About Bianca Berryhill
Bianca Berryhill, Associate Therapists (awaiting - LPC) in Illinois, offering and virtual therapy. Accepting New Clients. Practicing under the supervision of Iwona Florianowicz.
Welcome - I'm Bianca.
I'm so glad you're here.
If you've found yourself on this page, there's a good chance life feels overwhelming right now—or maybe you've simply reached a point where you're ready to understand yourself in a new way. Whatever brings you here, I want you to know that you don't have to have everything figured out before starting therapy.
I believe that every person deserves a space where they don't have to pretend to have it all together. Therapy isn't about fixing what's "wrong" with you—because I don't believe you're broken. It's about making sense of your experiences, understanding the ways you've learned to protect yourself, and discovering how to live in a way that feels more authentic to who you are.
As a queer, neurodivergent Mexican American therapist, I know that our identities, relationships, culture, and lived experiences all shape how we move through the world. I also know that no two people experience those identities in the same way. That's why I approach therapy with curiosity instead of assumptions. You are the expert on your own life. My role is to listen deeply, ask thoughtful questions, and walk alongside you as you reconnect with the parts of yourself that may have been overlooked, silenced, or hurt.
My hope is that therapy becomes one of the few places where you don't have to perform, explain yourself, or earn acceptance. You get to show up exactly as you are.
Contact Me
My Areas of Expertise and How I Work
I'm passionate working with young adults and adults who are trying to understand themselves more deeply, heal from difficult experiences, and build healthier relationships with themselves and others.
Many of my clients come to therapy feeling exhausted from masking, people-pleasing, overthinking, or believing they're "too much" or "not enough." Others are carrying the lasting impact of trauma, navigating life with ADHD or Autism, exploring their identity, living with chronic illness, or processing complicated family dynamics.
Rather than asking, "What's wrong with you?" I find it more helpful to ask, "What happened to you?" and "How have you learned to survive?" Those questions often lead us toward understanding, self-compassion, and meaningful change.
My approach is integrative, person-centered, and trauma-informed. I draw from humanistic and psychodynamic theories while tailoring therapy to your unique needs, strengths, and goals. Depending on what feels most helpful, I incorporate evidence-based approaches including:
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Internal Family Systems (IFS)-informed parts work
Narrative Therapy
Crisis intervention and stabilization techniques
Before we begin exploring deeper experiences, I believe it's important to build a foundation of safety. Together, we'll develop coping strategies and emotional regulation skills so that therapy feels supportive rather than overwhelming. Healing isn't about pushing through pain as quickly as possible—it's about moving at a pace that allows you to feel grounded, empowered, and connected to yourself.
Some of the areas I commonly work with include:
ADHD and autism
Neurodivergence
Anxiety and depression
Complex and childhood trauma
Self-harm and suicidal thoughts
Chronic illness and disability
Foster care, adoption, and attachment
Intergenerational family patterns
Queer identity and LGBTQIA+ experiences
Latin American identity, diaspora, and cultural belonging
Relationship concerns and life transitions
Above all, I strive to create a therapeutic relationship where you feel respected, understood, and accepted—not despite your experiences, but because they're an important part of your story.
My Path Through Education and Clinical Experience
My journey to becoming a therapist has been shaped by both my professional training and my own lived experiences. While my education gave me the foundation to practice as a counselor, it has been the people I've learned from—my mentors, my clients, and my own experiences—that have truly shaped the therapist I am today.
From the beginning, I found myself drawn to the stories beneath people's struggles. Rather than asking, "What's wrong with this person?" I found myself wondering, "What has this person lived through?" and "How have those experiences shaped the way they relate to themselves and others?" Those questions continue to guide my work today.
One of the most meaningful parts of my professional journey has been working alongside Sari Solden, MS, LMFT, a pioneer in the field of women and ADHD. Since 2021, I've worked as her research assistant and copy editor, contributing to the republication of Journeys Through ADDulthood and A Radical Guide for Women with ADHD. Through that work, I gained a deeper appreciation for the strengths, challenges, and lived experiences of neurodivergent individuals. It reinforced my belief that so many people have spent years believing they were "too much" or "not enough," when what they truly needed was understanding, self-compassion, and the freedom to embrace how their minds naturally work.
