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Hello! I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and also a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor. I obtained my Master's degree and I am currently pursuing my doctorate at Aurora University. I works with individuals, couples, families, and adolescents dealing with a variety of problem areas including Depression, Anxiety, Addiction, Trauma, and coping skills. my clients describe my personal style as kind, caring, insightful, thought-provoking, and as utilizing a sense of humor.
I have a passion for working with people, and helping them cope with, adjust to, and overcome the difficulties life can bring. I provide emotional support and professional guidance that will help clients move forward and grow.
In therapy, I offer a safe space in which you can experience trust, acceptance, and genuine positive regard. My approach toward therapy is tailored to each client's individual needs. I may use Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Relational Therapy, and Solution-Focused therapy as I work with you to find the best path for you to reach your goals.
Additional areas of focus:LGBT, Relationship issues, Family conflicts, Grief, Intimacy-related issues, Eating disorders, Sleeping disorders, Parenting issues, Anger management, Career difficulties, Bipolar disorder, Coping with life changes, Coaching, Compassion fatigue, ADHD, Abandonment, Attachment issues, Co-morbidity, Communication problems, Dissociation, Drug and Alcohol Addiction, Family Problems, Life purpose, Mood disorders , Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling), Self-Harm, Young Adult Issues
Clinical approaches: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Gottman Method, Mindfulness Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused Therapy, Trauma-Focused Therapy, Internal Family Systems
Services offered
Phone
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License information
IL LCSW 149.020952
Reviews
These quotes represent just a few of the many positive reviews that we have received for Heather Michael. We don't pay anyone to provide their review and they are all made voluntarily. Some people's experience receiving therapy with BetterHelp might be different.
A kind and friendly therapist who is gentle, understanding and extremely skilled at what she does!
Written on Jan 26, 2024 after therapy with Heather for 4 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, intimacy-related issues, eating disorders, sleeping disorders, self esteem, anger management, and coping with life changes
Heather is a great listener, and positive force in life. Ready to tackle the rough sides of situations.
Written on Dec 18, 2023 after therapy with Heather for 1 month on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, lgbt, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, and adhd
Very responsive. She allows me to talk through things while also asking open ended questions that help me think more on a topic or even help me think of something in a different point of view
Written on Aug 05, 2023 after therapy with Heather for 1 year and 4 months on issues concerning stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, intimacy-related issues, eating disorders, parenting issues, and self esteem
Ms. Michael is amazing!!!!!! She makes me feel heard. She gives me great feed back that I can use on in my life. And always respond to my messages in a timely manner. I’m really grateful I match with her! <3
Written on Jul 25, 2023 after therapy with Heather for 1 month on issues concerning depression, lgbt, relationship issues, family conflicts, sleeping disorders, and adhd
She has helped me overcome a lot of challenges. So supportive and understanding.
Written on Jul 17, 2023 after therapy with Heather for 1 year and 4 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, self esteem, anger management, coping with life changes, and compassion fatigue
Heather is wonderful! A great listener and always helps you work out your problem(s). I always have clarity or a sense of relief after a session. Thanks Heather!!
Written on Jun 28, 2023 after therapy with Heather for 2 years and 3 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, eating disorders, self esteem, career difficulties, and adhd
A wonderful and helpful therapist. I am glad she is helping me.
Written on Mar 11, 2023 after therapy with Heather for 2 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, addictions, grief, eating disorders, self esteem, career difficulties, and coping with life changes
Heather is a great therapist! She really is an avid listener and a thoughtful responder. She makes you feel 100% comfortable about what you’re talking about and going through. She figures out how to best help you and then builds up from there. These past few months have really been helpful and I know I can go do life a lot better now. I also know that if I need to ever need a refresher or start up again that Heather will be ready and judgement free. I highly recommend her as a therapist!
Thank you Heather for all the help and knowledge you’ve given me! It has really been great talking with you and figuring myself out and learning how to deal with life better.
Written on Jan 11, 2023 after therapy with Heather for 4 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, lgbt, relationship issues, family conflicts, intimacy-related issues, self esteem, coaching, compassion fatigue, and adhd
Heather is great all around. I’ve never had a therapist that I felt was non judgmental, 100% supportive, on my side, and good at listening and asking questions- Heather is all of those things and more. She’s taught me skills that I’m able to use in every day life and they really make a difference! I would recommend her to anyone looking to be heard and to make changes for the better.
Written on Dec 27, 2022 after therapy with Heather for 2 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, grief, intimacy-related issues, eating disorders, self esteem, anger management, and coping with life changes
Hi Heather, thank you for your help:) Your support brightens my everyday life and makes it more clear and easy!
