Dina Payne, LCSW

Dina Payne is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in Illinois who helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, relationship strain, and other life challenges. She meets clients where they are and aims to create a calm, non-judgmental space to talk. Sessions focus on clear goals and practical steps to feel better and manage day-to-day struggles.

Dina trained at Saint Louis University where she earned a Master of Social Work with emphasis on school social work and marriage and family. Over nine years she has worked in a range of settings including foster care, colleges, and high schools. She has provided individual therapy for adolescents and adults and has experience in couples work and family-related concerns.

Her practice blends straightforward, client-centered listening with cognitive behavioral tools to tackle unhelpful thoughts and patterns. She also incorporates trauma-focused approaches when past events are getting in the way of daily life. Sessions typically combine talk, practical exercises, and new coping strategies to use between meetings.

Dina also works with issues such as addictions, grief, intimacy-related problems, parenting stress, ADHD, and midlife transitions. She pays attention to cultural differences and the particular pressures caregivers and older adults may face. Her style is collaborative - she and the client set goals together and adjust the plan as needed.

Outside of therapy she enjoys walking her dogs, reading, yoga, and crafts. Those personal interests inform a down-to-earth approach that aims to make therapy approachable and useful.

How Dina’s Approaches Work Online

Dina uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help identify and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors; this is useful for anxiety, depression, and stress. Client-Centered Therapy offers a respectful, listening-focused environment where the client's priorities guide each session. When past events are causing current problems, Trauma-Focused Therapy provides focused strategies to reduce symptom impact and build coping skills.

Choosing an approach is a team effort. Dina will talk with each person about their goals, symptoms, and preferences, then suggest an approach or mix of approaches to try. That plan is revisited regularly so the work stays relevant and responsive to changing needs.

Online sessions can be a flexible way to get therapy. Video calls allow face-to-face interaction for deeper conversation and exercises. Phone sessions can fit into a shorter break or when bandwidth is limited. Live chat and text messaging are options for brief check-ins, symptom tracking, or ongoing support between sessions. These formats make it easier to schedule appointments, follow through on homework, and keep continuity when life is busy or travel makes in-person meetings difficult.