As I began working with clients, those ideas came to life. During my clinical training, I had the privilege of supporting adults navigating trauma, anxiety, depression, ADHD, relationship challenges, identity exploration, and major life transitions. I worked with people from LGBTQIA+, immigrant, BIPOC, neurodivergent, and disability communities, and each person reminded me that healing is never one-size-fits-all. Every individual carries a unique story, shaped by relationships, culture, identity, and experiences that deserve to be understood with care and respect.
Many of the people I worked with had experienced trauma in ways that weren't always obvious. Sometimes it stemmed from childhood experiences, and other times from chronic illness, discrimination, family relationships, or years of feeling misunderstood. These experiences taught me that what we often think of as "symptoms" are frequently the mind and body's best attempts to adapt and survive.
My own life has also influenced the way I show up as a therapist. As an adoptee, I've developed a deep interest in attachment, belonging, identity, foster care, adoption, and the lasting impact of our earliest relationships. While I never assume someone else's experience mirrors my own, these parts of my story have helped me appreciate how complex healing can be—and how meaningful it is to have a space where every part of you is welcomed with compassion.
I'm naturally a curious person, and that curiosity continues to shape my work. I enjoy learning through consultation, continuing education, and staying engaged with emerging research because I believe that growing as a therapist is an ongoing process. Every client teaches me something new, and I consider it a privilege to keep learning alongside the people I serve.
If there's one belief that has remained constant throughout my journey, it's this:
People make sense when we take the time to understand their stories.
I don't believe people are broken. I believe they've adapted in remarkable ways to the experiences they've lived through. My role isn't to tell you who you should become. It's to offer a space where you can explore your story with curiosity instead of judgment, reconnect with the parts of yourself that may have been hidden or hurt, and move toward a life that feels more authentic, connected, and true to who you are.
Being invited into that process is something I never take for granted, and it's one of the greatest privileges of my work.
Outside of the Therapy Room
When I'm not meeting with clients, you'll usually find me doing something creative.
I love creative writing, making beaded friendship bracelets, collecting miniature dollhouses, and spending time with my two cats, Rainbow and Paul. I'm someone who notices small details, gets excited about tiny beautiful things, and believes creativity is one of the many ways we reconnect with ourselves.
I'm also a firm believer that healing isn't only found in the hard moments. Sometimes it's found in laughter, meaningful conversations, hobbies that make time disappear, or the quiet comfort of spending time with the people—and pets—we love.
Credentials & Training:
Credentials & Training
Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Illinois
National Certified Counselor (NCC)
MSEd in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Northern Illinois University
Certificate in Trauma-Informed Counseling, Northern Illinois University
BA in Psychology, Northern Illinois University
Certificate in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Northern Illinois University
Minor in Sociology, Northern Illinois University
Additional Training
Psychological First Aid, National Child Traumatic Stress Network
IM+CANS Certification (Illinois Medicaid Comprehensive Assessment of Needs and Strengths)
Illinois Mandated Reporter Training
Rainbows for All Children – Online Grief Facilitator Training
Trauma-informed crisis intervention and suicide risk assessment
Multicultural counseling and culturally responsive clinical practice (CACREP graduate training)
Group counseling facilitation
Telehealth counseling
Ready to Begin?
Reaching out for therapy isn't always easy.
You might be feeling overwhelmed, stuck in patterns that no longer serve you, or wondering if things could feel different. You may not have the words for what you're experiencing yet—and that's okay. You don't have to have everything figured out before we begin.
Whether you're healing from trauma, navigating ADHD or autism, exploring your identity, working through relationship challenges, or simply hoping to understand yourself with more compassion, you don't have to do it alone.
My goal is to create a space where you can show up exactly as you are. A space where your experiences are met with curiosity instead of judgment, where every part of your story is welcome, and where healing happens at a pace that feels right for you.
Therapy isn't about becoming someone else—it's about reconnecting with the person you've always been beneath the expectations, fear, and survival strategies you've carried for so long.
If you think we might be a good fit, I'd be honored to walk alongside you.
Whenever you're ready, I'm here to listen.