- Years in practice
- 13
- Credentials
- LCPC
- Licensed in
- Illinois
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Stress, Anxiety
- Focus
- Parenting issues
- Focus
- Anger management
About Alisa
Alisa Cates, LCPC, helps people who feel stuck, overwhelmed, or alone. She focuses on building a trusting relationship so clients can talk honestly and make changes that matter. Her style is straightforward and supportive for parents seeking practical help.
She has worked as a licensed clinical professional counselor in Illinois since 2013. Her background includes community mental health, inpatient hospitalization, intensive outpatient programs, corrections, and independent practice. That range gives her experience with many common struggles parents face, such as stress, anxiety, mood changes, and relationship strain.
Background and approach
In sessions she starts by listening and getting a clear picture of daily challenges. She uses a person-centered approach and combines techniques from cognitive behavioral therapy, solution-focused work, motivational interviewing, and narrative ideas when they fit. The goal is to pick tools that make sense for each person and situation.
Practical skills are a frequent focus. That can include managing strong emotions, changing unhelpful thinking patterns, building better communication, and problem-solving around parenting pressures. She also supports people dealing with grief, career shifts, addiction concerns, postpartum mood changes, and attention-related struggles.
Alisa aims to make therapy feel usable and relevant. Sessions are conversational and action-oriented. She helps people set small goals and notice progress over time.
What Alisa works with
Everything Alisa lists, in the therapist's own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Alisa helps people with.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Addictions
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Grief
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Coping with life changes
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Emptiness
- Forgiveness
- Impulsivity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Postpartum depression
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-love
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
Approaches Alisa lists
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Motivational Interviewing
- Narrative Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Systemic Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
Approaches that guide online parenting support
Client-centered work puts the person and their priorities first. The therapist listens without judgment and helps parents identify what matters most to them, then builds the plan from there. Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on the links between thoughts, feelings, and actions; it is often used to reduce anxiety, manage mood, and change patterns that cause stress in daily life. Emotionally-focused ideas help people name and respond to strong feelings, which can ease conflict and improve communication in relationships.Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will ask about goals, daily routines, and what has or hasn't helped in the past. Together they decide which methods to try and adjust the plan as progress unfolds, so the work fits each person's needs and parenting challenges.
Online sessions can be scheduled as video calls, phone meetings, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different days and needs. Video lets people use visual cues for deeper conversation, phone can be a simpler check-in with lower bandwidth, and chat or messaging supports brief updates or ongoing reflections between sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy family schedules and to continue work consistently over time.
Questions people ask about Alisa
What problems does this counselor help with?
She works with many concerns including stress, anxiety, parenting pressures, anger, self-esteem, depression, addictions, relationships, grief, and career issues.
How would you describe the therapy style?
Her work is person-centered and collaborative, with practical techniques drawn from cognitive behavioral therapy, solution-focused methods, motivational interviewing, and narrative approaches.
What kind of experience does she have?
She has 13 years of clinical experience across community mental health, inpatient hospitalization, intensive outpatient programs, corrections, and independent practice.
Where is the therapist licensed and located?
She holds an IL LCPC, which means Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in Illinois, and practices with that licensure.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available?
Clients may connect through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging.
How is pricing handled for therapy?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are provided through a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with this therapist?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then scheduling according to therapist availability.
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