique history, personality, and goals. Whether you’re navigating a specific challenge or simply feeling stuck, therapy offers a structured, supportive environment to help you move forward.

People often wonder whether therapy is “serious enough” for what they’re going through — the answer is always yes. You don’t need to be in crisis to benefit from therapy. Many of our clients are high-functioning, motivated individuals who simply want to understand themselves better, work through patterns that aren’t serving them, or build a stronger foundation for the life they want.

Reasons People Seek Individual Therapy in Chicago

There is no single reason people come to therapy — and there doesn’t need to be. At 2nd Story Counseling, we work with adults navigating a wide range of life experiences and mental health challenges. Here are some of the most common reasons our Chicago clients seek individual therapy:

Anxiety & Stress

Anxiety is one of the most common reasons people seek therapy in Chicago. Whether you experience generalized worry, social anxiety, panic attacks, health anxiety, or performance anxiety, our therapists use evidence-based approaches including CBT, exposure therapy, and mindfulness to help you reduce anxiety and reclaim your life. Chicago’s fast-paced North Side neighborhoods can amplify stress — our Lakeview therapists understand the unique pressures of city living.

Depression & Low Mood

Depression can make even the simplest tasks feel impossible. It affects your sleep, your relationships, your motivation, and your sense of self. Our Chicago therapists work with clients experiencing mild to severe depression, using approaches including CBT, behavioral activation, IFS, and interpersonal therapy to help you find your way back to yourself. You don’t have to white-knuckle your way through it alone.

Trauma & PTSD

Unresolved trauma can shape every aspect of your life — your relationships, your self-image, your ability to feel safe in the world. 2nd Story Counseling offers specialized trauma therapy using EMDR, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). Our trauma-informed therapists create a safe, paced environment where healing is possible, no matter how long you’ve been carrying what happened to you.

Life Transitions

Major life changes — a new job, a breakup, a move, a loss, graduation, retirement, becoming a parent — can trigger unexpected emotional turbulence even when the change is positive. Individual therapy helps you process what’s shifting, clarify your values, and move through transitions with more intention and less anxiety. Our Lakeview therapists have helped hundreds of Chicago adults navigate exactly these kinds of crossroads.

LGBTQ+ Identity & Affirming Care

2nd Story Counseling has been an LGBTQ+ affirming practice since our founding in 2005. Several of our therapists openly identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, and queer. Individual therapy with an affirming therapist means you never have to explain or justify who you are — you can simply focus on the work. We serve the Boystown, Lakeview, and broader LGBTQ+ Chicago community with deep cultural competency and lived experience.

Identity & Self-Discovery

Sometimes therapy isn’t about solving a problem — it’s about understanding yourself more deeply. Questions about who you are, what you want, what you believe, and how you want to live are profoundly worthwhile. Individual therapy creates space for self-exploration that busy daily life rarely affords. Our therapists welcome clients who come to therapy simply wanting to grow.

Relationship Patterns

Even when you’re not in couples therapy, your relationship patterns are often at the heart of individual work. Do you find yourself repeating the same dynamics across relationships? Struggling with boundaries, attachment, or communication? Individual therapy helps you understand the roots of these patterns — often formed in early experiences — and develop healthier ways of connecting with the people in your life.

Addictions & Substance Use

Our Chicago therapists offer compassionate, non-judgmental support for clients navigating problems with alcohol, drugs, sex addiction, and other compulsive behaviors. Addiction is rarely just about the substance — it’s about what the substance is doing for you emotionally. Individual therapy explores the underlying drivers and helps you build a sustainable path toward recovery and wholeness.

Internal Family Systems (IFS)

IFS therapy is one of our signature clinical approaches at 2nd Story Counseling. Developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz, IFS understands the mind as made up of different “parts” — the inner critic, the protector, the wounded child, the caretaker. Individual IFS therapy helps you build a compassionate relationship with each of these parts, reducing internal conflict and healing the wounds that drive anxiety, depression, and self-destructive behavior. Clients often describe IFS as the most transformative therapy they’ve ever experienced.

Relational Therapy

Relational therapy focuses on how your relationships — past and present — shape your sense of self and your emotional life. Rather than focusing solely on symptoms, relational therapy explores the interpersonal context in which those symptoms developed. It’s a deeply humanistic approach that honors the complexity of your history and the importance of connection in healing.

ADHD & Focus Challenges

Adults with ADHD often go undiagnosed for years, struggling with focus, time management, impulsivity, and self-esteem without understanding why. Individual therapy for ADHD helps you develop practical strategies, build self-compassion, and address the emotional impact of living with attention challenges. Our therapists work alongside our psychological assessment team, which offers comprehensive ADHD evaluations for adults in the Chicagoland area. See our psychological assessments page.

Our Approach to Individual Therapy in Chicago

At 2nd Story Counseling, we don’t believe in a single approach to therapy — because no two people are the same. Our therapists are trained in a range of evidence-based modalities and draw from multiple frameworks to create a treatment plan that fits you specifically.

