Compassionate online therapy with licensed therapists serving Des Plaines.
If the idea of adding a therapy appointment to an already packed schedule in Des Plaines has kept you from starting, virtual sessions change that equation entirely. No commute, no waiting room, no rearranging your afternoon. At Lotus Wellness Center, our licensed clinicians have delivered online therapy through a secure, HIPAA-compliant platform for years and bring more than 13 years of clinical experience to every session. We offer Des Plaines, IL online therapy for clients anywhere in Illinois. Call for a free phone consultation to find out if this format works for you.
Online Therapy Des Plaines, IL
Does virtual therapy actually work as well as being in the room with someone? That concern comes up constantly, and the evidence is clear. For anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, and relationship concerns, virtual sessions produce results that match what clinicians see in office-based treatment. What matters most is the quality of the therapist, the strength of the working relationship, and how consistently someone shows up. The format is secondary.
At Lotus Wellness Center, online therapy means a live video session through an encrypted platform. Your therapist sees you, hears you, and responds in real time. You connect from any private space with an internet connection. The clinical work is identical to what happens in our Palatine office. The only thing you lose is windshield time.
Online Therapy Services We Offer in Des Plaines
All clinical services at Lotus Wellness Center are available virtually for Des Plaines residents. The platform does not limit the type of work we do. Below is what we offer.
- Individual therapy. You meet privately with your therapist over video in sessions shaped around your concerns, your goals, and your pace. This is the most common entry point for online counseling in Des Plaines.
- Anxiety therapy. Virtual sessions can be especially effective for anxiety because they remove the environmental stressors of traveling to a new place. Clients dealing with social anxiety, panic, or generalized worry often engage more readily from home.
- Depression therapy. When depression makes getting out of bed feel like a project, the last thing that helps is adding a 30-minute drive. Online sessions keep treatment accessible even on the hardest days.
- Couples and relationship counseling. Both partners join the same secure video session. Some couples connect from the same room, while others log in from different locations when space is needed.
- Trauma-informed therapy. Being in a controlled, familiar environment can enhance the sense of safety that trauma work depends on. Our clinicians deliver IFS, somatic-informed approaches, and BrainSpotting virtually with attention to pacing and containment.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT’s structured format transfers directly to virtual delivery. Thought tracking, behavioral activation, and between-session assignments function the same way over video as they do across a desk.
- BrainSpotting. Your therapist guides the focused eye positioning through the screen while you hold the position from your own space. The adaptation has been practiced extensively by our clinicians.
- Hypnotherapy. Virtual sessions are a natural fit for clinical hypnosis because you are already in a private, relaxed setting. Liana Gerdov, Psy.D., and Haley Bogdan, LPC, both hold certifications in clinical hypnotherapy and offer this modality over video.
- Teen and child therapy. Samantha Peroutka, LPC, provides virtual sessions for young people ages five and up. Parents may be present during sessions for younger children depending on the treatment plan.
- Multi-state availability. Several of our therapists are licensed in Wisconsin, Indiana, and Florida in addition to Illinois, which extends virtual access to clients in those states.
Why Choose Lotus Wellness Center for Online Therapy in Des Plaines, IL?
A Practice Built for Both Virtual and In-Person Work
Online therapy is not an afterthought at Lotus Wellness Center. The practice has offered virtual sessions as a core service for years, and our clinicians have built real skill in delivering effective treatment through a screen. That includes adapting body-based modalities for video, maintaining therapeutic presence without shared physical space, and keeping clients engaged when the couch and the phone are within arm’s reach.
Ashley Pruitt, LCPC, is a licensed clinical professional counselor who provides both virtual and in-person sessions for adults working through anxiety, depression, and relational concerns. Liana Gerdov, Psy.D., LCPC, CHT, has been practicing for 13 years and brings certifications in clinical trauma treatment (CCTP), Internal Family Systems, somatic experiencing, and BrainSpotting to her virtual work. Our complete roster of clinicians includes LCPCs, LPCs, and a licensed clinical social worker. All maintain active Illinois licenses verifiable through the IDFPR licensing board.
