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Dr. Athena Porter, LCPC

Experienced mental health professional

Provides online counseling through BetterHelp

At a glance

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

4.5 stars
Clients are very satisfied with Athena. View 29 reviews
Speaks English
Offers Telehealth visits
Licensed in Illinois

Recent reviews

Dr. Porter cares, she listens, and she responds to my concerns with empathy. She genuinely wants to help and get to know me better in hopes of helping me learn new ways to cope with stress and grief.

Reviewed November 2024

Dr. Porter is great. She’s so relatable, nonjudgmental and approachable that it can feel like you are talking to someone you’ve known for years. Yet, all the while her expertise is guiding you to think through things, have breakthroughs and make changes that make you better. She is very professional and good at explaining the psychology of things. She is patient and a good listener, so she can tell how to best use her skills to help you. I highly recommend her.

Reviewed September 2024

More about Athena

  • 21 years' experience
  • Female
  • LCPC

Welcome!

I am a person, who like many other human beings, has skills and talents. As a qualified mental health care provider with a doctorate in Clinical/Community Psychology, I have been using my talents to help people afflicted with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, and other psychological disorders. While I appreciate the wide-range benefits of an eclectic approach, I prefer and tend to apply cognitive-behavioral, humanistic, and sociocultural models in counseling and therapy sessions.

I view life as a journey in which we, as human beings, use our mind, body, and spirit to solve problems, overcome adversity, and enjoy life. Besides helping people alleviate symptoms derived from mental illness, I provide support for personal growth within the context life coaching and wellness sessions.

The span of my career is more than twenty years. The local and global scopes of my vision as a healer, have led me to provide community psychology services in Chicagoland, numerous cities in other parts of the United States, and Ghana (Africa). These community-wide services entail conducting presentations at community health fairs, disseminating information for various type of awareness campaigns (examples: suicide prevention, domestic violence, PTSD, HIV/AIDS, smoking cessation, substance abuse, and Covid19). Moreover, I have imparted information about mental health through the media.

I love providing psychological services! I am grateful to be gifted as a healer! Furthermore, I look forward to serving you!

Enjoy balance in body, mind, and spirit,

Dr. Athena Porter

Specialties

Stress Anxiety Anger management Self esteem Depression Coping with life changes Addictions Relationship issues Family conflicts Trauma and abuse Grief Intimacy-related issues Parenting issues Career difficulties Bipolar disorder Coaching ADHD Caregiver issues and stress Communication problems Coping with natural or human-caused disaster Family of origin issues Isolation / loneliness Midlife crisis Veteran and Armed Forces Issues Mood disorders Multicultural concerns Panic disorder and panic attacks Paranoia Post-traumatic stress Prejudice and discrimination Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) Smoking / vaping cessation Social anxiety and phobia Women's issues Young adult issues

Treatment Approaches

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
  • Existential Therapy
  • Hypnotherapy
  • Mindfulness Therapy
  • Psychodynamic Therapy
  • Solution-Focused Therapy
  • Trauma-Focused Therapy

Licenses

Dr. Athena Porter's National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1306942107.

  • LCPC · Illinois · 180.002727 · Expires March 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, also known as teletherapy, is a method of delivering mental health services through digital means such as video conferencing, phone calls, or messaging platforms. It can be an ideal option for individuals who have difficulty accessing traditional therapy due to geographical distance, time constraints, or personal preferences like privacy and comfort. Many people find it easier to open up from the familiarity of their own space.

Teletherapy has been found to be highly effective, with studies showing that it can produce similar outcomes to in-person therapy, particularly for issues like anxiety, depression, and PTSD. The flexibility and accessibility it offers make it a valuable alternative to conventional therapy settings.

Reviews for Dr. Athena Porter

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

Overall rating:

4.5

29 reviews

5
4
3
2
1

Clients mention: Great Recommend Listens Helped Amazing Comfortable Healing Understand Understanding A great therapist

Dr. Porter cares, she listens, and she responds to my concerns with empathy. She genuinely wants to help and get to know me better in hopes of helping me learn new ways to cope with stress and grief.

Reviewed November 2024

Dr. Porter is great. She’s so relatable, nonjudgmental and approachable that it can feel like you are talking to someone you’ve known for years. Yet, all the while her expertise is guiding you to think through things, have breakthroughs and make changes that make you better. She is very professional and good at explaining the psychology of things. She is patient and a good listener, so she can tell how to best use her skills to help you. I highly recommend her.

Reviewed September 2024

Never been listened to like I am with Dr. Porter. Great counselor, through and through!

Reviewed September 2024

Dr. Porter is wise, knowledge, and provides me with great realization on my own on the way she asks me questions. She dives deep into what I'm saying by actively listening and responds in a way that helps me realize what I'm saying. It might seem hard to understand if youve never had therapy. I highly recommend her and wish her well

Reviewed June 2024

She’s a great therapist and listens very well. She’s excellent at analyzing what I’m saying and pulls things together to make them relevant.

