Vernon Hills, Illinois Syrena McKay, Therapy Clinician
Gender Identity: Female (She/Her)
Ages Served: 3-40
Appointments: In-office and Online
Manages Medications: No, provides therapy only
Accepts Insurance: Yes - View accepted plans
Syrena McKay, MS, LSW
Specializes In:
I’m Syrena McKay, MS, LSW, and I help people build stability, insight, and practical skills to navigate life’s challenges through compassionate, evidence-based therapy. At LifeStance Health in Illinois, I work with individuals, couples, and families of all ages, from children to seniors, offering care that is both clinically grounded and genuinely human.
I specialize in ADHD, anxiety, and trauma-related concerns, and I tailor each treatment plan to fit your stage of life and personal goals. I use approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Family Therapy to ease distress, strengthen coping skills, and support day-to-day functioning.
I also support LGBTQ+ individuals, those involved in adoption or foster care, and individuals with autism spectrum disorders. I am especially passionate about helping people transition after a psychiatric hospital stay, working together to rebuild routines, strengthen communication, and prevent relapse through ongoing, coordinated care.
I offer individual, couples, and family therapy, and I have experience with concerns like childhood behavior challenges, school avoidance, depression, grief, and life transitions. I began practicing in 2024 as a provisionally licensed social worker.
Outside of work, I enjoy sports, working out, music, coloring, and relaxing with a good show or movie.
Syrena McKay provides services with supervision.
Types of Care & Ages Served
- Individual Therapy: Ages 3-40
- Couples Therapy: Ages 18-40
- Family Therapy: Ages 3-40
Areas of Focus
Individual Therapy
Get help addressing challenges and improve well-being with a clinician's guidance.
- LGBTQ+
- School avoidance
- Ability status
- ADHD
- Adoption & foster care
- Anger issues
- Anxiety
- Attachment issues
- Attention & focus
- Autism: generally independent
- Autism: requires some assistance
- Autism: requires substantial support
- Body image
- Brain/head injuries (TBI)
- Bullying or harassment
- Career & work issues
- Caregiving
- Childhood behavioral issues
- Chronic pain-related issues
- Depression/feeling down
- Early adulthood: Independent living or relationships
- Early adulthood: Starting college or career
- Ethnic identity
- Family conflict
- Fertility
- Focus, concentration & memory
- Gender affirming evaluations
- Gender identity
- General relationship issues
- Grief & loss
- Immigration/cultural status
- Intellectual challenges: generally independent
- Intellectual challenges: requires some assistance
- Intellectual challenges: requires substantial support
- Learning challenges
- Marital stress or divorce
- Men's health/issues
- Menopause & perimenopause
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
- Other neurological conditions
- Other women's health concerns
- Panic attacks
- Parenting
- Patterns affecting behavior, emotions and relationships
- Personality disorders
- Phobias
- PMS & PMDD
- Post-partum depression & anxiety
- Pre-conception
- Pregnancy
- Pregnancy loss
- Premarital counseling
- Racial identity
- Religion & spirituality
- School behavioral issues
- Self-esteem
- Self-injury or cutting
- Sex & intimacy issues
- Sexual trauma
- Sleep issues or insomnia
- Social injustice
- Social skills & communication
- Stress from ongoing health issues
- Stress management
- Stroke-related conditions
- Trauma & PTSD
Couples Therapy
Helps partners address relationship conflict and improve communication with a clinician's guidance.
- Parenting
- Sex & intimacy issues
- Ability status
- ADHD
- Adoption & foster care
- Anger issues
- Anxiety
- Attachment issues
- Attention & focus
- Autism: generally independent
- Autism: requires some assistance
- Autism: requires substantial support
- Body image
- Brain/head injuries (TBI)
- Bullying or harassment
- Career & work issues
- Caregiving
- Childhood behavioral issues
- Chronic pain-related issues
- Depression/feeling down
- Early adulthood: Independent living or relationships
- Early adulthood: Starting college or career
- Ethnic identity
- Family conflict
- Fertility
- Focus, concentration & memory
- Gender affirming evaluations
- Gender identity
- General relationship issues
- Grief & loss
- Immigration/cultural status
- Intellectual challenges: generally independent
- Intellectual challenges: requires some assistance
- Intellectual challenges: requires substantial support
- Learning challenges
- LGBTQ+
- Marital stress or divorce
- Men's health/issues
- Menopause & perimenopause
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
- Other neurological conditions
- Other women's health concerns
- Panic attacks
- Patterns affecting behavior, emotions and relationships
- Personality disorders
- PMS & PMDD
- Post-partum depression & anxiety
- Pre-conception
- Pregnancy
- Pregnancy loss
- Premarital counseling
- Racial identity
- Religion & spirituality
- School avoidance
- School behavioral issues
- Self-esteem
- Self-injury or cutting
- Sexual trauma
- Sleep issues or insomnia
- Social injustice
- Social skills & communication
- Stress from ongoing health issues
- Stress management
- Stroke-related conditions
- Trauma & PTSD
Family Therapy
Improve communication and resolve conflicts within family dynamics with a clinician's guidance.
