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Dr. Melody Madaris

Dr. Melody Madaris

LCPC

Illinois

Practical, change-focused counseling for complex issues

Continue with Melody

At a glance

Credentials
LCPC
License
LCPC, Illinois / 180012142
Experience
14 years
Languages
English
Location
Illinois

Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.

    • Motivation-focused care
    • Substance use expertise
    • Trauma informed approach

    About Melody

    Dr. Melody Madaris is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) with more than 14 years of experience. She focuses on helping people who are dealing with trauma, substance use concerns, mood disorders, and related life challenges. Her approach is straightforward and aimed at helping people start and sustain meaningful change.

    She has led programs in Illinois that include residential treatment and outpatient co-occurring care. In her administrative role she oversees a large staff and several services related to substance use and mental health. That background shapes how she organizes treatment and supports people through complex problems.

    In sessions she helps people identify the specific parts of life that need to change and then works on practical steps to begin that change. She draws on evidence-based methods to address addictions, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, grief, and other concerns. Her style aims to build connection and trust so people feel understood while they try new coping strategies.

    Dr. Madaris uses approaches that emphasize motivation, values, and skill-building. She helps people manage impulse-related problems like process addictions and substance dependence, and she supports work on body image, eating issues, and relationship impacts such as divorce or domestic violence. Practical problem solving and steady goal-setting are central to her practice.

    People who choose her can expect direct conversations about next steps, clear planning, and an emphasis on lasting change. She also welcomes international clients and conducts work in English.

  2. How motivational and evidence-based approaches translate to online work

    Motivational Interviewing helps people find and strengthen their own reasons for change. It uses open questions and reflective listening to draw out motivation, which is useful for substance use, process addictions, and any goal that requires commitment.

    Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on clarifying personal values and taking actions that match those values. That approach helps when someone is coping with mood disorders, grief, or life transitions by teaching simple skills to notice thoughts and keep moving toward meaningful goals.

    Finding the right approach is part of therapy. The therapist will collaborate with each person to choose methods that fit their needs, goals, and preferences. That means adapting techniques over time and checking in about what is helping and what is not.

    If you are considering online work, confirm the current session options before booking since specific formats are not listed in the biography. Many people find online sessions easier to fit into a busy life, require less travel, and can allow shorter check-ins when schedules are tight. Talk with the therapist about how sessions can be scheduled to match your routine and goals.

  4. Areas of expertise

    Primary focus

    AddictionsTrauma and abuseBipolar disorderDepressionCoping with life changes

    Also works with

    GriefEating disordersAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesCoachingCompassion fatigueADHD

    Additional focus areas

    Autism and Asperger SyndromeBDSM, kink, and alternative sex cultureBody imageCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDivorce and separationDomestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionEating and food-related issuesFirst responder issuesHIV / AIDSVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMood disordersPanic disorder and panic attacksPost-traumatic stressProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Sex addictionSexual assault and abuseSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issues

    Therapeutic approaches

    Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Existential TherapyEye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)Gottman MethodMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

    Experience

    14+ years

    Listed in

    Illinois

    Languages

    English

  5. Frequently asked questions

    What kinds of concerns does this therapist help with?

    Dr. Madaris works with a wide range of concerns including addictions, trauma and abuse, bipolar disorder, depression, grief, eating and body image issues, anger, ADHD, and process addictions such as porn or gambling.

    What is the therapist's general approach or style?

    She uses a practical, motivational style that aims to help people identify where change is needed and take steps to start and sustain that change. Sessions focus on building trust and clear next steps.

    What experience does the therapist bring to sessions?

    She has 14 years of clinical experience and has managed residential and outpatient co-occurring programs, a mobile crisis program, and prevention initiatives, which inform her clinical and organizational perspective.

    What credential and location information is available?

    She holds an Illinois Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor credential (LCPC) and practices from an Illinois-based perspective.

    Are sessions available in other languages or to international clients?

    Sessions are offered in English. She does accept international clients.

    What session formats are offered?

    The original biography does not list specific session formats. Confirm current session options with the service before booking to learn whether remote or in-person formats are available.

    How does pricing work for sessions?

    Cost varies with location and therapist arrangements; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

    How do I begin working with this therapist?

    Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then scheduling according to the therapist's availability.

  6. Online talk therapy is not emergency or medical care. Stopping or cutting down alcohol or other drugs can be unsafe without medical advice. In immediate danger? Crisis numbers

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