About Thomas
Dr. Thomas Kadela is a licensed clinical social worker with three decades of experience. He works with people who are stressed, anxious, grieving, struggling with sleep, or managing mood and addictive problems.
He brings a calm, straightforward style and focuses on practical steps people can use day to day. He treats a wide range of concerns including trauma and abuse, anger, depression, relationship and intimacy issues, parenting strain, ADHD, and compassion fatigue.
Background and approach
He also supports people facing chronic pain, career changes, and questions about gender and sexual identity. Sessions focus on the goals the person brings, whether that is symptom relief, better sleep, improved communication, or coaching for life changes. His approach blends several evidence-based methods.
He uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to identify and shift unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to clarify values and build action, and elements of Dialectical Behavior Therapy and mindfulness to teach coping skills. He often pairs therapy with practical between-session work to reinforce progress. Dr.
Kadela has worked in inpatient, outpatient, and residential settings and has taught at the university level. He has also provided trainings and keynote talks and has served in leadership roles in clinical programs. He is a US Army combat veteran and brings that background to his clinical perspective.
He practices in Illinois as an LCSW and offers sessions in English. People interested in beginning can expect a collaborative, respectful process that starts with the concerns they bring and builds a plan that fits their life.
How therapy approaches translate to online care
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify what matters to them and take small steps toward those values. It can be useful for anxiety, depression, and life changes where clarity and action matter. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and trying alternative patterns; it is commonly used for anxiety, insomnia, and mood problems. Mindfulness Therapy teaches simple attention and awareness practices to reduce reactivity and improve focus, which pairs well with ACT and CBT for stress and sleep issues.Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with the person about goals, preferences, and daily life. Together they decide which methods to try and adjust the plan as progress is made or needs shift.
Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to provide flexibility. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and visual cues. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or when someone prefers not to be on camera. Live chat or text messaging can fit short check-ins, brief problem-solving, or support between longer sessions. These options let people fit therapy into workdays, travel schedules, or busy family routines while using approaches like ACT and CBT in practical ways.
Questions people ask
What kinds of problems does Dr. Kadela address?
What is his general therapy style?
How much clinical experience does he have?
What are his credentials and where is he based?
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Can people outside the U.S. work with him?
What formats are available for online sessions?
How are fees and getting started handled?
What this therapist works with
Most often
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Sleeping disorders
Also listed
- Addictions
- ADHD
- Anger management
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Bipolar disorder
- Blended family issues
- Body image
- Career difficulties
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Coaching
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Control issues
- Coping with life changes
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Depression
- Divorce and separation
- Emptiness
- Family conflicts
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- First responder issues
- Gender dysphoria
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Intimacy-related issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- LGBT
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Narcissism
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Parenting issues
- Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
- Post-traumatic stress
- Relationship issues
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self esteem
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexual dysfunction
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 30 years
- Licensed
- Illinois
- Languages
- English
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