Leah Rybakowski, LCPC

About me

Before you choose me as your therapist, please read my bio and other important information.

I am licensed in Illinois with 5 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, trauma and abuse, motivation, self-esteem and confidence and depression. I believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. I will tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. Taking the first step to sign up for therapy can take courage and I am proud of you for getting started!

I currently work part-time through Better Help, with the hope to transition to full-time. So this means my hours will vary. I do have a full-time therapist position, so please be understanding with scheduling and my ability to respond to messages or requests. I usually try to respond to messages and requests within 24-hours. I generally respond at least once in the morning and once per evening, sometimes more!

Scheduling Sessions

I schedule all sessions. There are no open slots on my calendar. We will work together to find a time that works for both of us. I usually like to schedule clients at the same time every week. I understand schedules can change, don’t worry, we can find times that work best for both of us.
I am available to you in many different ways: messaging in the chat in the counseling room, live phone sessions, live chat sessions and live video sessions. I am available for these live sessions once a week for 30-45 minutes. Please let me know your preference of communication or if there are any ways you would not like to communicate.

My Schedule

As stated earlier, my hours will vary due to being part-time. But tentatively this is what the schedule looks like.

M-F: 12pm (typically 30-minute sessions).
Wednesdays: 8am-4pm.
Evening appointments vary and are limited.

**I do not work on Saturday or Sunday. I will respond to messages or requests the following day.

In May 2023, my schedule will look like the following:
Monday: 8am to 6pm, Tuesday-Thursday: 8am-4:30pm, and Friday 8am-3pm.
**I will do some sessions outside of these times if this is needed. We will have a conversation about this and decide how to move forward together.

Consent Forms and Forms

As a client, you will fill out different forms. BetterHelp (or specialty site!) has you fill out a Member Information Form. I have my own consent form that you will have to read, complete and electronically acknowledge. You will do this via chat before scheduling an appointment with me.

Emergency and Crisis Situations

Please remember that BetterHelp (or specialty site!) is not appropriate if you are in crisis or in immediate need of support. In crisis situations, please call 911 or local emergency services. You can also call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to talk to someone right away!

Professional experience

Additional areas of focus: Relationship issues, Family conflicts, Grief, Eating disorders, Parenting issues, Anger management, Career difficulties, Coping with life changes, ADHD, Abandonment, Adoption and Foster Care, Attachment Issues, Autism and Asperger Syndrome, BDSM, Kink, Alternative Sex Culture, Blended Family Issues, Body Image, Caregiver Issues and Stress, Commitment Issues, Communication Problems, Control Issues, Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD), Divorce and Separation, Domestic Violence, Eating and Food-Related Issues, Emptiness, Family of Origin Issues, Family Problems, Fatherhood Issues, Fertility Issues, First Responder Issues, Forgiveness, Guilt and Shame, Impulsivity, Infidelity, Isolation/Loneliness, Jealousy, Life Purpose, Midlife Crisis, Military and Veterans Issues, Money and Financial Issues, Narcissism, Obsessions, Compulsions, and OCD, Panic Disorder and Panic Attacks, Phobias, Polyamory / Nonmonogamous Relationships, Postpartum Depression, Post-traumatic Stress, Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling), Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Self-Harm, Self-Love, Sex Addiction, Sexual Assault and Abuse, Sexuality, Social Anxiety and Phobia, Women's Issues, Workplace Issues, Young Adult Issues

Clinical approaches: Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

License information

IL LCPC 180014532

Reviews

These quotes represent just a few of the many positive reviews that we have received for Leah Rybakowski. 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.