Tara Hartley

Tara Hartley is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in Illinois. She brings nine years of combined experience supporting people through stress, anxiety, relationship problems, and addiction. Tara focuses on practical steps clients can use day to day and aims to build a respectful, warm therapeutic connection.

She uses client-centered therapy to follow each person’s lead, and blends cognitive behavioral and dialectical behavior approaches to teach coping skills and change unhelpful patterns. Tara also integrates mindfulness and existential ideas when clients want to explore meaning, values, or motivation.

Her background includes work as a substance use counselor and several years helping people recover from physical or emotional trauma. That mix of experience informs her work with grief, parenting concerns, intimacy issues, anger, and mood challenges such as depression and bipolar symptoms.

Tara’s style is interactive and nonjudgmental. She focuses on clear goals and practical strategies, like skill-building, behavior experiments, and mindful awareness. Sessions are tailored to each person’s needs and life situation.

She encourages clients to take small, manageable steps toward change. Tara aims to help people manage overwhelming feelings, improve communication, and find more satisfying ways of coping. If someone is ready to begin, she supports them in making a workable plan and moving forward.

How therapy approaches guide online care

Tara often draws on client-centered therapy to shape sessions around what matters most to each person. That approach focuses on listening, empathy, and letting the client set the pace while the therapist follows and reflects what emerges.

She also uses cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help people notice patterns between thoughts, feelings, and actions. CBT work typically includes practical exercises, homework between sessions, and problem-solving skills for anxiety, depression, anger, and substance concerns.

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) skills may be introduced to build distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and better interpersonal effectiveness. Those skills are useful when feelings feel overwhelming or relationships are a frequent source of conflict.

Choosing an approach is a collaborative process. Tara will work with clients to identify goals, try techniques, and adjust the plan based on what helps. The first few sessions often focus on figuring out which methods fit a person’s needs and daily life.

Confirm the available session options before booking, as formats are set by the therapist. Online therapy can make scheduling easier for people balancing work, caregiving, or travel. It also lets clients use shorter check-ins, practice skills in real time, and fit appointments into a busy week without long commutes.