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Dr. Thomas Kadela, LCSW

Experienced mental health professional

Provides online counseling through BetterHelp

At a glance

Thomas is an experienced, licensed Mental Health Professional who specializes in affordable online therapy offered through our partner, BetterHelp.

Speaks English
Offers Telehealth visits
Licensed in Illinois

More about Thomas

  • 26 years' experience
  • Male
  • LCSW

Hi – I’m Dr. Kadela and it’s nice to “meet” you. They wanted me to write a little about myself so here you go! Note – if you have insomnia this might just put you to sleep – so enjoy that perk at no charge!

- Why are you on BetterHelp?

I have over 26 years of assessment and treatment experience. I only work with 1-2 clients at a time on BetterHelp since I work full time with the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) and am also a United States Army National Guard Behavioral Health Officer (neither of which I formally represent here). BetterHelp allows me to work with cool people like you in a more casual setting. Before coming to the DVA I specialized in children and families.

- What would our sessions look like?

Well – that’s really up to you! I may have gone to school for a long time to be called “Dr.” but you’ve spent a long time being you – and you’re the expert of you! So we are both experts, and therefore equals, in this partnership. So YOU get to pick how we spend our time together. Do you want Executive Coaching? Or to use me as more of a sounding board for your thoughts and feelings (sometimes known as Gestalt Therapy)? Do you want to target an issue like Depression, Trauma, Anxiety, Sleep, Communication or Anger? If that’s the case you can choose an Evidenced Based Psychotherapy (EBP). EBPs are well researched and have proven outcomes. They almost always involve homework in-between our sessions. You can see you have a lot of choices and we can talk about what’s right for you, and what you think would be best, but I am formally trained in:

• Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)

• Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT)

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression (CBT-D)

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Pain (CBT-CP)

• Social Skills Therapy (SST)

• Anger Management (AM)

• Solution Focused Brief Psychotherapy (SFBP)

• Problem Solving (PS)

No matter what we do I take a holistic approach. I believe we need to balance Body, Mind and Spirit (however you define Spirit). When one of them is out of whack (not a technical term) the other two go wonky (again not a technical term). It’s like driving a vehicle with three round tires and one square – it’s very clunky and uncomfortable!

- Resume/Curriculum Vita

OK – here is the boring stuff. I’ve been practicing for over 26 years and during that time I’ve taught/teach at University at both the Graduate and Undergraduate levels. I’ve published in a few journals. I’m Board Certified in my discipline. I’ve worked and/or supervised inpatient, outpatient and residential treatment programs. I’ve been on the conference circuit and given many workshops and keynote speeches. I’ve held job titles such as Chief Clinical Officer of National Programs, State Director, Chief Administrative Officer, Training Director, Supervisor of Specialty Programs, etc. I am a US Army Combat Veteran. Let me know if you want more details as I’m happy to share. I hope I get to meet you!

Specialties

Stress Anxiety Trauma and abuse Sleeping disorders Anger management Depression Addictions LGBT Relationship issues Family conflicts Grief Intimacy-related issues Parenting issues Self esteem Career difficulties Bipolar disorder Coping with life changes Coaching Compassion fatigue ADHD Caregiver issues and stress Chronic pain illness and disability Commitment Issues Communication problems Control issues Coping with Natural or Human-Caused Disaster Divorce and separation Emptiness Family Problems Fatherhood Issues First Responder Issues Gender Dysphoria Guilt and shame Isolation / loneliness Life purpose Men's issues Midlife crisis Military and Veterans Issues Money and financial issues Mood disorders Panic disorder and panic attacks Post-traumatic stress Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) Sexual Assault and Abuse Sexuality Social anxiety and phobia Workplace issues Young Adult Issues

Treatment Approaches

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
  • Client-Centered Therapy
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Mindfulness Therapy
  • Motivational Interviewing
  • Psychodynamic Therapy
  • Solution-Focused Therapy
  • Trauma-Focused Therapy

Licenses

Dr. Thomas Kadela's National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1588855969.

  • LCSW · Illinois · 149007447 · Expires November 2025

About online counseling

Affordable.
Pay a low flat fee.
Convenient.
Do it at your own time and at your own pace. Communicate whenever you feel it's needed.
Available now.
There is no waiting list and no calls to make. Simply fill out a short questionnaire and send your first message.

Online counseling allows you to receive care from a mental health practitioner via phone, video chat, or instant messaging. It is convenient for those who may have trouble getting to or would prefer not to have in-person therapy appointments. Starting at $65 per week, online counseling is generally more affordable than in-person counseling. A study by researchers at University of California, Berkeley found that online counseling can be just as effective as face-to-face therapy while being more convenient, affordable, and accessible.

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Frequently asked questions

Does Dr. Thomas Kadela offer telehealth visits?

Yes. Dr. Thomas Kadela works with clients by exchanging messages, chatting live, speaking over the phone, or video conferencing based on what works for the client at that particular time.

What language(s) does Dr. Thomas Kadela speak?

Dr. Thomas Kadela speaks English.

How many years of experience does Dr. Thomas Kadela have?

Dr. Thomas Kadela has 26 years of experience.

Where is Dr. Thomas Kadela licensed to practice?

Dr. Thomas Kadela is licensed to practice in Illinois.

Does Dr. Thomas Kadela accept clients outside of the United States?

No, Dr. Thomas Kadela does not accept clients outside of the United States.

Is online therapy as effective as in-person therapy?

Numerous studies support the effectiveness of online platforms in facilitating life changes. For instance, research published by JMIR Publications, conducted by teams from the University of Berkeley, UCSF, and SF General Hospital, found that "users of BetterHelp experienced significantly reduced depression symptom severity after engaging with the platform."

What treatment approaches does Dr. Thomas Kadela offer?

Dr. Thomas Kadela offers clients Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Psychodynamic Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Trauma-Focused Therapy.

How can I communicate with Dr. Thomas Kadela?

Dr. Thomas Kadela can be engaged in any one of four ways: (1) Exchanging messages, (2) chatting live, (3) speaking over the phone, or (4) video conferencing. You can use different ways at different times as you wish, based on your needs, availability, and convenience.

How do I get started with Dr. Thomas Kadela?

Just tap the CHAT NOW button or tap here: A new window will open and you'll be directed to a simple form that will help start the conversation. Please note: It can take up to a few days to be matched to a therapist.

Mental health conditions are real, common, and treatable.

And recovery is possible.

Messaging
Live Chat
Phone
Video

When you tap CHAT NOW a new window will open and you'll be directed to a simple form that will help start the conversation. Please note: It can take up to a few days to be matched to a therapist.