Therapist profile
Tara Hartley, LCSW
Illinois
Licensed Clinical Social Worker - Anger and Relationships
Continue with TaraKey details
- CredentialsLCSW
- LicenseLCSW, Illinois / 149.021785
- NPI1639718612
- Experience9 years
- LanguagesEnglish
- LocationIllinois
About
- CBT techniques
- DBT skills
- Mindfulness practice
About Tara
Tara Hartley is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Illinois with nine years of clinical experience, including work as a substance abuse counselor. She sees people for stress, anxiety, relationship strain, trauma and abuse, depression, parenting concerns, addiction, LGBT issues, anger, and related problems. She also lists work with grief, intimacy concerns, self-esteem, bipolar disorder, compassion fatigue, and coaching.
Tara uses straightforward talk therapy that combines several approaches. She draws on client-centered methods to follow what matters most to the person in the room. She uses cognitive behavioral techniques to identify and shift unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviors that fuel anger and anxiety.
Dialectical behavior therapy skills and mindfulness practices are part of her toolbox for managing strong emotions and developing steady coping habits. She also integrates existential ideas when clients are facing big life questions or major changes. Sessions tend to focus on practical steps people can try between meetings.
Her background includes work with people impacted by physical trauma and emotional abuse, and experience supporting those with substance use concerns. Tara notes experience across a range of mental health issues and life stressors, including caregiver strain, blended family adjustments, and communication problems.
Clients can expect a direct, interactive style that emphasizes respect and nonjudgmental discussion. To begin, people select the online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
How sessions work
How her approaches translate to online sessions
Tara commonly draws on cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy in her work. Cognitive behavioral therapy helps people spot and adjust thought patterns and behaviors that feed anger and anxiety. It often includes concrete exercises to practice between sessions. Dialectical behavior therapy offers skills for tolerating distress, regulating intense emotions, and improving interpersonal effectiveness, which can be useful for people noticing frequent anger or reactivity.She also uses client-centered methods that focus on the client's priorities and experiences. That means she will collaborate with each person to decide which approaches feel most useful. Figuring out the best fit is part of the early sessions and can change as goals evolve.
Confirm the specific session formats before booking, since the biography does not list them. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life - shorter check-ins, timing sessions around work breaks, or avoiding travel. Therapists can also adapt exercises for audio-only or video meetings depending on what suits the client, and they will discuss practical arrangements during the first contacts.
Areas of focus
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
9+ years
Listed in
Illinois
Languages
English
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she help with?
Tara works with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, addiction, parenting concerns, anger, and related areas such as grief and intimacy problems.
What is her therapy style like?
Her style is interactive and direct, combining client-centered conversation with practical techniques from cognitive behavioral and dialectical behavior therapy.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has nine years of experience, including work as a substance abuse counselor and clinical practice with trauma survivors.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) licensed in Illinois and practices from that state.
Can I work with her if I live outside the U.S.?
Sessions are offered in English and she is not accepting international clients at this time.
What session formats are available?
Confirm current session options before booking, as the listed biography does not specify formats. Please check the platform for the most up-to-date session types.
How does payment work or what does it cost?
Cost varies with location; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Use the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If anyone is unsafe, use the crisis numbers.