- Family of origin issues
- Stress and anxiety
- Solution-focused work
About Lori
Lori Cheek Gilroy is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Illinois with 26 years of experience. She works with adults on stress, anxiety, depression, relationship concerns, parenting challenges, grief, caregiver strain, and family-of-origin issues. Her practice also addresses issues related to adoption and foster care, chronic illness and pain, and adjustment after loss or life changes.
She uses a client-centered approach that focuses on what matters to each person. Lori combines practical problem-solving with strategies drawn from cognitive behavioral techniques and solution-focused work. Sessions often involve setting concrete goals and practicing small changes between meetings.
Her background includes work in child welfare programs, family counseling clinics, a family birthing center, crisis intervention, and community mental health settings. That range of experience informs how she talks through parenting stress, caregiving demands, and impacts from past family patterns.
Lori integrates a trauma-focused perspective when past events continue to affect current functioning. She also draws on motivational interviewing to help people clarify what they want and find the next steps. She describes her approach as informed by Christian faith, and she respects people regardless of their beliefs.
Practical concerns like career transitions, burnout, and compassion fatigue are part of her caseload. People often work with her to rebuild daily routines, manage overwhelming emotions, and strengthen communication with others. To begin, she asks people to identify immediate goals so sessions can focus on what matters most now.
How her approaches work in online sessions
Client-centered therapy focuses on the person’s priorities and values. In sessions the therapist listens, reflects, and helps clients identify what matters most and what they want to change. This approach is useful for unpacking family roles and expectations that carry into adult life.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It helps people spot unhelpful thinking patterns and practice different responses. CBT can be useful for anxiety, depression, and day-to-day coping skills.
Motivational Interviewing is a collaborative way to clarify goals and strengthen commitment to change. It often helps with stages of readiness when someone faces big life choices or persistent habits.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. Lori will discuss options and help decide which methods best fit a person’s needs, goals, and preferences. That choice is made together and can change over time based on progress and feedback.
Practical benefits of meeting online include fitting sessions into a busy schedule and keeping appointments during life transitions. If you plan to use online sessions, confirm which formats are available before booking since formats are not specified in the biography. Online work can make regular follow-ups, short check-ins, or focused skill practice easier to fit into daily life.
Areas of expertise
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
26+ years
Listed in
Illinois
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
Which concerns does she address related to family patterns?
Lori works with adults on family-of-origin issues, relationships, parenting strain, caregiving stress, and related feelings like guilt or shame.
What is her general therapy style?
Her style is client-centered and solution-focused. She combines practical problem-solving with techniques drawn from cognitive behavioral and trauma-focused methods.
How much experience does she have?
She has 26 years of experience working as a counselor and life coach across child welfare, family clinic, birthing center, crisis intervention, and mental health settings.
What credentials and location are listed?
She holds the LCSW credential and is licensed in Illinois.
Are sessions available in other languages or internationally?
Sessions are offered in English. She is not currently accepting international clients.
What session formats does she offer?
Please confirm current session options before booking since the listing does not specify formats.
How are fees handled?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I get started with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete 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.