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Diane McClain, LCSW

Experienced mental health professional

Provides online counseling through BetterHelp

At a glance

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

5.0 stars
Clients are very satisfied with Diane. View 52 reviews
Speaks English
Offers Telehealth visits
Licensed in Illinois

Recent reviews

I wholeheartedly recommend Diane. From the very first session, I felt genuinely heard and understood. Diane fosters a safe, nonjudgmental space where I can freely express my thoughts and feelings, making the experience incredibly therapeutic. For the past few years, I've been attending therapy with her intermittently, and she has guided me through challenging life decisions, facilitated healing from my past, and helped me gain a new, healthier perspective on myself and my actions.

Reviewed November 2024

I continue to be well supported by Diane. She is knowledgeable, supportive, and the different perspective she's able to add for different experiences and situations is truly invaluable.

Reviewed November 2024

More about Diane

  • 46 years' experience
  • Female
  • LCSW

Hi

My name is Diane I have more than 30+ years of experience doing therapy. I have worked in inpatient, outpatient settings as well as family service agencies and private practice. My approach is client centered with a strong focus on solution oriented short term therapy. I am a direct communicator, but use humor often to help clarify issues and to create an intervention that is easier to remember for my clients. Life sometimes is very hard, it is our reaction to it that makes it harder or easier. We can grow and learn to make our decisions based on our values and interests so that we are not fighting with ourself over the decisions that were always ours to make. We all make choices that have far ranging consequences for ourself and others- let us make them after a careful, honest self examination- therapy can provide a safe place for this self examination. .

I have an interest in providing therapy and support for caregivers, clients with new medical challenges and families dealing with end of life issues.

I have specialized in grief and loss as well as anxiety and depression.

I am a direct communicator and have been able to " speak truth to power" so one of my subset of experiences is coaching executives who have lost their jobs and are going through emotionally challenging times.

I am experienced at counseling cross cultural and interfaith families both at the pre-marital stage and further along in the marriage. I also have counseling experience ( as an ally) with GLBTQ+ counseling, coming out, managing the family disclosure and acceptance and straight spouse issues as well.

Make no mistake, people need to work in therapy. A good therapist does not provide a NEST ( never ending supportive therapy) but rather a launching point.

So if you are ready to launch ......contact me

Specialties

Stress Anxiety Relationship issues Grief Coping with life changes Coaching Addictions LGBT Family conflicts Trauma and abuse Intimacy-related issues Self esteem Career difficulties Depression Compassion fatigue Abandonment Adoption and foster care Aging and geriatric issues Attachment issues Blended family issues Cancer Caregiver issues and stress Chronic pain, illness, and disability Co-morbidity Codependency Commitment issues Communication problems Control issues Dependent personality Divorce and separation Emptiness Family of origin issues Family problems Fertility issues Guilt and shame HIV / AIDS Hospice and end-of-life counseling Infidelity Isolation / loneliness Life purpose Men's issues Midlife crisis Mood disorders Multicultural concerns Panic disorder and panic attacks Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships Postpartum depression Pregnancy and childbirth Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) Self-love Social anxiety and phobia Somatization Women's issues Workplace issues Young adult issues

Treatment Approaches

  • Client-Centered Therapy
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
  • Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
  • Mindfulness Therapy
  • Motivational Interviewing
  • Narrative Therapy
  • Psychodynamic Therapy
  • Solution-Focused Therapy
  • Somatic Therapy

Licenses

Diane McClain's National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1174761506.

  • LCSW · Illinois · 149.013411 · 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, sometimes called teletherapy, refers to talk therapy delivered remotely through digital platforms, such as video calls, phone calls, or chat. It can be a great option for people who face barriers to traditional face-to-face therapy, such as those living in remote areas, individuals with mobility issues, or people with busy schedules that make it difficult to attend in-person sessions.

Teletherapy also offers greater convenience and flexibility, allowing clients to access care from the comfort of their homes. Research shows that the treatment outcomes with online counseling are often just as effective as with traditional therapy, providing a viable alternative for individuals seeking mental health support.

Reviews for Diane McClain

All reviews have been submitted by clients after seeing the provider.

Overall rating:

5.0

52 reviews

5
4
3
2
1

Clients mention: Helped Great Helpful Recommend Amazing Grateful Supportive Thank you Support Knowledgeable

I wholeheartedly recommend Diane. From the very first session, I felt genuinely heard and understood. Diane fosters a safe, nonjudgmental space where I can freely express my thoughts and feelings, making the experience incredibly therapeutic. For the past few years, I've been attending therapy with her intermittently, and she has guided me through challenging life decisions, facilitated healing from my past, and helped me gain a new, healthier perspective on myself and my actions.

Reviewed November 2024

I continue to be well supported by Diane. She is knowledgeable, supportive, and the different perspective she's able to add for different experiences and situations is truly invaluable.

Reviewed November 2024

I feel Diane is very experienced and knowledgeable in her field and has been there many times to see quickly, what’s happening. She gives frank and direct observations and suggests options to move forward which seem helpful. It has only been 2 sessions……

Reviewed November 2024

I have never felt as deeply understood and connected with another therapist as with Diane.