Written on Nov 26, 2022 after therapy with Heather for 5 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, lgbt, relationship issues, intimacy-related issues, self esteem, career difficulties, and coping with life changes
Quick to respond and actively listens. Provides applicable feedback and helps you process whatever needs processing. Has plenty of availability even for people who keep odd work hours
Written on Sep 27, 2022 after therapy with Heather for 8 months on issues concerning stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, self esteem, anger management, and career difficulties
I’ve been working with Heather for a few months now and I love how professional she is but at the same time I can tel she is genuine and cares about my well-being and development. Highly recommended.
Written on Jul 27, 2022 after therapy with Heather for 5 months on issues concerning relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, grief, intimacy-related issues, anger management, and compassion fatigue
I feel like therapy with Heather has been super helpful for me. Heather is great at listening to me and asking me questions that help me think about my patterns, behaviors, and actions in a way that feels both constructive and non-judgmental. Heather is easy to talk to and to open up to. I would recommend her to any of my friends.
Written on Jul 04, 2022 after therapy with Heather for 1 month on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, eating disorders, sleeping disorders, and adhd
I really feel like she cares about me as a person. She checks on me between sessions and gives me extremely helpful and positive feedback during sessions. I’ve never had a therapist that makes me feel this safe. She is amazing!
Written on Jun 13, 2022 after therapy with Heather for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, intimacy-related issues, parenting issues, self esteem, and coping with life changes
Heather is a great listener and I feel she genuinely cares about my well being.
Written on Jun 05, 2022 after therapy with Heather for 10 months on issues concerning stress, anxiety, relationship issues, intimacy-related issues, self esteem, career difficulties, coping with life changes, and coaching
Perfect!
Written on May 28, 2022 after therapy with Heather for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, lgbt, relationship issues, intimacy-related issues, coaching, compassion fatigue, and adhd
Nice
Written on Mar 10, 2022 after therapy with Heather for 2 weeks on issues concerning stress, anxiety, addictions, parenting issues, self esteem, compassion fatigue, and adhd
I'm new to therapy as an adult, so I wasn't really sure what to expect. But, I’m now realizing that’s the point of therapy: it can be whatever you need it to be. For me, that's talking through my current mental state and emotions, and then dissecting the reasons for them.
This is where Heather's strengths come in: she offers neutral prompts that get my wheels turning, empathizes when appropriate, and makes deliberate pauses to brainstorm a set of thoughtful follow-up questions.
I also really like that she gets into the psychological and neurological explanation of why I'm experiencing what I am. I noticed she started doing this more frequently after I mentioned that I need to fully understand a concept before I believe in it, so I really appreciate that approaches conversations in a way that best suits me as the patient.
Overall, Heather is approachable, knowledgeable, accommodating, and genuine. I'm really looking forward to building a stronger relationship with her and having her on my side through my mental health journey.
Written on Mar 03, 2022 after therapy with Heather for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, parenting issues, self esteem, coping with life changes, and adhd
This is my first time doing therapy. I've had two appointments with Heather so far and I have felt no judgment, which is something I feared going into this. She's very easy to talk to & has had great advice. Love working with her so far!
Written on Feb 12, 2022 after therapy with Heather for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, and self esteem
Heather is a grounded listener and helpful tool builder. I appreciated her ability to be spacious and ask meaningful and insightful questions.
Written on Feb 03, 2022 after therapy with Heather for 2 months on issues concerning depression, trauma and abuse, intimacy-related issues, and compassion fatigue
It's my first time doing therapy and Heather is making it easier for me, she is amazing.
Thank you
Written on Jan 24, 2022 after therapy with Heather for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, intimacy-related issues, sleeping disorders, self esteem, anger management, coaching, and compassion fatigue
I find Heather’s approach to be very thought provoking. She redirects very well and helps get to the root of whatever I’m struggling with. She is available, responds timely, and always checks in whether I have a session scheduled or not.
Written on Jan 20, 2022 after therapy with Heather for 5 months on issues concerning addictions, lgbt, relationship issues, family conflicts, intimacy-related issues, and self esteem
Heather has been a good therapist, she listens well and has had constructive response to things I have to say.
Her schedule seems to always be fairly booked , and I have had to schedule appointments as far as two weeks in advance.
Written on Jan 09, 2022 after therapy with Heather for 5 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, lgbt, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, grief, intimacy-related issues, self esteem, anger management, career difficulties, adhd, and coaching
Heather is truly caring, insightful, and supportive. She is a gem.. I feel blessed to have been matched with her.
