- ACT and CBT
- Attachment work
- Anger and addiction
About Cindy
Cindy Gradle is an Illinois licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) with 30 years of experience. She works with adults facing stress, anxiety, depression, addiction, relationship problems, trauma and abuse, and issues around parenting and family life. She also supports people dealing with anger, eating concerns, mood disorders, and questions about life purpose.
She uses several evidence-informed approaches to guide sessions. Cindy draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Attachment-Based Therapy, and client-centered work to help people develop skills and new ways of responding. Sessions focus on practical steps rather than jargon. She helps people notice unhelpful patterns and try small experiments to change them.
Conversations often include communication skills, managing panic or intense emotion, and coping strategies for work or parenting stress. For those carrying shame, guilt, or attachment wounds, she works to untangle those feelings and improve relationships with others and self. She also addresses issues like impulsivity, isolation, and forgiveness in straightforward ways.
Cindy aims to support adults as they face life changes such as divorce, career shifts, or recovery from trauma. She explains approaches clearly and helps each person set realistic short-term goals. Her practice is practical and task-focused while remaining attentive to personal history.
If you are wondering what comes next after a big change, Cindy helps people clarify next steps and try concrete strategies. Sessions are delivered in English from Illinois; confirm current session formats before booking.
How her approaches translate to online work
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, then take actions that align with personal values. It can be useful for anxiety, depression, and questions about life purpose. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing new behaviors to reduce symptoms like panic, low mood, or problematic patterns. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early relationships shape current connections and helps people develop clearer communication and trust in relationships.Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences, and what has or hasn’t worked before. Together they will try methods and adjust them based on what feels most helpful in practice.
Confirm the specific online session formats before you book since the biography does not list them. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a day, allow shorter check-ins when time is limited, and reduce travel time. It also lets people use video or phone options according to what suits their needs, and supports doing practical exercises between sessions that relate directly to everyday routines.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
30+ years
Listed in
Illinois
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
Which concerns does she work with?
Cindy works with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, addiction, relationship and parenting concerns, and life purpose questions among other issues.
How would she approach someone feeling stuck?
She uses evidence-informed methods like ACT and CBT to identify patterns, practice new skills, and set small achievable steps toward change.
What is her professional background?
She has 30 years of clinical experience working with adults on mood, attachment, addiction, and trauma-related concerns.
What are her credentials and location?
She is an Illinois Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in Illinois.
Does she work in other languages or with international clients?
Sessions are offered in English and she is not currently accepting international clients.
What session formats are available?
Please confirm current session options before booking since formats are not specified in the biography.
How are sessions priced?
Cost varies by location; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the crisis numbers.