Chicago Compass Counseling, LLC

Chicago Compass Counseling, LLC Discover powerful change. Solution-focused online therapy in Chicago, IL. Our mission is to help our clients create the lives they want to live.

We are dedicated to helping people free themselves from the cycle of self-destructive behavior. We want our clients to feel purpose, meaning, and value in their daily experience. This means we reject any "one size fits all model" for behavior change. Our VIP-level service is tailored to each client at their current level of readiness to change. We believe that ALL people are capable of change. Whether our client is engaging problem behavior or is the loved one of someone who is struggling, we are here to provide evidence-based support, connection, and a path towards integrity for anyone who has suffered from the effects of problem behaviors. Sometimes our client is an individual, and at other times, our client is the family system. We practice harm reduction with clients who are ambivalent about changing. We believe that each one of our clients can achieve value-based living.

If you've done a lot of reflecting but you still feel stuck, you're not doing it wrong.Olivia Harpster, LCSW works with ...
04/06/2026

If you've done a lot of reflecting but you still feel stuck, you're not doing it wrong.

Olivia Harpster, LCSW works with adults navigating grief, burnout, anxiety, and major life transitions. Her approach is active and grounded pairing insight with strategies you can actually use between sessions.

Virtual therapy for adults in Illinois. Accepts BCBS and Aetna.

Ready to get started? Fill out our contact form, link in bio.

04/01/2026

Therapist: “Let’s explore your family dynamics.”

Me: “Respectfully… can we not subpoena my entire bloodline today?”

I came in to talk about my situationship and now we’re diagramming generational trauma like it’s a group project.

Suddenly it’s not just a pattern.
It’s a family heirloom.

You can push the memory down. Tell yourself it's over. Say "that was years ago."And still, something keeps showing up.So...
03/30/2026

You can push the memory down. Tell yourself it's over. Say "that was years ago."

And still, something keeps showing up.

Sometimes it looks like never being able to stop moving. A couple of drinks at night because that's the only time things quiet down. Emotional distance in your relationships that you've just started calling your personality.

Survival coping forms for a reason. And the coping makes sense once you can unburden the awfulness of what you were responding to.

Trauma therapy is about getting your life back and, at last, feeling some relief.

We offer trauma-informed therapy and counseling for addictive behaviors in person in Chicago and virtually across Illinois. Fill out our contact form to book your free Discovery Call.

03/25/2026

Stress drinking makes sense. A long day, body full of tension, thoughts reeling and racing until you have that one drink and feel like you can finally breathe. That sense of relief is real.

The problem isn't that it works. It's that over time, it tends to be the only thing that works. And the window of relief gets smaller.

You don't have to be in crisis to take this seriously. There's a middle space where things are still functioning but something feels off. That space is worth paying attention to.

If your drinking is connected to stress, burnout, or overwhelm, alcohol moderation counseling can help. We'll figure out what's driving it and build something more sustainable.

In person in Chicago and virtually across Illinois. Fill out our contact form to book your free Discovery Call.

Trauma therapy isn't about reliving what happened. It's about releasing the awfulness that still feels present.For a lot...
03/23/2026

Trauma therapy isn't about reliving what happened. It's about releasing the awfulness that still feels present.

For a lot of people, the past doesn't feel like the past. It shows up in relationships, in how you respond to stress, in the patterns that keep repeating even when you know better.

Trauma-informed therapy creates enough safety to look at those patterns together not to call you out, but to understand where they came from and what they're still carrying.

That's the work. Slow, collaborative, and grounded in real safety.

We offer trauma-informed therapy in person in Chicago and virtually across Illinois.

Fill out our contact form to book your free Discovery Call.

03/18/2026

Therapist: “What if we stopped trying to eliminate the anxiety…”

Me and your anxiety pulling up to brunch like we’re co-hosts.

At this point it’s less “fight or flight” and more “fine, grab a chair.”

Exposure therapy but make it roommates.

Coping behaviors start for understandable reasons. And they're worth understanding.Most people already know they're stre...
03/16/2026

Coping behaviors start for understandable reasons. And they're worth understanding.

Most people already know they're stressed. Knowing isn't usually the hard part. Having someone in your corner who can help you actually change and get your underlying needs met that's what makes the difference.

We offer trauma-informed therapy for a range of addictive behaviors substance use, emotional eating, and alcohol use in person in Chicago and virtually across Illinois.

