Profile / United States
Dr. Athena Porter, LCPC
Illinois
LCPC in Illinois - Anxiety and Mood concerns
See online therapy options- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- DBT skills
- Mindfulness practice
About Athena
Dr. Athena Porter is an LCPC (Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor) practicing in Illinois with 21 years of experience. She helps people who are dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, trauma and related concerns. Her work also covers problems with relationships, parenting, addiction, self-esteem, grief, and career strain.
Porter uses practical, structured approaches that include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy alongside existential and mindfulness methods. Sessions focus on identifying unhelpful thoughts and habits, trying small behavior changes, and learning skills to manage strong emotions and urges. She also offers coaching-style support for life transitions and wellness goals.
Her background includes community psychology work across the Chicago area, other U.S. cities, and programs in Ghana. That experience includes public presentations, awareness campaigns, and outreach on topics such as suicide prevention, PTSD, substance misuse, smoking cessation, and disaster response. She has integrated community education into her clinical perspective.
People who choose her often want clear strategies, skills practice, and discussion about values and meaning. Typical sessions mix talk, skill exercises, and brief behavioral experiments to test new ways of coping. Porter's approach is direct and action-oriented while also attending to how culture and life context shape problems.
She offers support for caregiver stress, communication problems, multicultural concerns, panic, seasonal mood shifts, and smoking or vaping cessation. People interested in working with her are asked to use the site's matching flow to begin the intake and scheduling process.
How CBT and related methods work in online sessions
Dr. Porter uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice and change unhelpful thoughts and routines; CBT focuses on clear steps such as tracking thoughts, testing assumptions, and practicing new behaviors. She also uses Dialectical Behavior Therapy techniques to teach emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal skills in a practical way. Existential work appears when clients want to talk about meaning, values, or big life questions and how those shape decisions.Choosing an approach is collaborative. The therapist and client review problems, goals, and preferences and then try approaches that match those needs. Sessions may shift over time as goals change and skills develop rather than staying fixed on one method.
Confirm current session options before booking since formats are not specified in the biography. Online therapy can make it easier to fit regular sessions into a busy schedule, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and remove travel time so work or caregiving obligations are easier to manage. Licensed professionals can adapt exercises for video or phone formats, use worksheets or guided practices during sessions, and suggest brief between-session tasks to practice new skills.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
21+ years
Listed in
Illinois
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she help with most often?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, trauma and related concerns such as addiction, grief, relationship strain, parenting stress, and career issues.
How would she describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is practical and structured, using CBT and DBT methods alongside existential and mindfulness approaches to teach skills and test new behaviors.
What is her clinical background and experience?
She has 21 years of experience and a doctorate in Clinical/Community Psychology, with community outreach work in Illinois, other U.S. cities, and programs in Ghana.
What credentials and location apply to her practice?
She holds the LCPC credential and practices in Illinois.
Which languages are supported in sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the U.S. work with her?
International clients are not currently accepted; sessions are provided to people within applicable regions of practice.
How are session costs handled?
Cost varies with location; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What is the first step to begin working together?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are not safe, use the crisis numbers.