How Rita works
Practical facts
- Credentials
- LCPC
- Licensed in
- Illinois
- Years in practice
- 32
- Languages
- English
- Session format
- Online, through our partner platform
About Rita
Rita Porter is a licensed clinical professional counselor in Illinois with 32 years of experience. She helps people who are facing stress, anxiety, addictions, anger, and life transitions. Rita focuses on practical steps that people can take to feel steadier and more in control.
She works with individuals who are coping with depression, grief, relationship strains, career stress, and parenting concerns. Her style is warm and straightforward. Sessions aim to make problems easier to manage, not more confusing.
Background and approach
Rita draws on approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Mindfulness to tailor what she offers. She uses simple skills to change unhelpful thought patterns, notice emotions without getting overwhelmed, and act in line with personal values. These tools are chosen to match each person's needs and goals.
Many people come for help with addictive behaviors, codependency, communication problems, and family of origin issues. She also supports those dealing with aging and caregiver stress, immigration challenges, and blended family concerns. Work focuses on specific steps and new ways of responding.
Sessions are collaborative and paced to fit each person. Rita emphasizes building resilience, repairing relationships, and restoring a sense of agency after hard experiences. Her goal is for clients to leave sessions with useful strategies they can apply between meetings.
What Rita works with
Everything Rita lists, in the therapist's own terms. Anger is the reason this directory exists; the rest tells you what usually sits alongside it in Rita's practice.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Career difficulties
- ADHD
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Blended family issues
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Divorce and separation
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Immigration issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Mood disorders
- Postpartum depression
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-love
- Women's issues
Approaches Rita lists
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Solution-Focused Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
Therapeutic approaches and online care
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helps people clarify what matters to them and take actions that fit those values. It uses exercises and small steps to reduce avoidance and increase meaningful activity. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors that keep problems like anxiety or depression going. It often includes practical homework and skill practice between sessions.Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Rita will discuss different methods and help decide which fits a person's goals, symptoms, and daily life. That decision is collaborative and can be adjusted as progress is made.
Online therapy offers flexible ways to connect. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation when visual cues help. Phone sessions can be a good option when bandwidth is limited or for a shorter check-in. Live chat and text-based messaging let clients communicate in writing between calls and can fit into busy schedules. These formats make it easier to maintain continuity of care when travel, work, or family demands make in-person visits difficult.
Questions people ask about Rita
What concerns does Rita commonly address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, anger, grief, relationship and family issues, career strain, ADHD, and life changes.
What is her general approach in sessions?
She uses a collaborative, person-centered style and focuses on practical skills to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors.
How much clinical experience does the counselor have?
Rita brings 32 years of experience as a practicing clinician to her work with individuals.
What credential does she hold and where does she practice?
She is an LCPC - Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor - practicing in Illinois.
Are sessions offered in languages other than English?
Sessions are offered in English.
Which session formats are available?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different needs.
How are fees and billing handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.