Kelly Peters

Experienced counselor guiding practical change

LCPC Illinois

Experience: 35 years in practice
Focus areas: Addictions, Trauma and abuse, Grief
Approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Languages: English

About Kelly

Kelly Peters is a licensed counselor (LCPC) based in Illinois who focuses on helping people navigate addiction, grief, trauma, relationship struggles, and a broad range of life transitions.

Background and approach

With 35 years of clinical experience, she draws on familiar, evidence-informed approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) alongside acceptance and commitment therapy and humanistic methods to address issues like anxiety, depression, codependency, and parenting concerns. Her style is described as warm, respectful, and collaborative, and she adapts conversations and treatment plans to each person’s needs.

In addition to traditional counseling work, her background includes career development, employee assistance services, crisis intervention, and critical incident debriefing, plus postgraduate training in areas like addictions, spiritual psychology, and breathwork.

Clients who seek support for intimacy-related problems, family-of-origin patterns, caregiver stress, chronic illness, or navigating divorce will find a clinician who aims to foster practical coping skills, personal insight, and sustainable change. She offers therapy for individuals, couples, families, and groups and frames progress as a shared effort to build a more fulfilling life.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Kelly often uses cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help people identify unhelpful thinking patterns and develop practical strategies for managing anxiety, depression, and behavior change. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is another approach she draws on to support values-based action and present-moment awareness when clients face difficult emotions or life transitions. Client-centered techniques emphasize empathy and collaboration so the client’s experience guides the pace and focus of the work.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and she collaborates with each person to determine which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences. This shared decision-making helps shape a tailored plan that may combine elements from different approaches to match what matters most to the client.

Online therapy offers flexible ways to engage, including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. These options can make it easier to attend consistently while fitting sessions into busy schedules, and they support ongoing contact for coaching, skill practice, and check-ins between meetings.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does Kelly commonly address?

Her practice includes support for addictions, trauma and abuse, grief, self-esteem struggles, anxiety, depression, relationship and family issues, parenting, and compassion fatigue among other related concerns.

What is her overall therapeutic approach like?

She uses a warm, respectful, and collaborative style that integrates cognitive behavioral techniques with acceptance and commitment and client-centered perspectives to tailor work to each person.

How much clinical experience does she have?

She brings 35 years of experience, including work with individuals, couples, families, and groups as well as crisis intervention and employee assistance services.

Where is she licensed and practicing?

She practices in Illinois and holds the credential LCPC with licence number IL LCPC 180.002099.

Does she offer therapy in languages other than English?

Sessions are provided in English and she is not accepting international clients at this time.

What formats are available for sessions?

Clients can meet through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging according to the available options.

How is cost handled for sessions?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are provided via a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin working with her?

To get started select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a session based on her availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Addictions Trauma and abuse Grief Self esteem Coping with life changes

Also works with

Stress, AnxietyLGBTRelationship issuesFamily conflictsIntimacy-related issuesParenting issuesAnger managementDepressionCoachingCompassion fatigue

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesAvoidant personalityBlended family issuesBody imageCancerCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCodependencyCommunication problemsControl issuesDivorce and separationDrug and alcohol addictionEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFirst responder issuesGuilt and shameHIV / AIDSHospice and end-of-life counselingImpulsivityInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMood disorders Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD Panic disorder and panic attacksPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthPrejudice and discriminationProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-loveSexual assault and abuseSocial anxiety and phobiaSomatizationTraumatic brain injuryTrichotillomaniaVisually impairedWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Existential TherapyImago Relationship TherapyJungian TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingSolution-Focused TherapySomatic TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

35+ years

Licensed

Illinois

Languages

English