Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a structured, evidence-based approach that helps clients recognize and shift unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors. CBT offers practical tools for increasing self-awareness, managing emotional distress, and building new coping strategies.
Whether you’re seeking CBT for depression, anxiety, grief, anger, trauma, or something else, the compassionate therapists at The Hinterlands are here to help. We offer CBT with flexibility and a deep respect for the complex contexts our clients live in. We understand that many people seeking support have been harmed or misunderstood by systems that pathologize or stigmatize them. Our psychotherapists use CBT in ways that affirm lived experience and autonomy, never aiming to "fix" you, but to help you navigate life with more ease and clarity.
We currently offer cognitive behavioral therapy for individuals ages 6 and up. Virtual CBT sessions are available in Illinois and Connecticut. In-person CBT sessions are held at our accessible office in Irving Park, Chicago. Hybrid CBT sessions are also available.
Areas of Clinical Specialty
LGBTQIA+: We offer LGBTQIA+ affirming CBT for queer and trans clients seeking compassionate, evidence-based support. Our queer CBT therapists use cognitive behavioral therapy to help identify and reframe internalized beliefs shaped by discrimination, dysphoria, or societal rejection. Our goal is to empower you to live with greater authenticity and ease.
ENM/Poly Folks: CBT can be a helpful tool for individuals and relationships practicing ethical non-monogamy and polyamory. Our therapists provide behavioral therapy grounded in consent, autonomy, and open communication. We offer culturally sensitive CBT to manage anxiety, jealousy, and relational transitions while respecting your relationship structure and values.
BDSM/Kink Community: We use CBT to support members of the kink and BDSM communities without pathologizing them. Whether you’re unpacking shame, navigating boundaries, or strengthening emotional regulation, our kink-affirming therapists help you align your thoughts and behaviors with your values.
Immigrants/Refugees: Our CBT approach with immigrants and refugees is culturally responsive and trauma-informed. We help you build skills to manage anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, while honoring the impact of systemic barriers, displacement, and cultural transitions on your mental health.
Substance Use: CBT can be an effective support for exploring your relationship with substances. Whether your goals include sobriety, moderation, or simply more awareness, we offer a harm-reduction approach to shifting patterns and coping strategies with compassion, not shame.
Chronic Illness/HIV: We use CBT to help clients living with chronic illness and HIV manage the emotional toll of ongoing health challenges. Our therapists help you reframe harmful thoughts, navigate stigma, and improve self-trust and agency in your care decisions.
Autism/ADHD/Neuroqueer: The Hinterlands provides affirming CBT for neuroqueer clients and individuals with ADHD and autism. Our therapists provide CBT for children, teens, and adults that respects your sensory profile, communication preferences, and executive functioning needs. We never seek to "normalize" you—we focus on tools that support your authenticity and well-being.
Multi-Cultural/Mixed-Race: Navigating multiple cultural identities can create complex internal narratives. We offer CBT for BIPOC and multicultural clients that explores themes of belonging, code-switching, cultural dissonance, and identity formation. Our CBT therapists create space for this work with respect and cultural responsiveness.
Artists/Performers/Craftsfolk: For creatives, CBT can help manage performance anxiety, impostor syndrome, and burnout. Many of our therapists have creative backgrounds and understand the emotional demands of artistic life. Our therapists offer CBT for anxiety and stress that supports you in building sustainable practices and reconnecting with your craft.
Religious/Spiritual Trauma: We leverage trauma-informed CBT to help clients heal from religious and spiritual trauma. If you’re processing shame or fear from past religious experiences, we offer support in examining inherited beliefs and developing a new relationship to spirituality (or secular life) on your own terms.
Parenting: Parenting can activate overwhelming thoughts, emotions, and inherited patterns. We offer CBT for stress, anxiety, and guilt related to parenting challenges. Our therapists help align your caregiving with your values, especially if you're raising neurodivergent kids or navigating co-parenting dynamics.
Educators: Educators face immense emotional and systemic pressure. Our CBT therapists offer behavioral therapy for teachers experiencing burnout, moral injury, or impostor syndrome. CBT can help reframe internalized narratives and reconnect with the purpose behind your work.
Activists: For those engaged in justice work, CBT can help manage burnout, anxiety, and moral fatigue. We provide CBT for trauma and anger that helps activists explore internalized oppression, build sustainable practices, and stay grounded in their values.
Mad/Crip Folks: We provide disability-affirming CBT for Mad/Crip clients seeking support without psychiatric coercion. Our CBT therapists adapt techniques to support emotional regulation, stress reduction, and systems navigation, always rooted in autonomy and respect for your experience.
What to Expect
No two CBT therapy sessions look the same. We begin by understanding your biography, culture, neurotype, and temperament. Together, we’ll identify your goals for seeking support and potential challenges that may arise. Cognitive behavioral therapy is just one tool in a larger journey toward wellness. Environment, identity, systems, and culture all shape our work together. Exploring these elements can be joyful, meaningful, and even fun.
Your first therapy appointment is a space for mutual discovery. You’ll get to know your therapist as much as they’ll be getting to know you. By the end of the session, we’ll discuss whether and how to move forward together. We’ll also review scheduling, payment, and office policies. Our goal is to help you feel at ease and begin a process of deeper connection with yourself and your community.
CBT FAQs
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You don’t have to figure it out alone. In your first session, your CBT therapist will work with you to understand your goals, preferences, and prior therapeutic experiences. Together, you’ll develop a personalized plan that may include one or more therapy modalities—from structured, talk-based models like cognitive behavioral therapy to experiential methods like somatic experiencing.
Every therapist at The Hinterlands brings a unique blend of skills and lived experience. We’ll help you discover the approach that best supports your healing, identity, and emotional resilience. -
CBT sessions are collaborative, structured, and goal-oriented. You’ll work with your therapist to identify specific thought patterns, behaviors, or emotional responses you’d like to shift. Sessions often include active reflection, skill-building, and practical tools you can apply between meetings.
Your CBT therapist will tailor the approach to your needs, whether you're managing anxiety, depression, OCD, or stress. We bring flexibility and care to each session, especially when working with marginalized identities or clients who have experienced harm in traditional mental health settings. -
Yes. The psychotherapists at The Hinterlands are in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO and Aetna. We are out-of-network with all other insurance providers, including Medicaid and Medicare. Payment is due at the time of service.
If you're using out-of-network benefits, we’re happy to provide monthly superbills and statements to support your reimbursement process. We accept HSA cards, Zelle, and all major credit cards for payment.
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We are committed to providing affordable CBT services to our community. We offer a range of cash-pay options, including sliding scale therapy sessions. These rates are based on therapist availability and the type of treatment, and typically range from $25 to the full session fee.
Sliding scale slots are limited and tend to fill quickly. During your intake call, you can ask your therapist whether they currently have sliding scale availability.