Top Rated Chicago Stress Therapy | Still Oak Counseling

If you're running on fumes, juggling a million responsibilities, and feeling like you're barely keeping your head above water, you're not alone, and therapy can help. At Still Oak Counseling, I specialize in helping high-achievers like you find your way back to calm, clarity, and confidence.

Meet your stress therapist

therapy for stress

Elizabeth Bodett Dresser

I understand what it's like to live caught in cycles of anxious overthinking and constant overfunctioning—and I also know that it’s possible to shift the way you respond to stressful situations. As an IFS Level 1 trained therapist, I help people like you recognize and work with different parts of yourselves—especially that inner critic that never takes a day off. Our work together will focus on building self-compassion and cultivating internal balance so you can trust yourself more and move through the world with a greater sense of ease.

  • Good fit for: High-achievers, professionals, perfectionism, imposter syndrome, burnout, anxiety, self-doubt

  • Credentials: Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, IFS Level 1 trained, EMDR trained

  • Clientele: Adults

  • Location: 30 N Michigan Ave, Suite 901, Chicago, IL 

  • Virtual therapy: Available

Common reasons why people seek therapy for stress

  • Feeling like you can't keep going at your current pace without burning out completely

  • Lying awake at night making mental to-do lists and replaying work conversations

  • Struggling to say no to additional projects even when you're already overwhelmed

  • Feeling like a fraud at work, waiting for someone to discover you don't belong

  • Physical symptoms like tension headaches, stomach issues, or chronic fatigue

  • Snapping at loved ones because you're running on empty

  • Feeling guilty whenever you try to rest or do something just for fun

  • Managing everyone else's needs while ignoring your own

  • Perfectionist tendencies that make every task and decision feel monumental

  • Difficulty trusting others to handle important responsibilities

How therapy can help with stress

Recognize your internal patterns

Therapy helps you identify the inner voices driving your stress—like that perfectionist part that insists everything must be flawless. By understanding these patterns, you can start responding to stress differently instead of just reacting automatically.

Develop healthy boundaries

Learn to distinguish between what's truly urgent and what just feels urgent because of anxiety. We'll work on setting realistic limits with your time and energy, so you can show up fully for what matters most.

Build self-compassion skills

Replace that harsh inner critic with a kinder, more supportive internal voice. When you treat yourself with the same compassion you'd show a good friend, stress becomes more manageable and recovery becomes possible.

Create sustainable life systems

Therapy can help you learn how to manage responsibilities without burning out. We can cover things like learning how to delegate, ask for help, and create systems that support your well-being rather than depleting it.

FAQs about stress treatment

  • My clients are typically high-functioning professionals, overachievers, and perfectionists who often appear outwardly successful but feel exhausted, anxious, and overwhelmed.

    Here’s what makes working with me different: 

    • I specialize in helping stressed-out perfectionists. I’m deeply familiar with the inner critic struggle. Through IFS, we’ll help you work with that harsh voice instead of fighting it or giving in to its demands. 

    • I do the deep work, not just symptom management. If you're tired of band-aid solutions and ready to understand why you operate the way you do (and why you’re so stressed out all the time), we're likely a good match. 

    • I balance serious healing with real connection. Yes, we'll dig into the hard stuff, but I'm also someone who schedules her hair appointments for the whole year in January. I get your need for systems and efficiency—therapy isn’t about trying to change who you fundamentally are, but rather helping you actually feel like yourself. 

    Still wondering if we're a good fit? Schedule a free consultation call to discuss your specific situation and see how I might be able to help.

  • I use Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy as my primary framework, which involves helping you understand the different parts of yourself—including your inner critic and that people-pleasing part that often leads you to take on too much.

    Rather than trying to eliminate these parts, we work on building better relationships with them. When they (i.e., you) feel seen, heard, and validated, you’d be surprised how natural it becomes for your Self energy to take the lead with a quiet confidence.

  • Therapy with me typically consists of longer-term work to address root causes instead of short-term work focused on surface-level symptoms. Sessions focus on slowing down, reconnecting with your emotions, and learning to trust your own intuition. 

    In addition to deep work, it’s also important to me to provide you with practical strategies that you can actually apply to your daily life to start managing stress right away.

    You can expect sessions to be a warm, supportive environment where humor and authenticity are welcome within our serious conversations. Healing doesn’t have to be boring.

  • Start by booking a free consultation call. In this intro call, we’ll discuss what brings you to therapy and what you hope to get from our work together. I’ll address any questions you have, and we’ll feel out whether we’re a good match. If we decide to work together, we’ll book your first appointment.

Start working with a Chicago therapist for stress today