Marikay Gazda, LCSW

Marikay Gazda, LCSW, helps people facing major life changes and emotional strain. She focuses on depression, anxiety, grief, and the stresses that come with aging and caregiving. Her manner is steady and compassionate, aimed at helping people feel heard and more able to cope.

She has 35 years of clinical experience in Illinois and brings practical, down-to-earth support to sessions. Conversations often center on rebuilding self-worth, easing isolation, and finding new meaning after loss or illness. She listens for the patterns that keep problems stuck and helps people try different ways of responding.

Her work includes supporting people with panic, attachment struggles, chronic pain and illness, and the demands of being a caregiver. She also provides guidance around hospice and end-of-life concerns. In therapy, she helps clients sort through guilt, shame, and forgiveness so they can move forward with more ease.

Marikay draws on several approaches to tailor her work to each person. Sessions may include practical behavior changes, exploring relationship patterns, or focusing on the client’s goals for the near future. The emphasis is on steady progress and skills that people can use outside of sessions.

If someone wants to improve communication, build self-love, or find purpose after a major change, she offers supportive guidance and clear steps to try. She aims to walk alongside people as they face life’s hard moments with dignity.

How her approaches guide online work

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on the person’s own goals and experiences, with the therapist listening closely and reflecting what matters most to the client. This approach helps when someone needs support rebuilding self-worth or making decisions about life changes.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors connect and teaches concrete techniques to reduce anxiety and depression. It is useful for panic attacks, mood shifts, and patterns that keep someone feeling stuck.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will discuss goals, try methods that fit a person’s needs, and adjust as progress is made. Clients have a say in what feels most helpful and practical.

Confirm current session options before booking so you know what formats are offered. Online therapy can make it easier to fit appointments into a busy life, require less travel, and allow shorter check-ins when time is limited. It also lets people keep continuity of care through periods of illness or relocation while they pursue counseling with a licensed professional.