Reviewed September 2024

Diane held up a mirror and pushed me to really look into it so I could again see myself as the amazing person I am! We didn't spend a lot of time digging up old trauma, but rather spent the majority of our time looking at what's happening now, and focusing on forward motion. Her therapy style is that of an "iron fist in a velvet glove" much like a fine Margaux wine, soft enough to be supportive, but strong enough to help you get the deep work done.

Reviewed August 2024

Diane is great, she helps me work through really stressful situations with compassion, advice, and humor.

Reviewed August 2024

I'm very grateful for Diane.

Reviewed July 2024

I deeply appreciate Diane's practical advice, her insight, humor and expertise.

Reviewed July 2024

Diane has changed my life. Her frank, honest approach and humor make her the perfect balance of blunt and fun. She has suggested so many tools for me, from medicinal to meditation, and helped me find confidence and strength to let go of things that had been with me for decades. THANK YOU, Diane! I cannot recommend her enough!

Reviewed April 2024

Diane has been amazing to work with and I look forward to her calls. She has helped me through a variety of challenges and changes in my life. Her delivery and sense of humour is appreciated through difficult times — and keeps me motivated! I have come back to her multiple times and would highly recommend Diane to anyone.

Reviewed April 2024

Diane was a huge help in giving me guidance, perspective, and a plan to help center myself and better negotiate my own thoughts and feelings relating to my wife’s disability and struggles with mental health.

Reviewed March 2024

Diane's contribution to my personal development in the past few months has been invaluable. Her expertise and comprehension played a crucial role in reaching significant milestones. I was pleasantly surprised by her exceptional listening skills and her ability to offer innovative solutions that perfectly catered to my requirements. Moreover, her extensive knowledge of the various services provided by Better Help was truly commendable and unmatched.

Reviewed September 2023

I’ve been working with Diane for 6 months now, and I have learned so much about myself. She has shown me how childhood trauma has impacted my life as an adult. A lot of the problems in my marriage stem from me repeating coping behaviors I used as a child. She’s helped me find my own voice and helped me with setting boundaries. I feel more empowered now than I ever have in my life. Thank you, Diane, for being honest with me even when it might have been uncomfortable for me to hear. I’m forever grateful!

Reviewed August 2023

Diane is a wonderful therapist. She helps cut to the center of any issue I have and has helped me grow as a person and guided me through some of the most difficult times of my life. She's fantastic.

Reviewed August 2023

Diane has been a God send. She had helped me to identify and accept things I already knew, but was questioning. She is straightforward and frank; two qualities I deeply respect and which are the only things that work for me.

Reviewed August 2023

Insightful, resourceful, informative, and supportive.

Reviewed July 2023

Diane is amazing, she listens and actually challenges your ideas and values to make sure that you are being the best version of yourself. I struggled a lot with my mental health and Diane has really helped me get out of my issues. If you like someone that will listen but will also be straight forward and challenge you to be better, she is the one.

Reviewed July 2023

Diane is an amazing therapist who has helped me turn my life around completely. She tells it like it is and always has great tangible tools, action steps and real life advice to give! I gained incredible insight into my relationships, self-confidence and my business and feel empowered in my life for the first time. I am incredibly grateful for her guidance and support - thank you Diane!

Reviewed June 2023

Over the past few weeks, Diane have been a tremendous help in getting me back on track. I've been under immense work and family pressure, but Diane was able to cut through the noise and really identify the core causes of my stress, and provide me with tangible advice and actions to reduce and eliminate the causes. While we're still early in our relationship, I know Diane is going to play a pivotal role in helping me transition to a healthier mindset. So happy to have found her!

Reviewed June 2023

I could not recommend Diane enough, she is incredibly proactive and always has practical advice and support to offer. I never expected to get this much from therapy, but I really have come a long way with Diane's help and am so grateful for her. No session is dull as she will always find a topic to explore even when I don't know what to talk about. She gives 100% to her clients and is really a dedicated therapist. Thank you Diane!

Reviewed March 2023

Diane is great, A no nonsense therapist who calls it like it is.

Reviewed March 2023

Very caring and on your side. Tells you what you need to hear in a direct but compassionate way.

Reviewed March 2023

Supportive ,intelligent and extremely helpful

Reviewed December 2022

This Therapist is amazing ! She was direct, insightful along with respectful. Exactly what I needed, so grateful for meeting up with her!!!

Reviewed December 2022

Diane is a great communicator and asks great questions. She definitely challenges the status quo while listening to both the surface and underlying messages and helps me to make good decisions that lead to forward progress.

Reviewed November 2022

Diane is a great therapist. She has helped and continued to help with my self improvement journey. I would highly recommend her as a therapist to anyone.

Reviewed November 2022

My first session with Diane, I felt a wave of relief because someone, despite the state I was in, was taking me seriously. That's a special, grounding quality in a person. She is warm , kind, and of course, hilarious. Her experience shows through her ability to balance out being professional and caring. If you are present and ready, she does give the push that you prepare for. I am immensely grateful to have come across Diane. I am happy that therapists like her are out there doing their thing, sending out positive ripples into the worlds of their clients. Thank you Diane. you rock.

Reviewed September 2022

She is a great therapist and really gives helpful tips.

Reviewed September 2022

diane is the best, no bullshit she always calls it like it is

Reviewed September 2022

Thank you

Reviewed August 2022

Diane is a pro. Two words tho: tough love. If you are not ready to do the work, maybe ease into therapy with someone else. She will lay it out for you, challenge you, and support your growth.

Reviewed July 2022

Diane is amazing therapist, she has made a huge impact in my life. She guided me through very difficult time and gave me so many tools and tips to help me grow and get better emotionaly. She helped me to overcome my trauma, guide me towards better relationships, thought me how to set boundaries and deal with my anxiety. She made me put in time and work, but I felt like each exercise helped to thrive and get better.

Reviewed June 2022

Down-to-earth, no-nonsense therapist who is knowledgeable and gives practical ways to overcome problems.

Reviewed May 2022

Dian is very good for me, one of the main reasons is she calls you out on the nonsense. The rationalizations and defence mechanisms we tell ourselves that allow us to keep repeating negative patterns, she points these out and offers alternative ways of looking at things. This has been helpful to me

Reviewed May 2022

Diane is great, she has really helped me work through some issues around dating and intimacy. Highly recommended!

Reviewed May 2022

Shes very easy to talk to since i have communication issues , so lovely and funny and makes things feel easy and less stressed than what I actually feel ,im still at the beginning of my therapy sessions with her but for now thats how i feel , Iam appreciating her ❤️

Reviewed April 2022

Don't judge a book by it's cover.

Reviewed April 2022

Thorough, authentic, real, and assists in incredible break through.

Reviewed February 2022

Diane is really perceptive, supportive, helpful ! her insights help me a lot

Reviewed February 2022

Exactly what I needed to help me realize where and why I’m struggling

Reviewed November 2021

Diane has been a great listener, and seems to understand whatever I give here, wherever I'm at. She made me feel comfortable right from the get-go. She offers wise counsel, and has offered me a range of practical solutions as well as surprising insights. She is not afraid to call it like she sees it, but does so in a way that is warm and compassionate. I have appreciated her sense of humour and her ability to tie things together to get me going in the direction I need to go.

Reviewed November 2021

Diane is a great therapist. Genuine, pointed, and honest. She’s focused on behavior change and holding me accountable, but also meeting me where I’m at.

Reviewed November 2021

Diane has been so helpful and knowledgeable. I've found working with her has been easier than I thought online therapy would be, I was so worried it would be awkward and ineffective, but that has not been the case at all. I put a lot of that down to Diane's ability to cut through the crap and just get stuck into the work. She's been able to challenge me in ways that I really needed right from the start. Appreciate all her hard work.

Reviewed November 2021

Diane knows how to cut through the crap in a gentle and helpful manner. She has a lovely sense of humor, listening well, but always willing to stand up to me.

Reviewed September 2021

Diane is empathetic but firm in her approach, the right counselor if you are truly ready to dig in and get to work. She doesn’t pull punches but she does employ the occasional punch line. Cant recommend her highly enough.

Reviewed August 2021

She’s awesome!!

Reviewed July 2021

Diane after two sessions seems excellent. Listens carefully, summarises and reflects elegantly and succinctly and offers helpful insights and constructive suggestions for further work.

Reviewed July 2021

Diane is welcoming, powerful and is helping me to get results in a supportive way. I couldn't have asked for a better counsellor.

Reviewed June 2021

Di is fantastic. She's straight with you and gives great support and insight. She has a wealth of experience and I'd recommend her to anyone going through a difficult time.

Reviewed June 2021

The day I had my first chat with Diane, I knew I was going to be Okay. She listens to me carefully, suggests the best techniques and ways to manage my feelings, and encourages me to practice as much as possible. I feel much better after our conversations. I am very thankful for her support.

Reviewed June 2021

Diane McClain does not only listen well but she understands. She is insightful and offers very good advice and suggestions. I'm extremely pleased with my sessions with her and highly recommend her!

Reviewed May 2021

Diane is very patient and very responsive. Our first session, she was spot on to figure out my triggers. If you gave her for therapy, you wouldn’t be disappointed.

Reviewed April 2021

How was your experience with Diane?

Frequently asked questions

Does Diane McClain offer telehealth visits?

Yes. Diane McClain 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 Diane McClain speak?

Diane McClain speaks English.

How many years of experience does Diane McClain have?

Diane McClain has 46 years of experience.

Where is Diane McClain licensed to practice?

Diane McClain is licensed to practice in Illinois.

Does Diane McClain accept clients outside of the United States?

Yes, Diane McClain accepts 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 Diane McClain offer?

Diane McClain offers clients Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), Mindfulness Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Narrative Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Somatic Therapy.

How can I communicate with Diane McClain?

Diane McClain 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 Diane McClain?

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.