Joan French , LCPC

Joan French is an Illinois-based licensed clinician with 17 years of experience who focuses on helping people who feel unheard, isolated, or disconnected. She emphasizes that feeling heard and connected is central to personal wellness and aims to create a respectful, judgement-free therapeutic space where clients can bring up even the topics that feel difficult to say aloud.

Her practice is trauma-informed and integrative, drawing on techniques from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), internal family systems (IFS), positive communication skill building, anger management, and art therapy. She also incorporates creativity and, when appropriate, gentle humor she calls "chuckle healing" to help ease the therapeutic process. This blend of approaches supports work with depression, anxiety, adjustment concerns, trauma and abuse, relationship and family issues, grief, sleep problems, self-esteem, career concerns, and other life changes.

Joan earned a Master of Arts in Community Counseling from Governors State University and holds an Art Therapy Certificate from Northwestern University. She is credentialed as an LCPC - Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor - in Illinois. Over the years she has worked with a wide range of adult clients and has welcomed those who identify as LGBTQIA2S+ or who are exploring or questioning their identities. She views being part of a client's therapeutic journey as an important and valued responsibility. Joan is currently not accepting new clients.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) encourages clients to notice difficult thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them and to clarify personal values that guide meaningful action - it can be helpful for anxiety, depression, and life transitions by promoting psychological flexibility.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviors; it is practical and skill-oriented, often used for anxiety, depression, sleep difficulties, and stress management.

Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes a warm, nonjudgmental therapeutic relationship in which the therapist listens closely and supports the client's own pace of growth, which can be especially useful for issues around self-esteem, identity, and relationship concerns.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Joan works collaboratively with clients and with other licensed professionals when appropriate to determine which methods best match a client's needs, goals, and personal preferences, adapting the plan as progress unfolds.

Online therapy offers flexibility for people balancing work, family, or mobility needs. Video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging allow clients to engage in therapy from different locations and at different times, making it easier to maintain continuity of care and apply new skills in day-to-day life.