Maria "Patti" Lorenzo

Compassionate, practical therapy for lasting change

LCPC Illinois

Experience: 12 years in practice
Focus areas: Trauma and abuse, Self esteem, Coping with life changes
Approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Languages: English

About Maria

Maria "Patti" Lorenzo is an Illinois-licensed clinical professional counselor with 12 years of practice helping people reshape their inner dialogue and build more compassionate self-relations. She centers work on reducing overthinking, self-criticism, anxiety, emotional exhaustion, and patterns that leave people feeling stuck.

Background and approach

Her background supports addressing a wide range of concerns including trauma and abuse, mood disorders such as depression and bipolar, ADHD, grief, stress, career- and intimacy-related issues, and compassion fatigue. Her therapeutic stance is practical and collaborative, blending evidence-informed tools with empathic listening to foster awareness and change.

Sessions focus on identifying habitual responses, learning new ways to think and act, and cultivating sustainable emotional habits. Clients can expect a mix of warmth, honest reflection, and gentle accountability as they practice skills that translate into everyday life.

Throughout treatment she draws from several approaches to match interventions to a person’s needs, with attention to attachment patterns, coping strategies, and behavioral choices. Maria combines clinical knowledge with a coaching-oriented sensibility to support meaningful, real-world shifts over time.

Approaches That Guide Online Work and Growth

Maria often uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice and change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns; CBT offers concrete techniques for managing anxiety, depression, and stress-related problems. She also draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, which focuses on clarifying personal values and learning to live alongside difficult thoughts and feelings rather than being driven by them. Attachment-Based Therapy is used to explore how early relational patterns influence current coping and intimacy, providing a way to address relationship stress and attachment issues.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist partners with each client to assess goals, preferences, and responses to different methods, adjusting strategies over time so the work stays relevant and effective for the person’s circumstances.

Online therapy options include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, which can make attending sessions more flexible and accessible around work, caregiving, or travel. These formats allow consistent, ongoing care and make it easier to integrate new skills into daily routines while working with licensed professionals.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does she address?

She works with many issues including trauma and abuse, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, grief, stress, and intimacy-related problems, along with related challenges like self-esteem and compassion fatigue.

How would you describe her therapeutic style?

The style is supportive and practical, combining empathic listening with skill-building and gentle accountability to create changes that apply to daily life.

What is her professional background?

She brings 12 years of clinical experience working with a broad range of mental health and life concerns using integrative approaches.

Where is she licensed and what are her credentials?

She holds the credential LCPC with license number IL LCPC 180013018 and practices from Illinois.

Does she work with people who are not in the United States?

Yes, she accepts international clients and can provide services to people outside the U.S.

What session formats are available?

Sessions are offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different communication preferences.

How are fees and billing handled?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are arranged 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, complete a brief matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to therapist availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Trauma and abuse Self esteem Coping with life changesCoaching

Also works with

Stress, Anxiety GriefIntimacy-related issuesCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderDepression Compassion fatigue ADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesBDSM, kink, and alternative sex cultureBlended family issuesBody imageCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCo-morbidityCodependencyCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFirst responder issuesForgivenessGender dysphoriaGuilt and shameHospice and end-of-life counselingImmigration issuesImpulsivityInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMen's issuesMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsObsessions, compulsions, and OCD Panic disorder and panic attacksPersonality disordersPolyamory / non-monogamous relationshipsPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthPrejudice and discriminationSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSex addictionSexual assault and abuseSexual dysfunctionSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaSomatizationTraumatic brain injuryVisually impairedWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Existential TherapyEye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)Jungian TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapySomatic TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

Experience

12+ years

Licensed

Illinois

Languages

English