Written on Dec 09, 2021 after therapy with Heather for 2 weeks on issues concerning grief, sleeping disorders, career difficulties, bipolar disorder, and compassion fatigue
This was my first time doing any sort of therapy and Heather has been great at making me feel comfortable and like I could talk to her about anything. In just a short time she has helped me tremendously to regain some sense of control over my thoughts and emotions and gently nudge me back in the right direction.
Written on Dec 03, 2021 after therapy with Heather for 1 month on issues concerning depression, and grief
heather is the best. I feel like I’m venting but receiving encouragement afterwards from heather afterwards gives me the confidence to adjust my thinking. I would definitely recommend to anyone in need of encouragement and uplifting
Written on Nov 01, 2021 after therapy with Heather for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, sleeping disorders, self esteem, coping with life changes, and adhd
I feel comfortable with her so far
Written on Oct 31, 2021 after therapy with Heather for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, lgbt, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, intimacy-related issues, eating disorders, self esteem, and adhd
I have been in therapy for many years. I have a hard time finding a therapist at this point because I am pretty self-aware. I really enjoy working with Heather. Sometimes she pauses like she can see I have a thought, and just her attentiveness leads me to uncover the next thing I want to look at. I feel that Heather makes good eye contact, listens closely, and asks questions that actually make me think. I feel she is humble as a practitioner and fully respects what I have to say/share. Usually, it takes me a while to open up, but I already feel comfortable working with her and we've only had three sessions. One of my main goals in working with a therapist this time was to have a place to land and release stuck emotions and I feel I can do that in our sessions.
Written on Sep 24, 2021 after therapy with Heather for 2 weeks on issues concerning lgbt, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, intimacy-related issues, eating disorders, sleeping disorders, self esteem, anger management, and adhd
Heather has a knack for gently providing just the advice you need to hear. She guides you through exploration of difficult topics with care and without judgement, creating a genuinely safe space to work through things. Over our time together, I've discussed issues I don't often open up about, explored difficult feelings and experiences from the past, and made some important life decisions, all with Heather's help. It is no exaggeration to say that her counsel has had a major positive effect on my overall well-being.
Written on Sep 22, 2021 after therapy with Heather for 2 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, lgbt, trauma and abuse, self esteem, and career difficulties
Heather has been very responsive. She listens well. Her email prompts have been helpful. I feel the support from her.
Written on Aug 17, 2021 after therapy with Heather for 2 weeks on issues concerning coping with life changes, coaching, and compassion fatigue
Great help getting through it all, recommend :)
Written on Aug 12, 2021 after therapy with Heather for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship issues, family conflicts, intimacy-related issues, parenting issues, self esteem, anger management, career difficulties, coping with life changes, and coaching
Heather has been fantastic. In a short time she has offered such great support, asked thoughtful and helpful questions to spark my own self discovery and healing, and has lent her expertise by giving me new language to describe things I’m experiencing. I highly recommend her!
Written on Aug 03, 2021 after therapy with Heather for 1 month on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, lgbt, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, grief, intimacy-related issues, career difficulties, coping with life changes, and compassion fatigue
She is so sweet and very reassuring!
Written on Jul 28, 2021 after therapy with Heather for 3 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, grief, self esteem, and adhd
Heather is extremely respectful and honest. I don't know what it is about her, but I feel like I can tell her anything! Even after just one session, she has already untangled so many mental knots that I couldn't do by myself.
Written on Jul 16, 2021 after therapy with Heather for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, family conflicts, self esteem, career difficulties, and coping with life changes
Heather has been very easy to open up to and talk with about difficult issues in my life. She is a good listener and responsive to my messages. In just a short time talking with her I've been able to mostly move past focusing on surface level issues and begin working at deeper rooted issues. The journal and messaging features have been very useful when combined with our talk sessions during the week!
Written on Apr 27, 2021 after therapy with Heather for 2 weeks on issues concerning stress, anxiety, lgbt, relationship issues, parenting issues, self esteem, career difficulties, and coping with life changes
Heather has been extremely attentive to my messages. She helps verify how I’ve been feeling but also try’s to maintain a way of being positive. I see how she constantly tries to remind me of how things could be better and and helps me try to understand things.
I say this because I don’t deserve how good she is. I often feel bad because I think it’s just me not taking the advice. But I want to say I do appreciate her trying and helping me get through what I’m going through.
In all I respect and admire what she does. Again, I believe it’s just me. But she has been very helpful so far.
Written on Apr 09, 2021 after therapy with Heather for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, grief, and coping with life changes
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