Therapy Session in Illinois

I am a compassionate Licensed Clinical Social Worker, licensed in Illinois with over 10 years of professional experience. I earned my degree from Johnson C. Smith University with a specialization in child and adolescent services, and I am deeply passionate about supporting children, adolescents, and adults as they navigate life’s challenges. My areas of focus include anxiety, depression, trauma, PTSD, anger management, self-esteem, stress, and adjusting to life changes. I also help clients build motivation, confidence, and resilience. My approach is grounded in empathy, collaboration, and evidence-based practices, ensuring that each person feels heard, understood, and empowered to create meaningful change. I believe in fostering a safe, nonjudgmental environment where clients can openly explore their emotions, develop healthy coping strategies, and strengthen their sense of self-worth. My goal is to help individuals uncover their strengths, gain clarity, and move toward a more fulfilling and balanced life. Taking the first step toward healing and growth takes courage—I am here to support you every step of the way.

As a bilingual Spanish-speaking mental health counselor, I am passionate about supporting children, adolescents, and young adults as they navigate life’s challenges. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in social work from Northeastern Illinois University and a Master’s degree in social work from Dominican University. Throughout my career, I have worked with clients of all ages, with a particular focus on children and adolescents, helping them build coping skills, improve communication, and develop confidence in themselves. I provide a safe, empathetic space where clients can explore who they are, manage stress, and build practical coping skills. My mission is to help them gain confidence, reduce mental health symptoms, and develop resilience so they feel empowered to overcome barriers and thrive in their communities. I also enjoy working with families and parents, helping strengthen communication and understanding within the home. I believe healing happens when individuals feel seen and accepted for who they are, while also being supported in their personal growth. My areas of specialization include anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD, adjustment issues, cultural identity, and life transitions. Above all, I want clients to know that they are not alone — reaching out for help is a powerful first step, and I am here to walk alongside them on their journey toward wellness and success.

I am a clinical social worker who is personable and authentic. I lead my practice with humor and connection and always put my clients first. I graduated from Boston College School of Social Work with my MSW and a focus of Children, Youth, and Families. Through my specialty and training, I have been able to utilize my strong skillset working with school-aged children (5-18). I specialize in anxiety, depression, anger management, PTSD, and self-esteem concerns. My approach is solution-focused and prioritizes client empowerment and well-being. I am a nonjudgmental practitioner and am inclusive of all clients and backgrounds. My beliefs in therapeutic practice center on empathy and meeting clients where they are at, while also promoting growth and self-worth.

I am an experienced licensed clinical social worker who graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a masters degree in social work in 2010. I have been working in the social work field for over 14 years with a continued passion to be an attentive, competent, and effective service provider. I have experience working with children and adults struggling with a range of difficulties including depression, anxiety, general life stressors, parenting struggles, relationship difficulties, domestic violence, anger management, as well as those who are navigating the child welfare system. My goal is to provide a safe judgment-free environment that promotes healing and personal growth. My approach ensures that we work together to achieve your goals, whether it's for self-development, stress reduction, or enhancing your overall quality of life.

Hey Hey Hey! My name is Maliya Smith and I am a master’s level licensed mental health clinician with over 7 years of experience. However, I have been intuitively counseling and working as a healer my whole life.  I have worked with various populations and multiple settings from working as a domestic violence counselor, with college, highschool and middle school aged students, with families, couples and toddlers.  As a therapist, I counsel from a holistic perspective, therefore when working with my clients we will look at their experience through a multidimensional framework. This process will allow you to understand your layers of generational and childhood trauma,  maladaptive behaviors, beliefs and repressed emotions; while being able to analyze how this all plays out in your daily life.  I use person centered, psychoanalytic, interpersonal, somatic based interventions, mindfulness meditation and yoga. I am also a certified kemetic yoga instructor, therefore I incorporate deep breathing, postures and movements (by request) to help heal subconscious multigenerational wombs. My goal is to empower you holistically by allowing you to understand that life is not happening to you, you are the co-creator of your own reality and you can be your own healer, I am just a tool to help you see it :)

Annie Banuet (her/hers/ella) is a Licensed Social Worker (LSW) and a graduate of Dominican University holding a Master’s degree in Social Work (MSW). With extensive experience working with individuals, youth, groups, and families of all ages, Annie specializes in addressing anxiety, depression, social anxiety, anger, mental illnesses, and family dynamics. Previously, Annie has worked in inpatient hospital setting, schools with elementary all the way to high school, and community social work. Annie provides a supportive and inclusive therapeutic environment where all feel safe and accepted. Her main interest and goal is to help youth and families overcome anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and have healthier relationships in general. Annie uses systemic approach, as well as CBT, and strength based.