Joan French, LCPC
Illinois · 17 years in practice
Joan French is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) with 17 years of experience who helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, relationship struggles, trauma, grief, and questions about gender and identity.
License and registration
- LCPC, Illinois
- 180.007674 · expires March 2027
- NPI
- 1710281639 · national provider identifier
- Years in practice
- 17
- Languages
- English
Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check the license with the issuing state board, and the NPI with the national registry.
About Joan
Joan French is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) with 17 years of experience who helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, relationship struggles, trauma, grief, and questions about gender and identity. She focuses on creating an accepting space where people can feel heard and begin to reconnect with themselves.
Joan works with adults 18 and over and welcomes people who identify as LGBTQIA2S+ or are exploring their gender. Joan aims to make therapy feel real and approachable.
Background and approach
She keeps sessions straightforward and uses plain language so clients can talk about painful or confusing things without feeling judged. Humor is sometimes used to ease tension and build connection during hard conversations. Her practice is trauma-informed and draws on several therapeutic methods.
Joan often uses Emotionally-Focused Therapy to help people identify and shift interaction patterns that cause distress. She also draws from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy to teach coping skills and change unhelpful thoughts. Joan values collaboration and creativity in therapy.
She blends clinical techniques with life experience and art-based ideas when helpful. That mix aims to meet each person where they are and build practical skills for daily life. Joan earned a Master of Arts in Community Counseling from Governors State University and holds an Art Therapy Certificate from Northwestern University.
Her LCPC is issued in Illinois and she practices with an emphasis on dignity and respect for each person’s story.
Focus areas and approaches
Everything Joan lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Trauma and abuse
- Self esteem
- Depression
- LGBT
- Family conflicts
- Grief
- Sleeping disorders
- Career difficulties
- Coping with life changes
- Abandonment
- Attachment issues
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Divorce and separation
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Forgiveness
- Gender dysphoria
- Guilt and shame
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Narcissism
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Joan names
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Gottman Method
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
- Internal Family Systems
Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist lists and does not check training records.
Online support
How Joan blends emotion-focused and skills-based work online
Joan commonly uses Emotionally-Focused Therapy to help people notice and change interaction patterns that leave them feeling disconnected or overwhelmed. EFT helps name core emotions, track how they show up in relationships, and shift responses to create more safety and clarity.She also draws from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help people notice difficult thoughts and make choices that match their values. ACT focuses on noticing what matters most and taking small steps toward those goals even when emotions are hard to sit with. Client-Centered Therapy underpins her approach by keeping the client's experience central and shaping sessions around what each person needs.
Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Joan will work with clients to decide which methods fit their goals and preferences, and she adapts techniques as therapy progresses.
Online sessions are offered as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different needs. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation, phone sessions can work when bandwidth is lower, and messaging or chat can be useful for brief check-ins or when someone prefers not to be on camera. These options give flexibility for scheduling, shorter check-ins during a busy day, and continuity when in-person meetings aren’t possible.
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Questions people ask
What concerns does Joan help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship and communication problems, trauma and abuse, sleep issues, career stress, and identity concerns including gender dysphoria.
How would you describe Joan's therapy style?
She keeps sessions conversational and practical, aiming to help clients feel heard and connected while teaching skills for daily life.
What is Joan's professional background?
She has 17 years of experience as a therapeutic counselor and describes herself as resourceful, creative, and patient.
What credentials and location are listed?
Joan holds the LCPC credential and completed a Master of Arts in Community Counseling; her practice is based in Illinois.
Which languages and international options are available?
Sessions are offered in English and international clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats does she offer?
Sessions can be arranged as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging.
How does pricing and payment work?
Cost varies by location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the steps to begin therapy?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions based on therapist availability.
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