- ACT and CBT approaches
- DBT skills for emotion
- Goal focused work
About Deanna
Deanna MacDonald is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) in Illinois with seven years providing individual therapy. She helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, mood disorders, and questions about life purpose. She also works with concerns such as body image, self-esteem, addictions, trauma, and relationship or intimacy-related issues.
Her style is collaborative and direct. Sessions are practical and focused on what feels most pressing. Deanna draws on evidence-based methods to break problems into manageable steps and teach skills that can be used between meetings.
She uses approaches like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy alongside Motivational Interviewing and Solution-Focused work. That means clients learn ways to notice thoughts and feelings, test unhelpful patterns, build coping skills, and set concrete goals for change.
Deanna has experience with grief, caregiver stress, workplace strain, panic and obsessive concerns, and eating and sleeping difficulties. She also supports people dealing with ADHD, bipolar mood changes, self-harm urges, and compassion fatigue.
In sessions she helps people clarify priorities and try small experiments that make daily life more manageable. The aim is to identify practical next steps rather than promise a particular outcome. People who want to work on career direction, parenting stress, or rebuilding routine often find this approach useful.
How her online work uses evidence-based approaches
Deanna commonly draws from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in her work. ACT focuses on noticing thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, and it helps people reconnect with what matters day to day. CBT looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions interact and teaches practical skills to shift unhelpful patterns and reduce symptoms like anxiety or low mood.She also uses Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills when emotion regulation and distress tolerance are priorities. DBT skills give concrete exercises for handling intense feelings, reducing impulsive behavior, and improving interpersonal effectiveness.
Finding the right fit is part of the work. Deanna will collaborate with each person to choose approaches that match their goals and preferences. That means trying methods, checking what helps, and adjusting the plan together so sessions stay relevant and focused.
The biography does not list specific session formats, so please confirm current online options before booking. Many people appreciate online therapy because it can make scheduling easier, reduce travel, and allow shorter check-ins when needed. Talk with her about what will fit into your routine and which session rhythm would best support your goals.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
7+ years
Listed in
Illinois
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she help with?
She supports people with stress, anxiety, depression, mood disorders, and life purpose questions, plus related issues like body image, relationship concerns, and substance struggles.
How does she approach feeling stuck or directionless?
She uses collaborative, practical methods that break problems into small steps and teach skills to test new behaviors between sessions.
What is her background and experience?
She has seven years of experience providing individual therapy and additional professional experience in the wider mental health field.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is an LCPC - Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor - licensed in Illinois and practices from that state.
Does she work in languages other than English?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can I work with her from outside the United States?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How do sessions and payment work?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin if I want to try therapy with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and then schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the crisis numbers.