- Person-focused care
- Practical skills
- Goal oriented
About April
April Balzhiser is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) based in Illinois who helps people navigate stress, anxiety, relationships, codependency, grief, depression, and trauma. She offers calm, direct support for life changes, addiction concerns, intimacy-related problems, and caregiver strain. April aims to create a space where people can speak openly and begin to make practical changes.
She uses straightforward, person-focused methods in sessions. April listens first, then helps clients set small, achievable goals. She draws on approaches like client-centered work, cognitive behavioral tools, dialectical behavior strategies, mindfulness, and motivational interviewing to match interventions to what each person needs.
With 18 years of experience in social services and mental health settings, April has worked with people affected by domestic violence, sexual assault, child welfare and foster care, trauma, and a range of family challenges. That background shapes how she responds to safety concerns and complicated life histories.
Sessions tend to emphasize practical skills for coping, clearer communication, and steady steps toward change. April encourages clients to practice between meetings and brings straightforward feedback during sessions. She aims for collaborative planning rather than quick fixes.
People who choose her often want a therapist who listens well, sets clear goals, and helps them build habits they can use every day. To begin, clients complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule sessions based on availability.
Approach-driven online therapy and practical skills
Client-centered therapy focuses on the person in front of the therapist. It means the therapist listens deeply and follows the client's lead to identify concerns and goals. This approach helps when someone needs a calm space to make sense of their feelings.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going. Sessions include easy, practical exercises to change unhelpful thinking and build new habits. CBT can be useful for anxiety, depression, and coping with life changes.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, teaches skills for managing strong emotions and improving relationships. It offers concrete tools for distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and clearer communication.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. April will collaborate with each person to choose or blend methods that match their needs, goals, and preferences. That choice is revisited as therapy progresses to keep the plan useful and realistic.
Confirm current session formats before booking to know what is available. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, reduce travel time, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and offer options if coordinating schedules is difficult. Licensed professionals can adapt exercises and homework for online meetings so practical skill-building continues between sessions.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
18+ years
Credentials
Illinois
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does April help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, relationship and family concerns, trauma and abuse, depression, addictions, grief, codependency, self-esteem, bipolar concerns, and coping with life changes.
How would you describe her therapy style?
Her style is person-focused and practical. She listens first, then helps set concrete goals and teaches skills people can use between sessions.
What is her professional background?
She has 18 years of experience in social services and mental health settings, including work related to domestic violence, sexual assault, child welfare and foster care, trauma, and family issues.
What credentials and region are associated with this therapist?
She holds an LCPC credential and practices in Illinois.
Are sessions offered in languages other than English?
Sessions are offered in English.
Does she work with clients outside the United States?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are sessions priced?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with this therapist?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to therapist availability.
Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.