“Change doesn’t require you to become someone new — it asks you to meet yourself with honesty, courage, and compassion, one small step at a time.”
Kelly Ridge, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
She/Her
Kelly Ridge, LCSW, is a warm and grounded therapist who helps individuals navigate anxiety, depression, OCD, relationship concerns, and family trauma by creating a safe, nonjudgmental space for honest and authentic exploration. She integrates evidence-based approaches including CBT, Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and person-centered therapy, tailoring each session to the client’s specific needs. Balancing compassionate support with thoughtful challenge, she works collaboratively with clients to shift perspectives, strengthen resilience, and promote meaningful, lasting change while ensuring they feel seen, heard, and empowered throughout the therapeutic process.
Accepting New Clients
Telehealth in IL
Focus Areas
- Anxiety
- Body Image
- Career Counseling
- Codependency
- Depression
- Family Conflict
- Grief
- Obsessive-Compulsive (OCD)
- Pregnancy, Prenatal, Postpartum
- Relationship Issues
- Self Esteem
- Trauma and PTSD
- Women's Issues
Insurance
Aetna · BCBS PPO · Blue Choice
Network · UnitedHealthcare
*For more information on network participation, please visit your insurance website or call the number on the back of your benefits card
Network · UnitedHealthcare
*For more information on network participation, please visit your insurance website or call the number on the back of your benefits card
Education
-
MSW, Social Work, 2014,
Loyola University - BSW, Social Work, 2013 William Woods University
Clientele
- College/Emerging Adults
- Adults
Schedule a free 15-min Consultation
Philosophy
I believe therapy works best when it feels both safe and honest, a space where you can show up as you are, without judgment, and still be gently challenged toward growth. My approach is grounded, compassionate, and collaborative. I draw from evidence-based methods like CBT and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) alongside a person-centered framework, so our work is both structured and deeply human. I tailor each session to your needs, helping you build resilience, shift unhelpful patterns, and move toward meaningful, lasting change. My goal is for you to feel truly seen, heard, and empowered throughout the process.
Experience
I have worked across private practice, hospice, hospital, and academic settings, supporting children, adolescents, and adults through grief, medical stress, anxiety, and emotional challenges. I have experience working with clients from across the lifespan using approaches such as mindfulness, CBT, and motivational interviewing. Earlier in my career within a major health system, I served as a medical and senior social worker and later as a social work manager, where I led and supervised a team of clinicians across inpatient and outpatient settings, facilitated family meetings, supported ICU patients and families, and helped implement patient-care policy and quality improvement initiatives. I also teach as an adjunct professor in social work, instructing courses in research methods, human behavior, and introduction to social work, and I serve as an LCSW supervisor and community educator.
