Marikay Gazda, LCSW
Illinois · 35 years in practice
Marikay Gazda is an Illinois Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 35 years of experience.
License and registration
- LCSW, Illinois
- 149004372 · expires November 2027
- NPI
- 1023558582 · national provider identifier
- Years in practice
- 35
- 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 Marikay
Marikay Gazda is an Illinois Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 35 years of experience. She helps people who are feeling overwhelmed by anxiety, grief, depression, life changes, or caregiver strain. Parents and individuals looking for steady support will find her calm and patient manner easy to talk with.
Her practice focuses on real problems such as panic attacks, chronic illness, aging concerns, and isolation. She guides clients toward more self-love and clearer communication.
Background and approach
Sessions address guilt, shame, and the emptiness that can follow loss or major transitions. Marikay uses several ways of working to match what each person needs. She draws on Emotionally-Focused Therapy to look at core emotions, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to spot thinking patterns, and Client-Centered techniques to follow the client’s pace.
She also brings psychodynamic and solution-focused ideas when they fit the situation. Her style is steady and compassionate. She helps people find practical steps they can use between sessions.
That might mean practicing new communication habits, trying small behavior changes, or identifying patterns that keep problems stuck. Marikay’s background includes long experience with caregiver stress, hospice and end-of-life counseling, cancer-related issues, and chronic pain or disability. She works with clients to rebuild purpose and strengthen coping skills so they can face life’s hard moments with more resilience.
Focus areas and approaches
Everything Marikay lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Grief
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- Compassion fatigue
- Relationship issues
- Self esteem
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Attachment issues
- Cancer
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Communication problems
- Emptiness
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Self-love
Approaches Marikay names
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
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 evidence-based approaches translate to online care
Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) helps people name and make sense of strong emotions that drive relationship and personal difficulties. Online sessions can be a place to notice those feelings, practice expressing them, and try different responses in real time.Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes listening and following the client’s pace. In an online session this means the therapist mirrors concerns, asks gentle questions, and lets the client lead the topics that feel most urgent.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on the link between thoughts, feelings, and actions. Through video or messaging, clients can learn to spot unhelpful thinking patterns and test small behavior changes between sessions.
Finding the best approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss goals and preferences, then suggest ways of working that fit those aims. Over time the plan can shift based on what helps most, with the client and therapist checking progress together.
Online therapy with video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging adds flexibility. Video works well for face-to-face conversation and reading body language. Phone calls use less bandwidth and can fit a lunch break or commute. Live chat or text-based messaging can be useful for quick check-ins, short reflections, or when typing helps people organize thoughts. These options make it easier to keep therapy consistent around busy or changing schedules.
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Questions people ask
What kinds of concerns does Marikay address?
She works with stress, anxiety, grief, depression, compassion fatigue, relationship strain, low self-esteem, and life changes. Additional focus areas include aging, caregiver stress, chronic illness, and end-of-life concerns.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her approach is compassionate and steady, focusing on emotions and practical steps. Sessions often combine emotional exploration with tools to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors.
How much experience does she have?
She has 35 years of clinical experience working with people facing long-term illness, caregiver strain, and major life transitions.
What credentials and location apply?
She is an Illinois Licensed Clinical Social Worker - LCSW, and she practices from Illinois.
Which languages are available for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats does she offer online?
She provides video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different needs and schedules.
How are sessions paid for and what does it cost?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.
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