Gillian Van Dien , LPC

Gillian Van Dien is a licensed professional counselor in Wisconsin with 17 years of experience supporting people through stress, anxiety, depression, relationship problems, and trauma. She often helps with self-esteem, grief, intimacy concerns, eating and parenting questions, and career or life-stage changes. Her work includes attention to compassion fatigue and issues that can follow major losses or life transitions.

She uses practical, down-to-earth conversations to help people name what’s happening and try new ways of coping. Sessions focus on noticing patterns, building everyday skills, and strengthening communication. Gillian emphasizes self-compassion and realistic steps clients can take between visits.

Gillian blends methods that include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, attachment-focused work, client-centered listening, cognitive strategies, and emotionally focused tools. She matches techniques to what each person needs and keeps explanations simple. The goal is to make therapy feel useful, not theoretical.

In sessions she partners with clients to identify values and small actions that move them forward. She offers coaching-style supports when people want concrete tools for work or parenting. Her tone is empathetic and straightforward, with an emphasis on steady progress.

Gillian works with people navigating midlife shifts, relationship repair, recovery from past hurt, and the stress of caregiving or chronic health challenges. She helps clients discover options and build routines that reduce anxiety and improve daily functioning. Her practice is based in Wisconsin and conducted in English.

Approaches that translate to online sessions

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, helps people clarify what matters to them and take small actions toward those values despite uncomfortable thoughts or feelings. It’s useful for anxiety, stress, and life transitions. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early connections shape current relationships and focuses on changing patterns in how people bond and communicate. It’s often helpful for intimacy issues and relationship repair. Client-Centered Therapy centers on active listening and empathy so clients feel understood while they figure out their next steps; it supports self-esteem and personal growth.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to mix these methods based on goals, preferences, and what shows up in sessions. This means approaches can shift over time as needs change and progress is made.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, which offer flexibility for busy schedules. Video lets people read facial cues and work in real time. Phone sessions can be a good option when bandwidth is limited or when someone prefers not to be on camera. Live chat and text messaging support brief check-ins, homework discussion, and ongoing coaching-style contact between longer sessions.