About Penny
Dr. Penny Brower centers her work in evidence-informed approaches that help people gain clearer direction and greater choice in how they respond to life's challenges.
Background and approach
With 34 years of clinical experience and an LCPC license in Illinois, she blends cognitive and mindfulness-based strategies with relational work to address stress, anxiety, depression, relationship struggles, and a wide range of other concerns.
She draws on a background that includes in-home family therapy, community mental health, independent practice, and an eight-year role with the Air National Guard where she helped develop programs aimed at reducing suicide risk and strengthening resilience. Dr.
Brower emphasizes collaborative, person-focused care that examines the situations and decisions leading to current difficulties while building practical skills and resources for change. Respectful of individual differences, she avoids quick diagnostic labels and encourages ongoing feedback so methods can be adjusted to fit each person's needs.
Her practice addresses issues such as ADHD, addictions, trauma and abuse, grief, intimacy and sexual concerns, family and communication problems, codependency, infidelity, and related struggles, helping clients move toward more adaptive, fulfilling patterns.
Therapeutic Approaches Adapted for Online Work
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps clients clarify personal values and take committed action toward them while learning to accept difficult thoughts and feelings; it is useful for anxiety, depression, and stress-related struggles. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thought and behavior patterns to reduce distress and improve functioning, which can be effective for mood, anxiety, and coping with life changes. Attachment-Based Therapy explores relational patterns and early connection experiences to improve current relationships and emotional regulation, often helping with intimacy, family issues, and attachment-related concerns.Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic work. The therapist collaborates with each client to assess goals, preferences, and responses to different methods, and adjusts strategies over time so treatment fits the person's needs rather than forcing a single model.
Online therapy offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, making it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules and to access support from home or another convenient location. Licensed professionals can use these formats to deliver structured interventions, relational work, and skills training while adapting pace and tools to each client's situation.
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she commonly address?
What therapeutic styles does she use in sessions?
What is her clinical background and experience?
What credentials and location should I know about?
Does she offer services in other languages or to international clients?
In what formats are sessions available?
How are fees and payment structured?
What steps are involved to begin working together?
Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Self esteem
Also works with
- Abandonment
- Addictions
- ADHD
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Anger management
- Attachment issues
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Divorce and separation
- Emptiness
- Family conflicts
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Forgiveness
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- Infidelity
- Intimacy-related issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- LGBT
- Life purpose
- Narcissism
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Phobias
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Trauma and abuse
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Women's issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 34 years
- Licensed
- Illinois
- Languages
- English