Grief counselors and therapists in Elgin, IL

I am a social worker and grief counselor, with over 6 years experience working with bereaved clients. I am also a director of mental health education for a grief focused non-profit, creating programs that educate on grief & loss awareness. While grief is my main focus, I hold a special place in my heart for all life transitions, including job/career changes, spiritual adjustments/abuse, and relationship losses.

With over 25 years of experience as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, I specialize in supporting individuals navigating grief and loss, life transitions, chronic illness, trauma (including first responders), aging-related concerns, and members of the agricultural and farming communities.

I provide telehealth services across multiple states, I’m here to support you on your journey toward healing and growth.

Ashley is an LCSW who has experience providing therapy to people living with severe and persistent mental illness, depression and anxiety, grief and loss, trauma, and cancer. She utilizes elements of Relational Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Dialectical Behavioral therapy in her approach and has provided direct client care since 2010.

Ashley obtained her M.S.W at UIC and has worked in community mental health both as a clinician providing therapy and as a leader supervising students pursuing their masters in counseling. She’s worked in healthcare providing counseling to those with cancer. Lastly, Ashley completed a two year Trauma Consultation Program at WomenCare to further her training.

Greetings.

Taking first steps towards therapy is a brave decision and I'm glad you're here. In my practice I provide a safe, non-judgmental space to help you navigate life's challenges.

I'm a LCSW and I received my master's degree at Our Lady of the Lakes University in San Antonio, TX.

I specialize in anxiety, depression, and Christian counseling, however there are other areas of specialties I engage with individuals.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 20 years of experience working with children, teens, adults, and families. My background includes child welfare, foster care, residential treatment, aftercare, and behavioral health. I understand that people come to therapy carrying stress, grief, anxiety, trauma, family conflict, and life changes. My goal is to create a safe and supportive space where you feel heard, respected, and understood.

I believe that change and growth happen within a safe and secure relationship. I see symptoms as meaningful, often serving a deeper purpose, and I approach them with curiosity and compassion to help you explore what they may be trying to communicate.

If you're feeling stretched thin—anxious, exhausted, or stuck in patterns you can't quite name—you don't have to keep pushing through it alone. I'm Risa, an LCSW with over 10 years of experience helping adults move from overwhelmed to grounded.

I work with people navigating anxiety, depression, ADHD, trauma and PTSD, grief, anger, relationship strain, identity questions, and difficult life transitions. Many of my clients look high-functioning on the outside while struggling underneath—racing thoughts, disrupted sleep, burnout, or a quiet sense that something needs to change.

Over my career I've supported clients in community mental health, geriatric care, veterans' health, and corrections—settings that taught me to meet people across very different circumstances without judgment. I earned my Master's in 2012 and have practiced ever since, with particular experience supporting women and the LGBTQIA+ and transgender community around identity, relationships, and self-worth.

Whatever brought you here, my aim is for you to feel understood from our very first conversation.

I offer a kind, supportive, and nonjudgmental space where you can show up exactly as you are. Many people come to therapy feeling overwhelmed, stuck, anxious, emotionally drained, or unsure how to move forward. You may be dealing with anxiety, depression, stress, life transitions, relationship issues, or simply the weight of trying to hold everything together on your own. My goal is to help you feel safe, heard, and supported as we work through what is weighing on you. Therapy with me is about creating a space where you do not have to have all the answers right away - just a willingness to begin.

Making the decision to begin therapy is a meaningful step, and I am committed to creating a space where you feel safe, supported, and truly heard. With over 18 years of experience as a school social worker, I have had the privilege of helping children, adolescents, and families navigate life’s challenges with compassion, understanding, and practical support. Throughout my career, I have worked with clients experiencing anxiety, depression, behavioral concerns, family conflict, grief, trauma, life transitions, school-related stress, low self-esteem, and difficulty managing emotions. I believe every person’s story is unique, and therapy should be tailored to your individual needs, strengths, and goals. My hope is to walk alongside you as you move toward growth, healing, and a more fulfilling life!