Fill out our contact form to book your free Discovery Call.

03/11/2026

Do you feel caught in a cycle of emotional eating? You don't have to figure this out alone.

If food has become a way to cope with overwhelming emotions, that makes sense. It's available. It works. It's common for people who have had to carry too much.

Behavior change therapy starts with curiosity and care: what's underneath the behavior, and how can we find a way to meet that real need?

If you'd like to explore emotional eating through a trauma-informed lens, book a Discovery Call with our Intake Coordinator. We'll help you find the right fit.

Rethinking your relationship with alcohol? That's exactly what moderate drinkers do.A lot of us absorbed the idea that y...
03/09/2026

Rethinking your relationship with alcohol? That's exactly what moderate drinkers do.

A lot of us absorbed the idea that you have to hit a wall before you're "allowed" to take your drinking seriously. But most people who seek out moderation counseling aren't in crisis. They're just paying attention.

Sleep feels a little off. Anxiety lingers the next morning. Alcohol is taking up more space than you intended. You noticed and you're doing something about it.

Moderation counseling is for this exact place. The sober curious. The questioning. People who want more clarity and a healthier relationship with alcohol while they still have options.
Looking at it early means more flexibility, more autonomy, and real change that fits your actual life.

If you've been quietly rethinking your drinking, book a Discovery Call with our Intake Coordinator, we'll help you figure out the right next step.

03/04/2026

POV: You’re 47 minutes into session 5 and your brain says, “We have reached capacity.”

Therapist: deep nod
Also therapist internally: “What was the word I was about to use? Boundary? Attachment? Sandwich?”

Somewhere between validating, tracking patterns, and holding space, the vocabulary just… floats away.

We promise we know the theory.
We just need a sip of water and 12 seconds to reboot the nervous system.

Occupational hazard of caring for a living.

If you're looking for a passive therapist, Leah's probably not for you. If you want someone direct, candid, and genuinel...
03/02/2026

If you're looking for a passive therapist, Leah's probably not for you. If you want someone direct, candid, and genuinely invested in figuring out what actually works for you, she might be exactly right.

This month we're spotlighting Leah Young, LCPC as part of our therapist spotlight series. She brings nearly 20 years of clinical experience across substance use, eating disorders, trauma, and relationship work. She's worked at every level of care, including IOP and PHP, and she understands what happens after treatment ends and real life begins.

Sessions with Leah are real conversations. She's interactive, warm, and will challenge your thinking and she knows when to slow down and meet you in a quieter moment.

People who connect with Leah are often managing a lot on the outside while feeling stuck underneath. Some are questioning their relationship with alcohol. Some are navigating relapse or long-term recovery. Others are working through body image, food concerns, burnout, or major life transitions.

She works at the deeper layer, what's actually driving the behavior, and what would it take to build something more sustainable.

Her approach draws on CBT, DBT, ACT, CPT, and Motivational Interviewing. And if you want her unfiltered take, she'll give it to you.

Leah offers in-person therapy in Chicago and virtual counseling across Illinois. Fill out our contact form to schedule a Discovery Call with our Intake Coordinator.

Wellness check: are you doomscrolling?Your body knows before your brain does. Signs you might be overloaded:Jaw clenched...
02/25/2026

Wellness check: are you doomscrolling?

Your body knows before your brain does.

Signs you might be overloaded:
Jaw clenched, shoulders tight
Scrolling but not actually reading
Can't focus on anything else
Feeling wired and exhausted at the same time
Harder to fall asleep
Short fuse with people around you
Numb or disconnected

If this is you right now, you're not alone. And noticing those signs is a really important step. And no - therapy can't solve the world's problems. But it can help you release the tension that reduces your capacity.

Therapy can help you stay grounded and clear in challenging times. Link in bio.

Address

333 North Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL
60601

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 8pm
Tuesday 8am - 8pm
Wednesday 8am - 8pm
Thursday 8am - 8pm
Friday 8am - 8pm
Saturday 8am - 8pm

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Our Story

We are behavior change counselors helping adults and loved ones coping with self-destructive behaviors. Here are some reasons you may want to work with us:

We are passionate about helping you create immediate and lasting change.

We help you find solutions that lead to the life you desire. Through our research-based methods you will get tools to help you transform your behavior starting from the very first session. Together we collaborate with you to find solutions that lead to relief from the cycle of self-destructive behavior.