Profile / United States
Monica Alvarez, LCPC, LPCC
Illinois
Licensed counselor - Stress and anxiety care
See online therapy options- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Bilingual English Spanish
- 12 years experience
About Monica
Monica Alvarez is a licensed clinical professional counselor with 12 years of experience. She holds an IL LCPC and a CA LPCC and works in Illinois. She speaks English and Spanish and helps people with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, parenting concerns, depression, LGBT issues, relationships, sleep problems, self-esteem, career questions, and coping with life changes.
Monica uses straightforward methods to help people notice thoughts and habits that keep problems going. She draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to identify unhelpful thinking patterns and practice new responses. She also uses client-centered approaches to follow what matters most to each person and mindfulness tools to calm reacting and focus attention.
Sessions focus on concrete skills and short-term goals. Monica helps people break large problems into small steps they can try between meetings. She also works on specific areas like abandonment, attachment issues, codependency, body image, caregiver stress, and family of origin problems.
Her background includes helping people after domestic violence, divorce and separation, immigration stress, infidelity, and grief. She also supports people facing midlife shifts, questions about life purpose, and challenges tied to bipolar mood symptoms. The work usually combines skill practice, problem-solving, and checking what actually helps in daily life.
Monica invites people who want practical, structured support to explore coping techniques and new habits. If someone prefers Spanish, she can speak in Spanish during sessions. To start, follow the site’s matching and scheduling steps to set up an initial meeting.
How Monica uses CBT, client-centered work, and mindfulness online
Monica uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people name unhelpful thoughts and test different ways of responding. CBT sessions often include structured practice, behavioral experiments, and homework to try between meetings. Client-centered therapy provides space for the person to lead what matters most and to set the pace for each topic. Mindfulness therapy teaches simple attention and breathing skills to reduce reactivity and improve sleep and mood.Finding the right approach is part of the work. Monica will discuss goals, current struggles, and what methods feel most useful. She collaborates with each person to pick practical tools and adjusts the focus as progress or hurdles appear.
Confirm the current session formats before booking to learn which online options are offered. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a weekday break, avoid travel time, or choose a shorter check-in when schedules are tight. Some people find video useful for teaching skills, while others prefer an audio call for a quicker conversation. Ask about the specific session options when arranging the first meeting.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
12+ years
Listed in
Illinois, California
Languages
English, Spanish
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she commonly address?
She helps people with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, parenting questions, depression, relationship and family issues, sleep problems, self-esteem, career concerns, and coping with life changes.
How would she describe her therapeutic style?
She uses practical, skills-based work from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy alongside client-centered listening and mindfulness practices to help people test new habits and thoughts.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 12 years of experience as a licensed psychotherapist working with a range of emotional and life concerns.
What credentials and location are listed?
She holds IL LCPC and CA LPCC credentials and practices in Illinois.
In which languages are sessions offered?
Sessions are offered in English and Spanish.
Does she work with clients outside the country?
International clients are not accepted at this time.
How are sessions scheduled and paid for?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What should I do to begin?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete the 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.