About Deanna
Deanna MacDonald is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) in Illinois who helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, mood disorders, and relationship or intimacy-related concerns. She also addresses addictions, grief, trauma and abuse, ADHD, body image, and self-esteem struggles. Her work includes support for career issues, parenting strain, compassion fatigue, and coping with life changes.
She uses a collaborative style that puts the client's goals first. Sessions focus on practical steps and clear skills.
Background and approach
She talks with clients about what is getting in the way and tries small, manageable changes that fit everyday life. Her approach draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to spot unhelpful thinking patterns and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to clarify values and build committed action. She also incorporates Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills for emotion regulation and Motivational Interviewing when people are weighing change.
Deanna has seven years of experience doing individual therapy. She aims to create a respectful, compassionate setting where people can work at their own pace. Typical sessions include skill practice, goal setting, and talking through current struggles.
People seeking an initial match complete a short questionnaire and arrange scheduling through the site's Start Therapy flow. Sessions are offered via video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different schedules and needs.
How therapy approaches fit online care
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify what matters most to them and take small actions toward those values while learning to accept uncomfortable thoughts and feelings. ACT can help with anxiety, depression, and life transitions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on spotting and changing unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns through structured exercises and practice between sessions, which often helps with anxiety, panic, and mood problems. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) provides concrete skills for managing intense emotions and improving interpersonal effectiveness; its skills-based focus can be useful for anger, mood swings, and relationship stress.Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will talk with each person about their goals, preferences, and daily life, then try methods that match those needs. This is a collaborative process and adjustments are made as progress and feedback show what helps most.
Online therapy offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video sessions are useful for in-depth conversation and skill demonstration. Phone sessions can fit into a tighter schedule or when bandwidth is limited. Live chat or text messaging work well for brief check-ins, coaching-style support, or when someone prefers written communication. These options make it easier to keep consistent appointments and practice new skills between sessions.
Questions people ask
What kinds of problems does Deanna help with?
How would she work with my concerns?
What is her background and experience?
What credentials and location are listed?
Can I have sessions in another language or from another country?
What session formats are available?
How does cost work for sessions?
How do I begin working with her?
What this counselor works with
Most often
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Self esteem
Also listed
- Addictions
- ADHD
- Anger management
- Bipolar disorder
- Body image
- Career difficulties
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Coaching
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Control issues
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Eating and food-related issues
- Eating disorders
- Family conflicts
- Forgiveness
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- Intimacy-related issues
- LGBT
- Life purpose
- Mood disorders
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Parenting issues
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sleeping disorders
- Trauma and abuse
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 7 years
- Licensed
- Illinois
- Languages
- English