Therapist in Chicago, Illinois Ashleigh Heller, Therapist

My Therapeutic Approach: I work with individuals of all ages, including children through adults. I offer both office/in-person and Telehealth sessions. I use a relationship-based, client-focused, collaborative, and trauma-informed approach to counseling. I incorporate an integrative mix of therapies into my work with clients: Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR), Person-Centered Therapy (PCT), Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT), Psychodynamic Therapy, and others. I consider all domains that make up a whole person- i.e. mental, physical, emotional, spiritual, etc. It is my philosophy that with patience, determination, trust, and meaningful connection, insight and healing are attainable. I am passionate about supporting individuals while they navigate the various trials that occur in life. I find that it is helpful to validate strengths and motivations as a way to empower individuals to take control of their own lives. It is my goal as a therapist to help people begin to address their presenting issues by first providing them with unconditional support in a safe space. Together, we then work to uncover underlying sources of pain, connect the impact that thoughts and feelings have on behaviors, strengthen self-awareness and acceptance, explore and incorporate effective coping skills into daily living, and relieve distress to ultimately improve functioning and quality of life.

My Education & Experience: I earned my B.A. in Sociology and B.M. in Music Performance from Northwestern University, and then my M.Ed. in Counseling from DePaul University, where I focused on both Clinical Mental Health Counseling as well as School Counseling. I have since become a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC), a National Certified Counselor (NCC), and a Certified Clinical Trauma Counselor (CCTP). I also hold a Professional Educator License with an endorsement as a School Counselor for ages Pre-K through 21. I have worked and volunteered in a variety of mental health settings, including a therapeutic residential school for children and teens, a Chicago Public Schools K-8 school, a crisis call center for homeless youth, a nonprofit organization supporting grieving youth, and a LGBTQ+ community center. I am drawn to working with a diverse clientele and have experience with individuals ranging in age from preschool to seniors. In the past I have facilitated group therapy and family therapy sessions, though currently I focus solely on individual therapy with clients.