Joan French

Joan French works with adults who often report feeling unheard or misunderstood, experiences that can leave people feeling lonely, isolated, and hopeless. She believes that a sense of personal wellness depends on feeling listened to and connected.

Deciding to connect with a counselor is a meaningful and courageous step toward moving forward. Joan strives to establish a trusting, comfortable, judgement-free environment where clients can bring forward thoughts and feelings that may feel unspeakable, because those are frequently the issues that most need attention.

She brings more than 17 years of experience as a therapeutic counselor and describes herself as resourceful, creative, and patient. Her practice reflects a balanced combination of life experience, clinical knowledge, and therapeutic skill. Joan is licensed to practice as a clinical professional counselor in Illinois, holding the state counseling credential (IL LCPC 180.007674).

Joan uses a trauma-informed, integrative approach and often draws on methods from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), internal family systems (IFS), positive communication skill building, anger management, and art therapy. When appropriate, she also weaves in humor - a lighthearted technique she refers to as “chuckle healing.”

She is currently accepting individual adult clients ages 18 and older and treats a range of concerns including depression, anxiety, and adjustment issues. Joan welcomes people who identify as LGBTQIA2S+ as well as those who are exploring or questioning their identity. She earned a Master of Arts in Community Counseling from Governors State University and holds an Art Therapy Certificate from Northwestern University. Joan considers it an honor to be part of someone’s therapeutic journey.