Lori Cheek Gilroy, LCSW

Lori Cheek Gilroy, LCSW, offers compassionate counseling aimed at people caring for others and those feeling overwhelmed by life changes. She speaks plainly and listens closely to what matters most. Lori focuses on building realistic goals that fit a client’s day-to-day life and strengths.

She brings 26 years of experience as a counselor and life coach in Illinois. Her work has spanned child welfare, family counseling, a birthing center, crisis intervention, and community mental health. That range informs practical help for stress, anxiety, depression, grief, and caregiver fatigue.

Lori uses a client-centered approach that looks at mind, body, and spirit. She describes her perspective as Christ-centered while working respectfully with people of many beliefs. The therapist aims to meet each person where they are and to honor their personal values.

Sessions often focus on short-term, solution-focused steps you can try between meetings. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques may be used to notice and change unhelpful thinking and behavior. Motivational Interviewing helps clarify what you really want and how to stay motivated.

Her additional experience includes adoption and foster care, aging and geriatric issues, chronic illness and pain, family of origin concerns, and veteran-related issues. Lori also addresses parenting strain, communication problems, trauma and post-traumatic stress, and career or life-purpose questions.

People who want a respectful, values-aware counselor who helps set practical goals may find her style useful. To begin, confirm session options and scheduling details before booking.

How therapy approaches guide online work

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and responding to what the client says is most important. It emphasizes empathy, respect, and helping people discover their own solutions, which can make sessions practical and personal.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions connect. It uses specific exercises and experiments to change unhelpful thinking and behavior, useful for anxiety, depression, and stress management.

Motivational Interviewing helps clarify a person’s goals and strengthens motivation to change. It is conversational and goal-oriented, often used when someone feels stuck or unsure about next steps.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will talk with the client about needs, goals, and preferences and will adjust strategies as progress is made. That collaborative planning helps keep sessions focused and relevant.

Confirm which session formats are currently offered before booking, since this profile does not list them. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. These practical benefits help people keep consistent progress while balancing caregiving and daily responsibilities.