- Trauma-focused support
- Client-centered care
- Practical coping skills
About Tamela
Tamela Polanin, LCPC, welcomes parents and individuals looking for steady, practical help. She writes in a direct, calm way and makes space for people coping with stress, anxiety, grief, trauma, and parenting strain. Tamela aims to be a steady presence as clients sort through painful memories and make changes that matter in daily life.
She has worked in mental health for 20 years and lives in Illinois. Tamela describes her approach as client-centered - she listens first and follows each person’s pace. She focuses on trauma and related concerns such as abandonment, attachment issues, and adoption and foster care questions. She also addresses relationship challenges, mood concerns, ADHD, addiction, and career stress.
In sessions she draws on approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Emotionally-Focused Therapy, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing to fit a person’s needs. Treatment is collaborative: Tamela helps people set goals and choose practical steps to reach them. She emphasizes coping skills, emotion regulation, and repairing relationships when that is needed.
Tamela is a licensed clinical professional counselor in Illinois. She shares that trauma is personal to her, and that perspective shapes how she listens and plans treatment. Her style is warm and grounded, focused on helping people move forward one step at a time.
Before booking, readers should confirm current session options. To begin, users are asked to use the site’s Start Therapy button and fill out a short matching questionnaire.
Online approaches that guide trauma and relationship work
Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and understanding the person’s goals first. The therapist creates space for clients to lead conversations and choose the pace of change; this approach helps when someone needs a steady, validating listener.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going and teaches practical strategies to change them. CBT is often used for anxiety, depression, and everyday stressors.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a trauma-focused method that helps people process painful memories and reduce their emotional intensity over time. It is commonly used for trauma and abuse-related concerns.
Finding the right approach is part of early sessions. The therapist will work collaboratively to pick methods that match a person’s goals, needs, and preferences. Clients can expect discussion, trial, and adjustment until the plan feels right.
Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into life, such as by reducing travel time or allowing shorter check-ins during a busy day. Because the biography does not list specific session formats, readers should confirm the exact options before booking. The focus in online work remains practical: building coping skills, processing difficult experiences, and improving relationship patterns while fitting sessions into everyday routines.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
20+ years
Credentials
Illinois
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does Tamela commonly address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, grief, addictions, parenting strain, relationship and intimacy issues, ADHD, and related concerns such as abandonment and attachment issues.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Tamela uses a client-centered approach that follows the client’s pace and priorities, combined with techniques from CBT, DBT, EFT, and EMDR to address symptoms and coping skills.
What is her background and experience?
She has 20 years of experience in mental health and describes trauma work as a central focus of her practice.
What credentials and region apply to this clinician?
Tamela holds an IL LCPC credential and practices in Illinois.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English and international clients are accepted.
What session formats are available?
Please confirm current session formats before booking, as the biography does not specify which formats are offered.
How are fees and billing handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with Tamela?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.