Andrea M. Stiles, LCPC, NCC

Perhaps during the midst of this pandemic, you became unmotivated and need a push? Maybe you find your mental health wavering, challenges in interpersonal relationships, ready to explore your identity as a racial or sexual being, or searching for meaning and purpose? Wherever you are on your journey, I aim to support you or point you in the right direction. Supporting and encouraging clients on their journeys to liberation - be that mental, emotional, behavioral, sexual, spiritual, or social - is at the heart of my counseling practice. I think of a counselor as the location between a coach and a psychotherapist; you get the best of both worlds. I value the healing process by taking a holistic approach to care, emphasizing the understanding of cultural, spiritual, & social factors, and advocating for those silenced by stigma & oppression. Drawing from my doctoral studies in Counselor Education, I incorporate psychoeducation and research into my practice. I believe the most important aspect of the therapeutic space is having a collaborative, genuine, & empathic relationship with the client. My hope for those I am so fortunate to work with is for them to reach a place of peace, acceptance, & liberation. I have confidence in my client's ability to cultivate change, create new meaning, & rewrite their stories. I am LGBTQIAI+, sex worker-, kink-, and CNM- responsive. I am currently accepting a limited number of new clients within my specialization areas (i.e., working with Women, femmes, transwomen, non-binary, gender fluid, genderqueer, and BIPOC individuals and relationships). I specialize in multicultural/holistic approaches to therapy, as well as intersectional liberation, identity development (i.e., exploring the self as a racial, cultural, sexual being), sexuality-related concerns (i.e., intimacy, sexual and gender identity development, sexual and reproductive health, sexualization/power, and sensuality), anxiety (i.e., general, social, and performance), recovering from adverse experiences (i.e., childhood, adult, racial, spiritual trauma), relationships and dating dynamics (traditional/non-traditional), parenting, spirituality, fostering resilience and confidence, self-actualizing (i.e., reaching/recognizing your full potential), life transitions, rewriting narratives, cultivating self-empowerment, and overall holistic wellness from a culturally sensitive lens. I work with individuals over the age of 18 with a primary residence in Illinois. I am not currently accepting clients with general mental health concerns and am prioritizing historically and erotically marginalized clients. In addition to my clinical practice, I am also a professor of counseling and a sexuality liberation researcher.   I currently accept BCBS, Cigna, Aetna, and United Healthcare PPO plans for diagnosable concerns. If you do not have a diagnosable concern, sessions will be billed via my out-of-pocket rates. My nights and weekends are full; however, I have flexible daytime availability during the week. If this sounds like a good fit, I’d love to hear from you. Ready to get started? Book an initial session with me to explore if we are a good fit. I look forward to meeting you virtually.