Therapist profile
Dr. Penny Brower, LCPC
Licensed counselor - Family and relationship focus
Continue with PennyAbout
- Stress and anxiety
- Family of origin issues
- Acceptance and commitment
About Penny
Dr. Penny Brower is an Illinois Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) with 34 years of experience helping adults find steadier footing amid stress, anxiety, relationship strain, depression, addiction, and family concerns. She works with people who are wrestling with grief, intimacy issues, anger, ADHD, trauma and abuse, and the everyday strains of parenting and family life.
She describes therapy plainly: she talks through the decision points and life events that brought someone to therapy. Sessions focus on building practical skills and identifying resources that make day-to-day life more manageable. She emphasizes feedback so methods can be changed if they are not helpful.
Her background includes in-home work with complex families, roles in community mental health centers, private practice, and eight years with the Air National Guard developing programs to reduce suicide risk and strengthen resilience. That mix gives her experience with both system-level problems and individual concerns.
Dr. Brower uses a range of clinical approaches to match how a person prefers to work. She draws on cognitive behavioral ideas, attachment perspectives, acceptance and commitment strategies, client-centered listening, and relationship-focused work. She prefers clear discussion over labels and looks at what makes symptoms worse or better in daily life.
People who choose to work with her can expect direct conversation about patterns, options to try different techniques, and an emphasis on making choices that fit real living. She asks for regular feedback so therapy stays aligned with the client's needs.
How sessions work
How these approaches translate to online sessions
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on clarifying personal values and taking small actions that reflect those values, while teaching ways to live with difficult thoughts or feelings. It can help with anxiety, depression, and getting unstuck when life changes make decisions hard.Attachment-Based Therapy looks at patterns in close relationships and how early experiences shape reactions now. It can be useful for people struggling with intimacy, family of origin issues, or repeated relationship problems.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) breaks down unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns into understandable steps and offers concrete skills to change them. It is often used for anxiety, depression, and anger management.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will discuss what feels most useful, try methods in session, and adjust based on feedback. That collaborative process helps match technique to the person's goals and life context.
Confirm the current session formats before booking, since the biography does not specify them. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule, allow shorter check-ins when time is tight, and remove travel time so appointments can occur between work or caregiving responsibilities. Licensed professionals can help plan sessions to fit everyday life while focusing on the practical issues that brought someone to therapy.
Areas of focus
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
34+ years
Listed in
Illinois
Languages
English
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she address related to family life?
She helps with family problems, family of origin issues, divorce and separation, and parenting-related strain. Relationship and intimacy issues are also listed areas she addresses.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
She uses clear, conversational work that includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Attachment-Based ideas, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, client-centered listening, and Gottman Method elements for relationship topics.
How much experience does she have?
She has 34 years of clinical experience working in homes, community mental health centers, private practice, and with the Air National Guard on resilience programs.
What are her credentials and where does she practice?
She is an Illinois LCPC, which stands for Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, and she practices in Illinois.
Does she offer sessions in other languages or to international clients?
Sessions are offered in English. She is not accepting international clients at this time.
What session formats are available?
The original biography does not list specific session formats. Confirm current session options before booking to know whether sessions are by video, phone, or another method.
How does payment and cost work?
Cost varies with location and sessions are provided through a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What should I do to begin working together?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session to get started.
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If anyone is in danger, use the crisis numbers.