About Alisa
Alisa Cates, LCPC, draws on a person-centered foundation to create a respectful, understanding therapeutic relationship that supports change and personal growth.
Background and approach
Licensed in Illinois since 2013, she emphasizes listening and building strong rapport so clients feel heard while exploring concerns ranging from anxiety, depression, and mood disorders to grief, addictions, and relationship or family difficulties. Her approach values each person's differences and preferences while working toward clearer coping and healthier patterns.
Over a 13-year career Alisa has practiced in community mental health, inpatient hospitalization, intensive outpatient programs, corrections, and independent practice, developing experience with stress, anger, self-esteem, parenting challenges, bipolar disorder, and life transitions. She integrates evidence-informed methods such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Emotionally-Focused ideas, Narrative Therapy, and Solution-Focused techniques to tailor care to individual needs.
Alisa invites clients to explore goals, increase self-understanding, and build practical skills for challenges including career concerns, compassion fatigue, ADHD, and perinatal mood issues. She welcomes conversations about next steps and how therapy might fit into each person’s life.
Integrating therapeutic approaches in online care
Alisa commonly uses Client-Centered Therapy, which emphasizes a warm, nonjudgmental relationship and helps clients feel understood as they explore their concerns and goals. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is another key approach she employs, focusing on identifying patterns of thinking and behavior and developing practical skills to manage symptoms like anxiety, depression, and stress.Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. She works together with each person to determine which methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences, and adapts strategies over time as progress and priorities evolve.
Online sessions are offered via video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to provide flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These formats allow clients to engage in skill-building, reflective work, and problem-solving from locations that fit their lives, while maintaining continuity of care when in-person options are limited.
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does Alisa address?
Which therapeutic styles does she use in sessions?
How long has she been practicing?
Where is she licensed to practice?
What languages are available for therapy?
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How are fees and payment handled?
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
- Stress, Anxiety
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
Also works with
- Addictions
- ADHD
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Bipolar disorder
- Career difficulties
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Control issues
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Emptiness
- Family conflicts
- Forgiveness
- Grief
- Impulsivity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Postpartum depression
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Relationship issues
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self esteem
- Self-love
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 13 years
- Licensed
- Illinois
- Languages
- English