Courtney Holbrook, LCSW - Therapist in Illinois

Stress and anxiety
Family of origin concerns
CBT and DBT methods

About Courtney

Courtney Holbrook is an LCSW licensed in Illinois with 10 years of clinical experience. She works with people who are dealing with stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, self-esteem and depression. She also addresses relationship concerns, family and attachment issues, grief, and problems with intimacy and anger.

Courtney takes a client-centered approach in sessions. She treats people as experts on their own lives and focuses on what matters to each person. In practical terms that means listening first, asking clear questions, and working on skills or perspectives that help with everyday challenges.

Her methods include cognitive behavioral strategies to spot unhelpful thinking patterns and dialectical behavior tools for managing strong emotions. She also uses emotionally focused techniques to address relationship and connection problems, along with mindfulness practices to build present-moment awareness.

Courtney has worked with a broad range of life concerns across a decade of practice. That includes coping with life changes, career stress, caregiving strain, and long-standing patterns that come from one’s family of origin. She helps people who identify as LGBT and those facing medical or chronic health issues.

Sessions aim to be straightforward and practical. People leave with steps they can try between meetings, whether that is communication exercises, behavioral experiments, or short mindfulness practices. To begin, clients complete a brief matching questionnaire and schedule a first session.

How therapeutic approaches guide virtual work

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and building a collaborative relationship. The therapist follows the person’s lead, clarifies goals, and supports self-directed change. This approach helps when someone needs a clear space to talk through patterns that started in their family of origin.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) teaches practical skills to identify and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. It is useful for anxiety, depression, and problems that repeat over time. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) adds emotion regulation and distress tolerance techniques for intense feelings and interpersonal conflict.

Choosing an approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will review what is working, what feels manageable, and what fits the person’s goals. Together they decide which methods to try and adjust them over time based on progress and preference.

Confirm the session formats offered before booking, as formats were not specified in the provided biography. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, shorten a check-in when needed, or avoid travel time. It also allows using behavioral homework, brief mindfulness practices, and concrete CBT exercises between meetings to support change.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, Anxiety Addictions Trauma and abuse Self esteem Depression

Also works with

LGBTRelationship issuesFamily conflictsGrief Intimacy-related issuesAnger managementCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changes Compassion fatigue

Additional focus areas

Abandonment Adoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesAvoidant personalityBlended family issues Body imageCancerCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCo-morbidityCodependency Commitment issues Communication problems Control issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)DissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsForgiveness Guilt and shameHoardingHospice and end-of-life counselingImpulsivityIntellectual disabilityIsolation / loneliness Jealousy Life purpose Midlife crisis Money and financial issues Mood disordersNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPersonality disordersPhobiasPost-traumatic stressProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSex addictionSexual assault and abuseSexualitySmoking / vaping cessationSocial anxiety and phobia Women's issues Workplace issues Young adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

10+ years

Listed in

Illinois

Languages

English

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does she help with?

Covers stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, self-esteem, depression, relationship and family issues, grief, intimacy concerns, anger, career stress, bipolar and compassion fatigue among other topics.

How would you describe her therapeutic style?

She uses a client-centered approach that emphasizes listening and collaboration, with practical tools added as needed.

What is her background and experience?

She is an LCSW licensed in Illinois with 10 years of professional experience working across a range of mental health and life concerns.

Where is she licensed to practice?

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Illinois.

Which languages are supported in sessions?

Sessions are offered in English.

Can people outside the United States work with her?

International clients are not currently accepted.

How are session costs handled?

Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin working with her?

Select the See online therapy options button, fill out a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.

Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Looking for someone else? Find them by surname.