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LCPC

Rita Porter, LCPC

  • Experience32 years
  • LocationIllinois
  • Focus areasADHD, Stress and Anxiety, and Addictions
  • Therapy approachesAcceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Client-Centered Therapy
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About Rita

Rita Porter brings more than 32 years of clinical experience as an Illinois-licensed counselor (LCPC) to her practice. She focuses on guiding people through complex emotional challenges such as depression, anxiety, addiction, grief, and life transitions, emphasizing practical strategies and emotional insight.

Background and approach

With a patient, collaborative stance she helps clients examine relationship patterns, family dynamics, and personal values to foster greater resilience and self-compassion. Her work often addresses concerns like coping with change, self-esteem, trauma and abuse, anger, career stress, and ADHD, as well as a range of additional issues including blended family dynamics, caregiver stress, and substance-related problems.

Rita blends time-tested methods with mindfulness and emotional processing to help clients identify goals, reduce symptoms, and build sustainable skills for daily life. She aims to create a respectful therapeutic environment where each person’s story is heard and the path forward is tailored to their priorities and strengths.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Support

Rita commonly integrates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) into her online practice. ACT helps people clarify personal values, accept difficult feelings without avoidance, and take action toward a meaningful life, which can be useful for stress, life changes, and chronic worry. CBT focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking patterns and testing more adaptive beliefs and behaviors, often producing practical tools for managing anxiety, depression, and problematic habits.

Finding the right approach is part of the collaborative work she offers; she discusses each method with clients and tailors interventions to their goals, preferences, and the issues they bring to sessions. This shared decision-making helps align techniques with what feels most relevant and effective for the individual.

Online therapy through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging allows for flexible scheduling and easier access to care from different locations within her licensed area. These formats make it possible to maintain consistent progress while accommodating busy routines and varied communication styles, and they support ongoing therapeutic work using the evidence-based approaches described above.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does Rita commonly address?
Her practice covers a wide range of issues including stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, relationship and family problems, trauma and abuse, grief, parenting challenges, anger, career stress, and ADHD.
What is her therapeutic style like?
She works collaboratively and respectfully, combining compassionate listening with practical interventions to help clients build resilience and self-compassion.
How much clinical experience does she have?
Rita has 32 years of experience providing mental health care and helping clients navigate emotional and life transitions.
What credentials and location should I know about?
She holds the LCPC credential and practices in Illinois; her license is listed as IL LCPC 180.002881.
Can I work with her if I am not in the United States?
She does not accept international clients at this time and offers services to people located within her licensed region.
What session formats are available for online work?
Sessions can be scheduled as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or through text-based messaging to fit different communication preferences.
How are fees and subscriptions handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are provided through a subscription model that may be canceled at any time.
What steps are involved in getting started?
Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a brief matching questionnaire, and then scheduling sessions according to the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyAddictionsSelf esteemDepressionCoping with life changes

Also works with

Relationship issuesFamily conflictsTrauma and abuseGriefParenting issuesAnger managementCareer difficultiesADHD

Additional focus areas

Aging and geriatric issuesBlended family issuesCaregiver issues and stressCodependencyCommunication problemsControl issuesDivorce and separationDrug and alcohol addictionEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameImmigration issuesIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeMidlife crisisMood disordersPostpartum depressionPregnancy and childbirthSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-loveWomen's issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingSolution-Focused Therapy

Experience

32+ years

Licensed

Illinois

Languages

English