Marilyn Medow, LCSW

Marilyn Medow brings 35 years of clinical experience to her practice as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She is licensed in Illinois and has spent her career supporting people facing stress, anxiety, depression, family conflict, trauma and abuse, and parenting challenges. Her work began with a focus on domestic violence, child welfare, and crisis intervention, and over time she has expanded her expertise to include a range of therapeutic modalities and practical skills she integrates into daily practice.

Marilyn creates an open, nonjudgmental atmosphere where clients are encouraged to share thoughts and emotions and explore new perspectives. She emphasizes a fresh approach to life’s difficulties, helping people find relief through new directions and behaviors. Her practice addresses related concerns such as abandonment and attachment issues, body image, caregiver stress, chronic pain and illness, communication problems, control issues, divorce and separation, guilt and shame, and feelings of isolation or loneliness.

Marilyn earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, and completed her master’s degree at Smith College. She welcomes new clients and accompanies them through each phase of healing and self-discovery, offering empathic guidance and a steady therapeutic presence throughout the journey.

Evidence-Based Approaches and Online Care with Marilyn Medow

Marilyn draws on established, evidence-based techniques to address stress, anxiety, family conflicts, and trauma. Cognitive behavioral strategies focus on identifying unhelpful thoughts and patterns and replacing them with practical skills and new behaviors - an approach that often helps with anxiety, low mood, and stress management.

She also incorporates trauma-informed approaches that attend to the ways past hurts affect present functioning, helping people process traumatic events and build coping resources. For family and relationship concerns, Marilyn uses family systems ideas to explore interaction patterns and improve communication among family members.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Marilyn works with each person to determine which techniques fit their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting the plan as progress unfolds and new priorities emerge.

Online therapy offers flexible options including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. These formats make it easier to schedule sessions around work, caregiving, and mobility limitations, and they allow therapists to provide consistent support to people in different locations. For many clients, remote sessions make ongoing care more accessible and easier to maintain.