Patti Hampsten, LCPC

Patti Hampsten is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor who blends practical skill-building with a warm, client-centered approach. She holds an Illinois LCPC and draws on several approaches to help people manage stress, anxiety, addiction-related concerns, mood struggles, and relationship or family issues.

Patti begins by meeting people where they are without judgment. She uses motivational interviewing early on to clarify what a person wants to change and why. From there she tailors sessions to match individual goals and preferences rather than following one fixed method.

Her work commonly includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice and shift unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. She also uses Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills and solution-focused ideas when those fit the situation. Mindfulness practices and strengths-based conversation are other tools she may introduce.

Patti’s style is casual and inviting. Sessions aim to be practical - leaving people with at least one new coping tool they can try between meetings. She has experience supporting concerns such as grief, trauma and abuse, eating and body image issues, addiction, parenting strain, career stress, and compassion fatigue.

She practices in Illinois and provides online options. Patti combines three years of formal experience as an LCPC with a long history of work in community mental health and addiction-related settings, and she also provides clinical supervision in court-related programs.

CBT, Client-Centered Work, and Online Care

Many people respond well to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy because it focuses on clear skills to change thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going. CBT is often used for anxiety, depression, panic, and unhealthy patterns related to eating or substance use. Client-centered therapy emphasizes understanding a person’s perspective and building a trusting relationship before moving into skills work. It helps people feel heard and respected as they decide what change looks like for them.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills add practical tools for managing strong emotions, improving distress tolerance, and handling intense relationship moments. Together these approaches give both a supportive space and concrete tactics to try between sessions. The therapist will work collaboratively to choose which approaches fit best based on goals, needs, and personal preferences rather than imposing one method.

Online therapy makes these approaches easier to use around a busy life. Video calls let people see facial cues and practice skills in real time. Phone sessions are useful when bandwidth is limited or a shorter check-in is needed. Live chat and text messaging support brief check-ins, skill reminders, or ongoing coaching between meetings. These options help therapy fit work, caregiving, or travel schedules while keeping a steady therapeutic process.