Insurance and Payment for Virtual Sessions
Virtual appointments are billed at the same rate as in-person visits. We accept BlueCross BlueShield PPO, Aetna, Medicare, United Healthcare/Optum, Cigna, ComPsych, and Tricare. Individual sessions are $150 for 50 minutes for self-pay clients, with a limited sliding scale based on income. HSA cards are accepted, and we verify out-of-network benefits for plans not listed.
The flexibility that online therapy in Des Plaines provides goes beyond the session itself. Without a commute, clients fit therapy into pockets of the day that would not otherwise work. Lunch breaks, early mornings, and late evenings all become viable. Clients can also shift between virtual and in-person formats at any time. When the clinical work calls for it, therapists bring in clinical hypnosis or somatic approaches during virtual sessions without losing clinical effectiveness.
Understanding Online Therapy
Therapy Approaches and What They Look Like
Every modality we use in the office is available through our virtual platform. Your therapist recommends the approach based on your clinical picture, not the delivery method.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) follows a structured cycle of identifying unhelpful thought patterns, testing alternatives, and tracking progress through homework. The format is inherently suited to video.
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) uses guided exercises to build psychological flexibility and reconnect you with what matters. None of that requires a physical office.
- Internal Family Systems (IFS) involves internal exploration that clients often find more accessible from the privacy of their own environment.
- Somatic experiencing adapts to video through guided body awareness exercises. Your therapist coaches you through nervous system regulation while you stay attuned to physical sensations in real time.
- BrainSpotting uses guided gaze positioning to locate and process stored emotional material. Your therapist directs the process through video while you hold the eye position from your space.
What Therapy Can Help With
Virtual counseling in Des Plaines, IL supports the same concerns addressed in person, including:
- Generalized anxiety, panic attacks, and avoidance patterns that limit daily functioning
- Depression, persistent low mood, and withdrawal from relationships or responsibilities
- Grief and loss that feels isolating or overwhelming to work through alone
- Relationship conflict, communication breakdowns, and emotional distance
- Life transitions including job changes, divorce, new parenthood, or retirement
Typical Therapy Process and Timeline
The structure of virtual treatment mirrors in-person therapy with a few practical differences at the outset.
- A brief phone consultation comes first. From there, you schedule a video intake session where your therapist gets oriented to your history and current concerns.
- Together you establish a treatment plan with defined goals and a recommended therapeutic approach.
- Regular sessions follow, typically weekly, focused on skill building, processing, and applying new strategies in your daily life.
- Your therapist reviews progress at consistent intervals and adjusts the plan based on what you are experiencing.
- Length of treatment varies. Some people see real improvement in two to three months of consistent sessions. Others continue when the work involves layered or longstanding concerns.
What to Expect from Your First Session
The technology is simpler than most people anticipate.
- You receive a secure link before your scheduled time and connect from a private space with a camera and a reliable internet connection.
- Your therapist begins with intake questions covering your background, what you are currently dealing with, and what motivated you to reach out.
- You talk about preliminary goals and get a sense of whether the therapist’s style and approach feel like a good match.
- Sessions run about 50 minutes. Technical disruptions are uncommon, but your therapist will have a backup plan ready if the connection drops.
Illinois Mental Health Resources
If you need additional information or want to verify credentials before choosing a provider, these resources are available:
- The NIMH psychotherapies page provides evidence-based overviews of major therapy types and what to expect from each.
- The Illinois DFPR maintains a license verification tool where you can confirm any therapist’s active status and credentials.
- The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline provides free, confidential support at any time. Call or text 988.
Contact Lotus Wellness Center
If you have been telling yourself you will start therapy once things slow down, online sessions let you start without waiting for that day to arrive. Our therapists are accepting new virtual clients throughout Illinois.
You do not need a referral, a diagnosis, or even a clear sense of what you want to work on. The first conversation is about figuring that out together.
Contact us through our online form or by phone to schedule your first virtual session. Our staff will confirm your insurance and pair you with a therapist who fits what you are looking for.
