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AC Portrait of Alisa Cates

Alisa Cates

Hopeful guidance with practical tools

LCPC Illinois

Experience
13 years in practice
Focus areas
Stress, Anxiety, Parenting, Anger
Approaches
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Client-Centered Therapy
Languages
English
Continue with Alisa

About Alisa

Alisa Cates, LCPC draws on a client-centered framework to help people address stress, anxiety, mood disturbances, relationship concerns, and life transitions.

Background and approach

She emphasizes being heard and understood while tailoring therapeutic tools to each person’s needs, integrating evidence-informed methods such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) alongside solution-focused and motivational strategies. Licensed in Illinois since 2013, Alisa brings 13 years of experience across community mental health, inpatient hospitalization, intensive outpatient programs, corrections, and independent practice.

That range of settings has exposed her to a broad spectrum of concerns including depression, bipolar and other mood disorders, grief, parenting challenges, substance issues, anger and self-esteem struggles, and adjustments related to pregnancy, postpartum, and aging. Alisa prioritizes building strong rapport as the foundation for change and selects interventions that match a client’s goals and preferences.

She works with people facing career stress, compassion fatigue, ADHD, isolation, and other life stresses, offering practical strategies and supportive collaboration to help clients move forward.

How CBT and Client-Centered Work Translate Online

Client-centered therapy focuses on creating understanding and empathy so clients feel listened to and respected; this approach helps people explore values, identity, and emotional blocks while guiding collaborative goal-setting. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) offers practical, skills-based strategies to identify unhelpful thinking and build new patterns, which can be useful for anxiety, depression, stress, and mood regulation. Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) concentrates on emotions in close relationships and can aid in clarifying and expressing attachment needs when relationship patterns cause distress.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist partners with each client to clarify goals, try techniques, and adjust methods based on what is working and what feels most useful. This steady collaboration helps tailor interventions to real-life concerns and changing priorities.

Online options include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, offering flexibility for scheduling and continuity of care. These formats make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life, maintain momentum between meetings, and access support from home or another convenient location, while still allowing licensed professionals to apply structured approaches like CBT and client-centered methods effectively.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does this therapist commonly address?
She works with a wide range of issues including stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship and family problems, addictions, parenting concerns, bipolar and mood disorders, and life transitions.
What therapeutic style can I expect in sessions?
Sessions emphasize a person-centered approach that integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, solution-focused techniques, motivational interviewing, and emotionally oriented methods as appropriate to the client's needs.
How much clinical experience does the therapist have?
The therapist has 13 years of experience working in community mental health, inpatient hospitalization, intensive outpatient programming, corrections, and independent practice.
What are the therapist's credentials and location?
She holds an LCPC and is licensed in Illinois with license number IL LCPC 180.012524.
Can I work with this therapist if I live outside the US?
International clients are not currently accepted; she practices and accepts clients located within Illinois.
Which session formats are offered for online work?
Available formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to suit different needs and schedules.
How are fees and subscriptions handled?
Cost varies by location and therapist availability, and sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What steps are involved in getting started?
Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then scheduling sessions according to the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemDepression

Also works with

AddictionsRelationship issuesFamily conflictsGriefCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCompassion fatigueADHD

Additional focus areas

Aging and geriatric issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesEmptinessForgivenessImpulsivityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMidlife crisisMoney and financial issuesMood disordersPostpartum depressionPregnancy and childbirthSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-loveWomen's issuesWorkplace issues

Therapeutic approaches

Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Motivational InterviewingNarrative TherapySolution-Focused TherapySystemic Therapy

Experience

13+ years

Licensed

Illinois

Languages

English