About Rita
Rita Porter is an Illinois-licensed clinician with 32 years of experience helping people manage complex emotional and behavioral challenges. She focuses on guiding clients through major life transitions, addressing addictive behaviors, and repairing relationship dynamics while building personal resilience and self-compassion.
Background and approach
Her LCPC credential (Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor) reflects long-term clinical training and practice in the field. Her work encompasses a broad range of concerns including depression, anxiety, stress, grief, trauma and abuse, parenting and family issues, career struggles, ADHD, and problems with self-esteem and anger.
Rita also pays attention to related areas such as blended family dynamics, caregiver stress, codependency, communication problems, divorce and separation, and immigration-related challenges. She blends evidence-based strategies with an empathetic, person-focused stance to help clients find practical steps forward.
Rita emphasizes collaboration in therapy, tailoring interventions to each person's goals and preferences. Whether the focus is on coping with change, reducing addictive patterns, or improving emotional wellbeing, she supports clients in discovering strategies that foster greater balance and meaning in daily life.
Therapeutic approaches and online options
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify their values and take action toward meaningful goals while learning to accept difficult thoughts and emotions rather than battling them. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors to reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress. Mindfulness Therapy teaches present-moment awareness and self-compassion practices that can decrease reactivity and improve emotional regulation.
Finding the best approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Rita collaborates with clients to determine which methods fit their needs, goals, and personal preferences. Together they may combine elements from different approaches to create a tailored plan that evolves as progress is made.
Online therapy sessions are offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to increase flexibility and accessibility. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules, continue work during life transitions, and maintain momentum between sessions. Licensed professionals can use these formats to deliver structured interventions, supportive listening, and skills coaching in ways that suit each client’s rhythm and practical needs.
Frequently asked questions
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
Also works with
- ADHD
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Anger management
- Blended family issues
- Career difficulties
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Divorce and separation
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Emptiness
- Family conflicts
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Forgiveness
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- Immigration issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Mood disorders
- Parenting issues
- Postpartum depression
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Relationship issues
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-love
- Trauma and abuse
- Women's issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 32 years
- Licensed
- Illinois
- Languages
- English