Find a Therapist in Downers Grove, Illinois.

My approach to psychotherapy starts with a careful assessment of the problem and your attempts to solve them. We will look at your whole life, your health, your relationships with loved ones, your relationship with God. Sometimes, we are living life out of balance or we are going through difficult transitions and we just need some coaching on how to get ourselves unstuck. Other times solutions seem much more difficult to find. I can help with both but I am especially committed to finding creative solutions for those times when that problem just doesn't seem to go away no matter how hard you try.

Psychotherapy helps you to tap into your inner-most feelings and subconscious thoughts that control social/emotional behavior. Psychotherapy techniques will help you to identify and cope with challenges that keep you from realizing the life you idealize. Therapeutic techniques may include, but are not limited to, the client expressing any thoughts and feelings without censorship (free association) or analyzing dreams for meaning. In doing so, the client will gain self-awareness necessary to promote healthy personality and behavior changes.

Therapy is a powerful tool for healing, self-discovery, and growth. As a Licensed Professional Counselor in Illinois, I provide a supportive space where clients can explore challenges, develop coping strategies, and build resilience. Using evidence-based approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and mindfulness, I help clients navigate anxiety, depression, trauma, and life transitions. Together, we identify patterns that hold you back, and work toward meaningful change. My goal is to empower you with tools for greater self-awareness, emotional balance, and healthier relationships. Seeking therapy is a courageous step—support is available to help you move forward with confidence.

I believe that you are the expert of your lived experience. I’m not going to tell you what to feel or how to process it. I am here to guide you and listen to what you need. As your therapist, I am here to both empathize and challenge you, while still meeting you where you are what. I will actively listen to you and create a space of compassion and safety. I will also help challenge you whether that be challenging self-defeating thoughts or helping you identify actions you can take to help yourself grow.

Clients who work with me will find a warm, compassionate space where they can safely explore the tender places shaped by love, loss, trauma, and relationship struggles. I believe healing begins when our pain is met with empathy and understanding—within the safety of a trusting, secure connection. Together, we’ll move at your pace, gently uncovering what’s beneath the surface and honoring your unique story. Therapy isn’t about fixing what’s broken—it’s about nurturing what’s wounded, rediscovering your inner strength, and creating space for new possibilities. It’s a sacred journey, and I’m honored to walk alongside you as you move toward greater clarity, connection, and peace.

Psychotherapy is an effective way to gain insights, find hope, and get support. My approach is to demystify the psychotherapy experience. I am down to earth and like to provide support while also teaching you new skills and ideas to use in your life. It's not just talk therapy with me. In addition to processing stressors in your life I will also provide you with new real world tools to use.

"Psychotherapy is the informed and intentional application of clinical methods and interpersonal stances derived from established psychological principles for the purpose of assisting people to modify their behaviors, cognitions, emotions, and/or other personal characteristics in directions that the participants deem desirable" (Norcross, 1990, p. 218-220 ) We use Freudian-based theories, object relations, attachment theories and self-psychology to assist our clients in identifying and understanding the underlying issues that may color their current relationships.

Kari Hunter has provided psychotherapy for individuals, couples and families for over 25 years. She offers many types of psychotherapy for problems such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, child and adolescent problems, and relationship struggles. Psychotherapy today incorporates our knowledge about brain science and behavioral change. Evidence from research has led to development of treatments such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectic Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness strategies, and many types of Marital and Family Therapy.

We can work together to develop a game plan to help you to to accomplish your goals for our work together. This will include decisions about how frequently to meet (example: once or twice weekly), your specific goals (and what will be different when the issue is resolved), options for working towards your goals, and what specific strategies you would like to use (I can suggest a variety of them for you - for example, perhaps you are interested in mindfulness, meditation, or laughter yoga!!)

Not every counselor has the ability, patience or interest in doing psychotherapy which I see as different from counseling as men are from women. I'm an experienced psychotherapist who has helped man clients deal with the internal and family of origin issues which lead to repetitive negative patterns of thinking, feeling and behavior. I'm not only a good listener, but engage the client in a process to feel more related with their internal lives so they can make healthier life choices. My clients have reported feeling more content and capable as a result of our work together.

Psychotherapy is the process where you seek out truths and understanding and throw away what isn't working. Then you build something that is better. I think the goal of therapy is to develop self awareness and this, in turn, will help create happiness. I don't have all of the answers, but I have a good idea of what questions to ask. That will help guide us to understanding and to develop a resolution to the problems you are seeking help for. For more information, please don't hesitate to contact me.