

Seeking therapy in Downers Grove, Illinois? Headway offers flexible mental healthcare through 2,422 providers serving the community. Whether you're in Walnut Hill, Old Tavern, or Maple Avenue areas, find empowering providers ready for consultations. Most sessions are covered by insurance with copays as low as $0.
Thank you for taking the first step in sharing your story—your Mental Health Matters, and you deserve to be heard, supported, and understood.
Welcome to Integrated Family Behavioral Health & Counseling PLLC! I'm Mihaela Vladu, PMHNP-BC, a Board-Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with over 16+ years of experience in healthcare, dedicated to helping individuals achieve lasting mental wellness and regain control of their lives.
I provide compassionate, personalized, and evidence-based care in a safe and supportive environment where you can feel heard, understood, and empowered. My approach focuses on treating the whole person—not just symptoms—while working collaboratively with you to reach your goals.
I specialize in working with a diverse range of individuals, including younger/older adults, children aged 6 and up, women dealing specifically with trauma and abuse, and veterans, as well as active-duty personnel experiencing PTSD. As a certified ADHD specialist, I provide targeted, evidence-based interventions to help individuals improve focus and daily functioning. I also have extensive experience treating bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, depression, panic disorder, OCD, and other complex mental health conditions.
Areas of Expertise:
• Dual-Diagnosis Care (SUD + mood/anxiety/psychotic disorders)
• MAT: Buprenorphine/Suboxone inductions & maintenance; relapse-prevention planning
• Alcohol/Opioid Withdrawal & Detox protocols (court order MAT program, inpatient, outpatient, and halfway houses)
• Depression, Anxiety, Bipolar Disorder, Psychosis
• Residential/PHP/IOP programmed care & step-down planning
• Trauma-informed care, veteran populations, and complex comorbidity
Dr. Opelt earned his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology at New Mexico State University after completing his Master’s of Science in Educational Psychology: Community Counseling from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. During his graduate training, he earned certifications in Trauma Counseling and Multicultural Knowledge Basis in Mental Health Practices, and a graduate minor in Integrated Behavioral Health. Dr. Opelt has completed postdoctoral fellowships in research in Rehabilitation Psychology, with an emphasis on Multiple Sclerosis, at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and in clinical Rehabilitation and Pain Psychology at MedStar Health National Rehabilitation Hospital. He has focused his clinical work on adults who have concerns about insomnia, cognitive impairment, addiction, LGBT+ concerns, caregiver support, transplants, burn survivors, cancer, musculoskeletal diseases like MS and Parkinson’s disease, and those who have amputations. He is a licensed psychologist in Maryland and Illinois.
I don't rush to judge others, client's can say anything uncomfortable or mushy without being shut down.











Headway makes it easy to find support for your mental health — from finding the right provider, to understanding costs, to scheduling with ease.
Searching for therapists in Downers Grove starts with finding someone whose experience matches what you want support with. People often look for therapy for anxiety, depression, grief, relationship challenges, work stress, or life transitions. As you compare Downers Grove therapists, look for training, specialties, and approaches that fit your needs, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, trauma-informed care, family therapy, or support for couples and marriage counseling.
In a smaller local market like Downers Grove, nearby in-person options may vary by schedule, office location, and specialty. Virtual therapy can expand your options while still connecting you with a therapist licensed in Illinois. Before booking, consider appointment times, whether a therapist is accepting new clients, and whether they offer a free phone consultation. Reading therapist bios can also show how they describe their style, session structure, and areas of focus.
Therapy in Downers Grove can be a significant investment without insurance. Using in-network insurance is one of the most reliable ways to reduce session costs and understand what you may pay before care begins. Headway helps you search for therapists who match your preferences, check your insurance, see estimated costs upfront, and book directly when you are ready.
If you're experiencing or worried about violence, threats, or coercion in your relationship, couples therapy isn't usually the right starting point — individual support is safer. The National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788\) can help you think through next steps.
If anyone in your family is experiencing or worried about abuse, threats, or coercion, joint family or couples therapy usually isn't the right starting point — individual support is safer. The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-422-4453) and National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788\) can help you think through next steps.
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