Nicole McSuhm
LCSW (she/her) · Couples & Individual Therapist in Illinois
You've already spent years talking about it. This is what comes next.
Online couples and individual therapy anywhere in Illinois · In-network with most major insurance plans · Day and evening appointments
Who I Work With
You already know the pattern. You can name it, describe it, maybe even trace exactly where it started. You've read the books and done the reflecting. None of that has changed what happens the next time you're in it: the same argument on repeat, the same reaction you hate having, the same dynamic showing up with a different person.
I work with couples who love each other but keep having the same fight, and with individuals trying to break patterns they can already see. Maybe trust has been broken, and you're not sure it can come back. Maybe you're not in crisis, but something isn't working, and you're ready for it to change, not just to understand it better.
You don't have to bring a partner to do this work. Many of my clients come on their own: processing trauma, rebuilding after a hard relationship, working through anxiety or depression, or figuring out what keeps getting in their way.
I also work with people who have experienced domestic violence or relationship harm. That history shapes you in ways that matter, and I bring more than a decade in that field to every session.
I'm LGBTQ+ affirming, including for trans and nonbinary clients, and I work with non-monogamous and kink-aware relationships. I'm also disability affirming, including for people living with chronic illness or a physical disability. You won't have to establish any of that first.
I see clients online anywhere in Illinois, including Chicago and the suburbs, Springfield, Peoria, and Champaign.
My Approach
My style is warm, direct, and a little nerdy about the why. Understanding why your brain does what it does is often what makes everything else click, and that lightbulb moment is my favorite part of this work.
I'm strengths-based. You've made it this far with the skills you already have. My job is to help you build on them and add new tools to your toolbox. I'll name what you haven't quite been able to say, and we'll build the tool or reframe that interrupts the pattern in real time.
With couples, I use the Gottman Method. I've completed Level 2 training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy, and I also draw on EFT and IFS. With individuals, I use trauma-informed, evidence-based tools like CBT, DBT, and solution-focused therapy.
My years in the domestic violence field shape how I spot relationship patterns early, and how I tell the difference between a communication problem and something that needs a different kind of attention.
You'll leave almost every session with something new to try. Emotional validation matters, but on its own it isn't enough. My goal is to put myself out of a job: a couple handling their own hard conversations, or you getting through a tough moment with skills that are yours.
Areas of Focus
Tap a topic to learn more
Couples therapy | Conflict and communication | Rebuilding trust after betrayal
Gender and sexuality | ADHD and relationships | Chronic illness and physical disability
Intimacy and connection | Trauma and PTSD | Domestic violence recovery
Why Clients Choose Nicole
Warm and Direct
I'll name what I see, kindly and clearly, so we can get to work instead of circling the same conversation.
Tools, Not Just Talk
You'll leave almost every session with something concrete to try before the next one.
Relationship Expertise
More than a decade in the domestic violence field means I understand relationship dynamics from the inside out.
Affirming by Default
LGBTQ+, non-monogamy, kink-aware, and disability affirming, without you having to ask.
Credentials & Licensure
Nicole McSuhm, LCSW (she/her)
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Illinois #149.027328
Master of Social Work, University of Illinois Chicago, Jane Addams College of Social Work
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Sociology, minor in Social Work, Elmhurst College
Illinois Certified Domestic Violence Professional (ICDVP)
Partner Abuse Intervention Program (PAIP) facilitator
Completed Levels 1 & 2 training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy
Availability & fees
Wednesdays 9am to 9pm and Fridays 9am to 5pm (Central time) · Other evenings available by request
Online sessions for clients anywhere in Illinois
In-network with most major insurance plans · Superbills and sliding scale available · See rates and insurance →
Common Questions
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No. Many of my clients come on their own to work on relationship patterns, trauma, anxiety, or depression.
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Couples therapy isn't only about staying together. The goal is health and happiness, and for some couples that means deciding to separate. I can support you either way.
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When there's abuse in a relationship, couples therapy isn't the safe option. I'll meet with each partner individually instead. If you're in danger, call 911 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.
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I'm licensed in Illinois only. If you're in Missouri, Cassandra and Carolina offer individual therapy there.
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Yes. I’m in-network with most major insurance plans. We'll confirm your coverage on your free consult, and self-pay and superbills are available too.
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It depends on what you're working on, but the goal is never to keep you in therapy forever. Most people start weekly or every other week, then space sessions out to every few weeks and eventually monthly check-ins as things get easier. I’ll review progress with you regularly.
Ready to get started?
You don't have to have it all figured out before you reach out.
Start with a free 15-minute consultation or chat. No paperwork, no commitment, just a real conversation to see if we're a good fit.
