Profile / United States
Deanna MacDonald, LCPC
Illinois
Licensed counselor - Anxiety and mood concerns
See online therapy options- CBT methods
- ACT and DBT skills
- Goal focused work
About Deanna
Deanna MacDonald is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) in Illinois with seven years focused on individual therapy. She works with people dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship strain, self-esteem and body image concerns. She also supports people facing mood disorders, ADHD, grief, trauma and struggles with eating or sleeping.
She uses practical, structured approaches in sessions. That means noticing unhelpful thoughts and habits and trying different ways of responding. Sessions are collaborative - the client and Deanna set goals and try out small changes between meetings.
Her work draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy, along with motivational interviewing and solution-focused methods. She blends these approaches to help with symptoms like panic, obsessive thoughts, low mood and impulsive behaviors.
In practice she breaks concerns into concrete steps. That can include tracking triggers, testing beliefs in real situations, learning emotion regulation skills and building routines for sleep and eating. She also addresses work stress, caregiver strain and communication problems.
Deanna emphasizes clear, measurable goals and regular review. Progress is checked by adjusting strategies when something is not helping. People who want focused, hands-on work to change daily patterns often find this approach useful.
How her approaches translate to online work
Their core methods include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy. CBT focuses on spotting patterns of thought and behavior and trying practical experiments to see what changes how someone feels and acts. ACT teaches values-based action and techniques to accept difficult thoughts so they have less control over behavior. DBT provides concrete emotion regulation and distress-tolerance skills for intense moods and relationship conflicts.Choosing a method is a collaborative step. The therapist will review current concerns, goals and what has or has not helped before. Together they will try an approach and adjust it over time based on what produces useful changes for the client.
Session formats are not listed in the biography, so confirm the current online session options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a workday, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when needed. They also let people practice new skills in their everyday routines and bring real-life situations into discussion without waiting for the next office visit.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
7+ years
Listed in
Illinois
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What issues does she commonly help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, mood disorders, ADHD, grief, trauma, body image and problems with sleep or eating.
How does she use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
She uses CBT to identify unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and to test practical alternatives through small experiments between sessions.
What kind of clinical experience does she have?
She has seven years providing individual therapy and over a decade of professional work in the mental health field.
What credential and location information is on file?
She is an LCPC - Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor - practicing in Illinois.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the U.S. work with her?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are fees handled?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
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.