- Emotionally-Focused Therapy
- CBT and ACT techniques
- Art therapy ideas
About Joan
Joan French is an Illinois Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) with 17 years of experience. She works with adults 18 and older who are dealing with depression, anxiety, stress, grief, relationship concerns, trauma and abuse, self-esteem struggles, sleep problems, career stress, and life transitions. She also welcomes people who identify as LGBTQIA2S+ and those exploring gender or identity questions.
Joan focuses on helping people feel heard and connected when they describe loneliness, isolation, or hopelessness. She uses a trauma-informed outlook and brings patience and creativity to sessions. Her background includes a Master of Arts in Community Counseling from Governors State University and an Art Therapy Certificate from Northwestern University.
In practice she draws from Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) alongside methods such as acceptance and commitment work, client-centered strategies, cognitive behavioral tools, and dialectical behavior approaches. That mix lets her shift between exploring emotions, building practical skills, and helping people notice unhelpful patterns in relationships and behavior.
Joan often uses art-based ideas and practical skill-building in sessions. She can introduce communication exercises, coping strategies for intense feelings, and ways to address sleep or stress patterns. Humor sometimes enters sessions when it helps lighten difficult moments.
Clients can expect straightforward conversation focused on understanding what feels most urgent and then working step by step. To begin, clients complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session through the online booking flow.
How her approaches translate to online work
Joan combines Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and client-centered work to guide online sessions. EFT focuses on naming and working with emotions and attachment-related patterns that affect relationships and connection. ACT emphasizes noticing thoughts and choosing actions that align with personal values to manage stress and anxiety. Client-centered therapy prioritizes the client’s perspective and uses reflective listening to help people feel understood and make their own changes.Choosing the right approach is part of the work itself. Joan will collaborate with each person to identify which methods fit their goals and comfort level. That means she may use more emotion-focused work at times, and more skills-based CBT or ACT tools at other times, depending on what is most helpful.
The original biography does not list specific session formats here, so confirm current online options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit counseling into a busy week, shorten check-ins when needed, and remove travel time. They also allow use of creative tools such as drawing prompts or worksheets during a session, and make it possible to practice communication or coping skills in everyday settings without a long commute.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
17+ years
Listed in
Illinois
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she address?
She works with depression, anxiety, stress, grief, relationship concerns, trauma and abuse, self-esteem issues, sleep difficulties, career stress, and life changes.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is trauma-informed and practical, blending emotion-focused work with skills training from CBT, ACT, and DBT when useful.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 17 years of experience providing counseling to adults in a variety of areas including mood and relationship concerns.
What are her credentials and location?
She is an Illinois LCPC and practices in Illinois.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with her?
She is not accepting international clients at this time.
What are the session formats and cost structure?
Session formats are not listed here; confirm current session options before booking. Cost varies by location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I get started?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.