Shelly Flachs , LCSW

Shelly Flachs is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who uses focused, practical approaches to help people get through hard times. She blends cognitive and skills-based work with emotion-focused methods to address stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, and related concerns. Shelly works with adults in Illinois and brings 12 years of clinical experience to each session.

Shelly favors straightforward treatment styles like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy to build coping skills and reduce distress. She also uses Emotionally-Focused Therapy and mindfulness practices to help people understand strong feelings and rebuild connection with themselves. Sessions tend to emphasize clear steps and homework that fit day-to-day life.

She has supported people dealing with grief, addiction, bipolar disorder, eating and sleep problems, parenting strain, and identity issues within LGBT communities. Shelly also addresses burnout and compassion fatigue that affect caregivers and helping professionals. Her approach is practical and goal-oriented while still making room to process hard emotions.

Clients can expect collaborative work that sets reachable goals and tracks progress. Sessions may include skill practice, thought-refocusing exercises, and emotion-regulation strategies tailored to the person’s needs. Communication and choice are stressed so adjustments can be made as goals shift.

Shelly offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different schedules and preferences. People who want to begin can use the site’s Start Therapy flow to complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule their first appointment.

How specific therapy methods work online

CBT, or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and changing behaviors that keep problems going. Online CBT often uses brief exercises, thought records, and between-session tasks to build new habits and reduce symptoms like anxiety or low mood.

DBT, or Dialectical Behavior Therapy, teaches concrete skills for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and effective communication. In virtual sessions clients can learn and practice these skills, use coaching-style check-ins, and apply the techniques during real-life challenges.

Finding the right approach is a team effort. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, preferences, and what has or hasn’t helped before. From there she will recommend strategies and adjust the plan as progress is tracked, making changes when a different focus would help more.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video is useful for full sessions with visual cues, phone can work when bandwidth is limited, live chat is helpful for shorter check-ins, and messaging supports ongoing reflection between meetings. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy days and to keep momentum when life is changing.