Hearten Therapy is a relational therapy practice based in Chicago, offering virtual therapy for individuals and couples across Illinois, Ohio, and New Mexico.

Our work focuses on understanding the patterns beneath what you are experiencing, not just managing symptoms. We help you make sense of how your relationships, past and present, shape the way you think, feel, and respond so change feels more grounded and lasting.

We focus on relationships, not just symptoms.

That means:

• We look at patterns, not isolated problems

• We connect past experiences to present reactions

• We combine insight with practical, usable strategies

Therapy here is both reflective and actionable. You are not left with awareness alone. You leave with clarity you can actually use.

We offer:

• Individual Therapy

• Couples Therapy

• Pre-marital Therapy

• Discernment Counseling

• Perinatal Therapy and Parenthood Support

Each service is grounded in a relational approach, whether you are coming in on your own or with a partner.

Suspected or reported safety concerns. If a therapist has reason to believe that you are at imminent risk or danger of harming yourself or others, an emergency contact and emergency services will be called to ensure the safety of you and/or others.

Suspected or reported child or elder abuse or neglect. Therapists are mandated reporters. If there is reason to believe that a child or elder is being abused or neglected, concerns will be reported to the Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS).

Health or related emergencies. If you were to experience a health or a mental health-related emergency, an emergency contact and/or emergency services would be contacted and provided with the limited, but necessary information to ensure your safety and well-being.

Both.

Some clients come in individually to better understand themselves and their patterns. Others come in as couples to work through conflict, disconnection, or major decisions.

Even in individual therapy, the work includes how your relationships influence your emotional life.

Relational therapy focuses on how your relationships shape your internal world.

This includes:

• Communication patterns

• Emotional responses

• Attachment and connection

• Roles you take on in relationships

Instead of looking at challenges in isolation, we explore how they are connected to your relational experiences and how those patterns can shift.

Couples therapy focuses on improving communication, rebuilding connection, and working through ongoing relationship challenges.

Discernment counseling is different. It is designed for couples who are unsure whether they want to stay together or separate.

It helps you:

• Slow things down

• Understand what has led to this point

• Decide what direction to take with clarity

It is not about fixing everything immediately. It is about making a thoughtful, informed decision.

Yes.

Individual therapy can help you understand your communication style, emotional responses, and relational patterns. That awareness often changes how you show up in your relationship, even if your partner is not in therapy.

You do not need to figure that out ahead of time.

Many clients come in unsure whether they need individual therapy, couples therapy, or discernment counseling. We help you sort that out during the consultation based on what you are experiencing.

We support individuals and couples navigating:

• Relationship conflict or disconnection

• Life transitions and identity shifts

• Emotional burnout and decision fatigue

• Parenting and perinatal experiences

• Attachment wounds and relational patterns

• Feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure what comes next

Our work focuses on what is underneath these experiences, not just the surface symptoms.

Yes.

Many of our clients are used to holding a lot together. From the outside, things may look stable or successful, but internally there may be pressure, disconnection, or exhaustion.

Therapy can be a place to step out of that role and understand what is driving it.

We primarily offer virtual therapy.

This allows us to work with clients across Illinois, Ohio, and New Mexico while maintaining consistency and flexibility.

No.

While the practice is based in Chicago, we serve clients across multiple states through telehealth, including Illinois, Ohio, and New Mexico.

The consultation is a space to talk through what has been feeling off and what you are hoping for.

You can expect:

• A conversation about your current situation

• Guidance on what type of support may be helpful

• Space to ask questions about the process

You do not need to have everything figured out before reaching out.

Sessions are conversational, structured, and grounded in your real life.

We focus on:

• Understanding patterns and dynamics

• Making sense of emotional responses

• Identifying what is keeping things stuck

• Building strategies that support meaningful change

The goal is clarity that translates into how you live and relate day to day.

No.

Many clients begin therapy because something feels off, not because things have reached a breaking point.

You do not need a crisis to start therapy. You only need a sense that something is not working the way it used to or could.

That is more common than you might think.

You do not need a clear script or perfect explanation. Part of the process is figuring that out together.

We help you make sense of what feels unclear, disconnected, or difficult to put into words.

Therapy often shows up as subtle shifts before big ones.

You may notice:

• More awareness of your patterns

• Different responses in familiar situations

• Clearer decision-making

• Less reactivity or more steadiness

Progress is not always immediate, but it becomes more consistent over time.

Yes.

We support clients navigating:

• Pregnancy and postpartum experiences

• Fertility and IVF

• Pregnancy loss

• Identity changes related to parenthood

• The emotional load of caregiving

This work makes space for the full reality of parenthood, not just the expected parts.

You can start by scheduling a consultation.

From there, we will:

• Talk through what you are experiencing

• Help identify the right type of support

• Match you with the best next step

You do not need to have the right words. You just need a starting point.

Immigration mental health evaluations are trauma-informed clinical assessments that document psychological impact, trauma, or hardship for immigration proceedings. When your case depends on documenting what you have lived through, an evaluation translates that lived experience into clinical language that immigration proceedings recognize and respect. At Hearten Therapy, these evaluations are provided by Katie Donovan, a certified immigration mental health specialist and licensed clinical social worker.

No. An evaluation is a different kind of work than therapy. Rather than serving as a therapist, Katie works as an objective, independent evaluator whose job is to listen closely and document what she finds with clinical rigor. That objectivity is part of what makes an evaluation credible, and it is something she protects throughout the process. She still creates a calm, respectful space where you can talk about difficult experiences at your own pace, and she works closely with your legal team so the final report speaks directly to the questions your case needs answered.

Katie provides evaluations for Asylum, VAWA, U Visa, T Visa, and Extreme Hardship Waiver cases. Each evaluation is tailored to the specific questions your case needs answered, whether that means documenting the psychological footprint of what you survived, the impact of abuse, or the hardship a family separation would create. If you are not sure which type fits your situation, every case starts with a conversation about what you need.

The flat fee is $1,000, which covers the assessment sessions, a comprehensive 10 to 20 page report, and coordination with your lawyer. Payment plan options are available. Insurance does not cover this service at this time.