Our core clinical approaches include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which helps you identify and change unhelpful thought patterns; Internal Family Systems (IFS), which works with the different parts of your internal world; EMDR, a proven trauma processing approach; Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which builds emotional regulation skills; Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which helps you live in alignment with your values; and Relational and Psychodynamic approaches, which explore how your history and relationships shape your present experience.

What unifies all of our work is a deep commitment to the therapeutic relationship. Research consistently shows that the quality of the relationship between client and therapist is the single most important predictor of positive outcomes. Our Chicago therapists invest in knowing you — your history, your strengths, your goals — and building a genuine partnership for change.

We also offer both in-person therapy at our Lakeview office and secure telehealth therapy for clients across Illinois — giving you the flexibility to engage in therapy in whatever format works best for your life.

What to Expect From Individual Therapy at 2nd Story Counseling

Starting therapy can feel daunting — especially if it’s your first time. Here’s what you can expect when you begin individual therapy at 2nd Story Counseling.

Your first session is a chance for your therapist to learn about you — your history, what’s bringing you to therapy, and what you’re hoping to get out of it. It’s also your opportunity to ask questions and get a feel for whether this therapist is the right fit. We encourage you to trust your instincts about fit — the therapeutic relationship matters.

Ongoing sessions typically happen weekly or every two weeks, depending on your needs and schedule. Sessions are 50 minutes and take place either in our comfortable Lakeview office or via our secure telehealth platform. Over time, you and your therapist will develop a rhythm — building on insights, working through challenges, and tracking your progress toward your goals.

Progress in therapy isn’t always linear. Some sessions feel transformative; others feel like treading water. Both are part of the process. Our therapists check in regularly about how therapy is feeling and adjust the approach as needed. We believe therapy should feel like it’s working — and if it doesn’t, we talk about that too.

Most clients work with us for anywhere from a few months to a year or more, depending on the complexity of their goals. Some return to therapy at different life stages. There’s no right timeline — only the one that serves you.

Why Choose 2nd Story Counseling for Individual Therapy in Chicago?

2nd Story Counseling has been serving Chicago’s North Side since 2005 — nearly 20 years of helping individuals, couples, and families grow, heal, and thrive. We are one of Chicago’s most established group therapy practices, with a team of seasoned psychologists, licensed clinical professional counselors, and clinical social workers.

Our Lakeview location puts us at the heart of Chicago’s North Side, easily accessible from Lincoln Park, Uptown, Andersonville, Wrigleyville, Boystown, and Roscoe Village — and just steps from the Red Line Sheridan stop. We also serve clients across Illinois through our secure telehealth platform.

We accept Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO insurance and offer sliding scale fees for qualifying clients. Our goal is to make high-quality therapy as accessible as possible to the Chicago community we’ve served for two decades.

To learn more about what makes 2nd Story Counseling different, visit our 7 Reasons Why Clients Choose Us page. To meet our team of Chicago therapists, visit our Chicago Therapists page.

Individual Therapy in Chicago — Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if I need individual therapy?

If you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, anxious, depressed, or simply like something isn’t right — therapy can help. You don’t need to be in crisis to benefit from individual therapy. Many of our clients come to therapy during periods of transition, growth, or simply wanting to understand themselves better. If you’re considering therapy, that instinct is worth following.

How long does individual therapy take?

The length of therapy varies depending on your goals and the complexity of what you’re working on. Some clients achieve their goals in 12-16 sessions; others benefit from longer-term work over a year or more. Your therapist will discuss realistic expectations during your first few sessions and check in regularly about your progress.

Do you accept insurance for individual therapy in Chicago?

Yes. 2nd Story Counseling accepts Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO insurance. We also offer a sliding scale fee structure for clients who qualify. Contact us directly to discuss your specific insurance coverage and payment options.

Can I do individual therapy online in Illinois?

Yes. We offer secure telehealth therapy sessions to clients across Illinois. Our online therapy sessions are conducted through a HIPAA-compliant platform and offer the same quality of care as in-person sessions — with the added convenience of attending from wherever you are in the state.

What therapy approaches do you use for individual therapy?

Our therapists are trained in a range of evidence-based approaches including CBT, IFS, EMDR, DBT, ACT, relational therapy, and psychodynamic therapy. Your therapist will work with you to identify the approaches that are the best fit for your specific goals and history.

How is 2nd Story Counseling different from other Chicago therapy practices?

We’ve been serving Chicago’s North Side for nearly 20 years — longer than most practices in the area. Our therapists bring deep clinical expertise across a wide range of specialties, with particular strength in IFS, trauma, LGBTQ+ affirming care, and men’s therapy. We are a true group practice with multiple therapists, meaning we can match you with the right clinician for your specific needs. And our Lakeview location — combined with telehealth across Illinois — makes quality therapy accessible to clients throughout the Chicago area.