- Attachment issues
- Family conflict
- Parenting
- Ability status
- ADHD
- Adoption & foster care
- Anger issues
- Anxiety
- Attention & focus
- Autism: generally independent
- Autism: requires some assistance
- Autism: requires substantial support
- Body image
- Brain/head injuries (TBI)
- Bullying or harassment
- Caregiving
- Childhood behavioral issues
- Chronic pain-related issues
- Depression/feeling down
- Early adulthood: Independent living or relationships
- Early adulthood: Starting college or career
- Ethnic identity
- Fertility
- Focus, concentration & memory
- Gender affirming evaluations
- Gender identity
- General relationship issues
- Grief & loss
- Immigration/cultural status
- Intellectual challenges: generally independent
- Intellectual challenges: requires some assistance
- Intellectual challenges: requires substantial support
- Learning challenges
- LGBTQ+
- Marital stress or divorce
- Men's health/issues
- Menopause & perimenopause
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
- Other neurological conditions
- Other women's health concerns
- Panic attacks
- Patterns affecting behavior, emotions and relationships
- Personality disorders
- PMS & PMDD
- Post-partum depression & anxiety
- Pre-conception
- Pregnancy
- Pregnancy loss
- Premarital counseling
- Racial identity
- Religion & spirituality
- School avoidance
- School behavioral issues
- Self-esteem
- Self-injury or cutting
- Sex & intimacy issues
- Sexual trauma
- Sleep issues or insomnia
- Social injustice
- Social skills & communication
- Stress from ongoing health issues
- Stress management
- Stroke-related conditions
- Trauma & PTSD
Insurances Accepted
- Aetna
- America's Choice Provider Network
- Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS)
- Carelon (Beacon)
- Centivo
- Claritev (MultiPlan PHCS)
- Duly Health and Care (DuPage)
- Evernorth (Cigna)
- HealthSmart
- MediNcrease Health Plans (MHP)
- Northwell Direct
- Optum (UnitedHealthcare)
- Partners Direct Health
- Provider Network of America (PNOA)
- Quest Behavioral Health
- Sana Benefits
- TELUS Health (BHS)
- Tricare West (TriWest)
- Wellpoint (Unicare/Healthlink)
- Zelis (HFN Network Solutions)
Languages
- English
Education
-
Aurora University
FAQs
Please use our online form to schedule an appointment with Syrena McKay. You can also call 847-865-4125 to have someone assist you.
Syrena McKay generally accepts new patients but there could be a waitlist.
Please call 847-865-4125 to find out Syrena McKay's schedule and availability.
LifeStance Health providers accept most commercial insurance plans that are offered in the states where we offer services, including telehealth. Please see the following list of insurances accepted by Syrena McKay:
- Aetna
- America's Choice Provider Network
- Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS)
- Carelon (Beacon)
- Centivo
- Claritev (MultiPlan PHCS)
- Duly Health and Care (DuPage)
- Evernorth (Cigna)
- HealthSmart
- MediNcrease Health Plans (MHP)
- Northwell Direct
- Optum (UnitedHealthcare)
- Partners Direct Health
- Provider Network of America (PNOA)
- Quest Behavioral Health
- Sana Benefits
- TELUS Health (BHS)
- Tricare West (TriWest)
- Wellpoint (Unicare/Healthlink)
- Zelis (HFN Network Solutions)
If you don't see your insurance listed, please contact us at 847-865-4125 to see how we can help.
Syrena McKay is a Therapy Clinician and cannot prescribe medication. However, most LifeStance offices have a Psychiatrist or APN on staff who can prescribe medication if needed.
Syrena McKay works at:
Yes, Syrena McKay does offer online telehealth visits.
Yes, Syrena McKay is currently offering in-office visits at the following location: