Marilyn Traynor, LCSW
Therapist in Illinois
Marilyn Traynor is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 40 years of practice in Illinois.
- Licensed inIllinois
- License149006091
- NPI 1700546918
- Experience40+ years
- LanguagesEnglish
Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check any license with the state board and any NPI with the national registry.
About Marilyn
Marilyn Traynor is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 40 years of practice in Illinois. She helps people facing depression, anxiety, grief, and major life transitions. Her work centers on practical, compassionate care that respects each person's story.
She focuses on adults navigating midlife and later-life challenges, including caregiver stress and health-related changes. Sessions aim to make overwhelming problems easier to manage through clear steps and steady support. Marilyn listens closely and helps people find ways to cope that fit their daily lives.
Background and approach
Her approach draws on attachment-based ideas alongside cognitive and emotion-focused methods. She uses tools from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice patterns and try new responses. Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills are used when people need concrete strategies to manage intense emotions.
Marilyn often supports people dealing with relationship strain, family problems, addiction, and trauma. She helps clients build self-esteem, handle career stress, and work through anger or intimacy issues. Her aim is to help clients regain a sense of agency and direction.
Sessions move at a pace the client finds comfortable. She emphasizes practical coping skills, clearer communication, and steady problem solving. The goal is to leave each person better equipped for everyday demands and future changes.
Credentials
- LCSW (Illinois)
- License 149006091 · expires November 2027
- NPI
- 1700546918 · national provider identifier
Both are public records. A state board register will confirm a license and its standing, and the national registry will confirm an NPI. This directory copies what the therapist lists and checks neither.
Focus areas and approaches
Everything Marilyn lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Grief
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- Addictions
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Intimacy-related issues
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Attachment issues
- Blended family issues
- Body image
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Family problems
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
Approaches Marilyn names
- Attachment-Based Therapy
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist lists and does not check training records.
Online support
How attachment and behavior-focused methods work online
Attachment-based work looks at how early bonds shape present relationships and emotional habits; sessions help people notice attachment patterns and try new ways of relating. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on values and small committed actions, helping people tolerate difficult feelings while moving toward what matters. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) breaks down thoughts and behaviors into manageable pieces and teaches practical steps to shift unhelpful patterns.Choosing the right approach is part of the process. Marilyn will collaborate with each person to match methods to their goals, needs, and preferences. Together they decide whether to emphasize attachment exploration, skills training, values-driven actions, or a mix of these approaches.
Online sessions offer flexibility for busy lives. Video calls allow face-to-face work when visual cues matter, phone sessions can fit a quick check-in or low-bandwidth option, and live chat or text messaging support shorter reflections or between-session contact. These formats make it easier to fit therapy into work, caregiving, or health routines and to continue steady progress without extra travel.
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Frequently asked
What concerns does Marilyn commonly address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, addictions, relationship and family problems, trauma and abuse, and a wide range of life challenges.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is compassionate and practical, focusing on clear steps, coping skills, and exploring emotional patterns rooted in attachment and life history.
What is her professional background?
Marilyn has four decades of clinical experience helping adults with emotional and life transition issues in Illinois.
Which credentials and region are listed?
She is an LCSW and practices in Illinois.
Are services offered in other languages or to international clients?
Sessions are offered in English and international clients are accepted.
What session formats does she use?
Therapy is available via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging.
How is cost handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What are the first steps to begin working with her?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a session according to therapist availability.
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