Lydia Schatzel

Lydia Schatzel is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) based in Illinois with 12 years of clinical experience. She builds a respectful, trusting rapport first so people feel safe to talk and try new strategies. Lydia aims to give practical tools and coping skills that help clients manage stress and everyday challenges.

Her style mixes client-centered conversation with clear, goal-focused techniques. She uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Motivational Interviewing alongside mindfulness and solution-focused ideas. Sessions are shaped to each person's needs rather than a one-size-fits-all plan.

Lydia has worked as a crisis worker and care coordinator in addition to providing therapy. That background informs how she supports people through trauma, substance use concerns, and complex life changes. She has experience with mood concerns such as depression and bipolar disorder, as well as anxiety and grief.

She also addresses issues related to attachment, adoption and foster care, autism and Asperger syndrome, and challenges like codependency and communication problems. Lydia names practical daily struggles too - sleep, eating, anger, intimacy, and self-esteem - as common topics in sessions.

Lydia focuses on collaboration. She listens, offers concrete skills, and adjusts plans based on what is or isn’t working. The goal is to help people feel more capable and better able to cope with difficult situations.

Approaches you can use in online therapy

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and building a trusting connection so clients can guide the pace and topics of sessions; it helps when someone needs a supportive space to sort out feelings. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) breaks problems into thoughts, feelings, and actions, and teaches practical skills to change unhelpful patterns; it is often useful for anxiety, depression, and behavior-related goals. Mindfulness Therapy teaches simple ways to notice thoughts and bodily sensations without getting swept away, which can reduce reactivity and improve focus.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and what has or hasn’t helped before. That conversation shapes which methods are used and how sessions are structured, and adjustments are made along the way.

Session logistics should fit into everyday life. Because specific session formats are not listed in this profile, confirm the current options before booking. In general, online work can make it easier to schedule appointments around school or work, reduce travel time, and allow for shorter check-ins when needed. Licensed professionals can adapt exercises and homework for home routines so therapy can be practical and manageable between meetings.