Lori Cheek Gilroy

Lori Cheek Gilroy is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Illinois with 26 years of experience. She supports people facing stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and parenting challenges. Lori aims to make the first steps feel manageable. She offers straightforward, respectful guidance and encourages clients to build on their own strengths.

Lori uses a client-centered way of working that treats the whole person - mind, body, and spirit. Her approach draws on Trauma-Focused Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, and Solution-Focused Therapy to help people reduce symptoms and find practical ways forward. She says clients are the experts in their lives and helps them turn insight into action.

Her background includes work in child welfare, family counseling, a family birthing center, crisis intervention, and mental health clinics. That mix shapes a flexible style for dealing with grief, caregiver stress, chronic illness, and life transitions. Lori also brings experience with adoption and foster care concerns, veteran issues, and post-traumatic stress.

Lori describes her practice as influenced by a Christ-centered philosophy, while remaining respectful of different beliefs. She focuses on clear goals and short-term strategies when helpful. Sessions often emphasize building coping skills, improving communication, and resolving immediate problems.

People who want practical support and a compassionate, values-aware counselor may find her approach a good fit. To begin, readers are invited to follow the site's process to match and schedule a session.

How Lori’s Approaches Translate to Online Work

Lori draws on Trauma-Focused Therapy to address the effects of trauma and post-traumatic stress with techniques that help people process difficult memories and reduce their impact. She also uses Client-Centered Therapy, which emphasizes listening, empathy, and supporting people to make their own choices. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is part of her toolkit for spotting unhelpful thinking patterns and trying practical behavior changes to feel better.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. Lori will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences. She checks in and adjusts the plan as progress or challenges emerge.

Confirm the current session options before booking, as specific formats are not listed here. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, shorten check-ins when time is tight, and reduce travel time. It also allows continuity of care after life changes, and lets people practice skills in everyday settings. Licensed professionals and therapists can help adapt exercises used in Trauma-Focused Therapy and CBT for remote sessions, while keeping the focus on realistic steps and measurable goals.