About April
April Balzhiser is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) based in Illinois who focuses on a broad range of concerns including stress, anxiety, relationship and family difficulties, trauma and abuse, depression, addictions, grief, intimacy-related issues, self-esteem, bipolar disorder, and coping with life changes.
Background and approach
She also gives attention to matters such as abandonment, adoption and foster care, attachment and blended family issues, body image, caregiver stress, chronic illness and disability, codependency, communication and commitment problems, and compassion fatigue. With 18 years of professional experience, she draws on a deep background in social services and mental health work.
Her style centers on meeting clients where they are and building a therapeutic relationship that supports growth from that starting point. April integrates client-centered principles with evidence-informed methods so sessions are tailored to each person’s needs and goals.
She places particular emphasis on trauma-informed care and work with family and relational dynamics learned through long-term practice in settings that included domestic violence, sexual assault, child welfare, foster care, and alternative schooling. April provides care in English and holds an Illinois LCPC license (IL LCPC 180007972).
She welcomes clients who wish to address life transitions, emotional pain, and relational challenges while collaborating on practical strategies and emotional insight.
Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care
April often blends client-centered work with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to create a practical and empathetic framework. Client-centered therapy focuses on building a trusting relationship, listening closely, and tailoring support to each person’s experience. CBT offers structured techniques to identify unhelpful thoughts and develop new coping strategies, which can be helpful for anxiety, depression, and stress-related concerns.
She also uses Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills when emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness are priorities. DBT provides concrete tools for managing intense emotions, improving communication, and reducing self-destructive patterns, which can complement other approaches during times of crisis or chronic difficulty.
Choosing the right approach is collaborative; the therapist will work with clients to determine which methods align with their goals, preferences, and presenting concerns. That process may involve trying different techniques and adjusting the plan as progress unfolds.
Online therapy options include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, offering flexibility for varying schedules and comfort levels. These formats make it easier to maintain regular sessions, access consistent support during life transitions, and integrate therapeutic tools into daily routines while working with licensed professionals.
Frequently asked questions
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
Also works with
- Abandonment
- Addictions
- Adoption and foster care
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Attachment issues
- Bipolar disorder
- Blended family issues
- Body image
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Co-morbidity
- Coaching
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Control issues
- Coping with life changes
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Dependent personality
- Depression
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Eating and food-related issues
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- First responder issues
- Forgiveness
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Intimacy-related issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Narcissism
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Paranoia
- Personality disorders
- Post-traumatic stress
- Postpartum depression
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self esteem
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Somatization
- Trauma and abuse
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 18 years
- Licensed
- Illinois
- Languages
- English