Reviewed April 2024

Doctor Porter is amazing and I wouldn't want anyone else!

Reviewed January 2024

Dr. Porter is a very warm, welcoming, and understanding person. From the very first session I felt comfortable and like I was talking to a nonjudgmental confidante. I did not feel like I was talking to a therapist. I would recommend her to anyone.

Reviewed September 2020

Dr. Porter gets me, but most importantly, where I trying to go as a better version of myself.

Reviewed January 2024

Dr. Porter is attentive and in-tune to my needs and goals. She provides a safe environment for me to express my feelings and concerns, and adjusts to my comfort levels regarding the type of care I desire; including not pushing group therapy upon me knowing it stirs up social anxiety. Highly recommend Dr. Athena Porter.

Reviewed September 2023

I’ve been working with Dr. Porter for approx 8 months (give or take a little) and my experience with her has been nothing short of excellent. She’s such a great listener and my anxiety has improved dramatically since beginning sessions with her. I like that she listens extremely well, pays attention to every little detail and has knowledgeable feedback that truly helps. She’s given real life advice that really helps. Can’t wait to continue sessions with Dr Porter!

Reviewed September 2023

I love my time with Dr. Porter. It’s so easy to talk to her. It’s almost like spending time catching up with an old friend how comfortable she make you feel. The advice she gives, the grace in how she helps you shift your perspective on things . The exercises she gives at the end of each session so you can continue the process of healing until our next session . Overall the best experience on this healing journey

Reviewed May 2023

Dr Porter is very helpful in the matter for which I sought help!

Reviewed May 2023

Dr. Porter is great! We always have good sessions. Very thought provoking and informative. I always leave feeling accomplished

Reviewed December 2022

I've been seeing Dr. Porter for two years now. She has helped me greatly to both understand and change myself in a positive way. She is caring, and kind, and smart!

Reviewed December 2022

Dr porter listen and understand what you need and how to try to get where you should be in your life

Reviewed November 2022

I’ve only seen her one week, but I feel it went very well. I’ve scheduled my news appointment.

Reviewed September 2022

She is awesome!

Reviewed July 2022

Highly recommend Dr. Porter. She is very empathetic and encouraging. She understands different walks of life and is a true healer. I also really appreciate her firmness when I need it to make progress. It has been a joy working with her.

Reviewed June 2022

I've only had one session with Dr. Porter and it was really good. I feel like sis listens to me, asks questions for better understanding. She gives me great hope that she can help me and I'm excited about therapy with her

Reviewed May 2022

Best therapist ever!

Reviewed April 2022

Dr. Porter has helped me immensely to get through the difficult times and to find joy in the good times! She is a great therapist. a wonderful person, and a good friend!

Reviewed April 2022

She's amazing

Reviewed November 2021

My experience with Dr. Porter has been positive in every way. She is caring, supportive, and insightful and I look forward to our sessions. The only criticism I have is for betterhelp: technical issues, poor audio, and service interruptions have made the platform frustrating to use. I hope BetterHelp can improve to be on par with other virtual meeting tools which perform much more reliably.

Reviewed November 2021

Dr. Porter has a wealth of experience. This is evident in her profile but even more so in our discussions. I appreciate her perspective, her questions and willingness to speak in depth on the topics we're covering. I feel lucky that I have been connected to Dr. Porter through better health.

Reviewed November 2021

Dr. Porter is a very understanding counselor. She always makes me see situations in a new light, and that catches me off guard in a good way.

Reviewed June 2021

My time with BetterHelp and Dr. Porter is my first time in therapy and she has made it a delight. Something I look forward to weekly.

Reviewed March 2021

I gave a review of Dr. Porter after 3 weeks of meeting with her, and here I am again after almost 3 months with my final review. She has helped me immensely these past few months to the point that I feel comfortable enough to continue this journey of self discovery and improvement on my own. She is a wonderful person, a great therapist, and I would recommend her to anyone who is looking to speak to a sincere and honest therapist! She cares about the people she helps and it shows!

Reviewed February 2021

Dr. Porter listens to my concerns and helps me analyze them. Speaking with her feels like speaking with a wise friend that I have known for many years although we have not known each other long.

Reviewed January 2021

I immediately clicked with Dr. Porter. She is so attentive and concerned with what I am feeling. She also gives feedback on what she thinks about the information I share. It seems like she genuinely cares about my issues and knows what advice to give.

Reviewed January 2021

How was your experience with Athena?

Frequently asked questions

Does Dr. Athena Porter offer telehealth visits?

Yes. Dr. Athena Porter 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 Dr. Athena Porter speak?

Dr. Athena Porter speaks English.

How many years of experience does Dr. Athena Porter have?

Dr. Athena Porter has 21 years of experience.

Where is Dr. Athena Porter licensed to practice?

Dr. Athena Porter is licensed to practice in Illinois.

Does Dr. Athena Porter accept clients outside of the United States?

No, Dr. Athena Porter does not accept 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 Dr. Athena Porter offer?

Dr. Athena Porter offers clients Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Existential Therapy, Hypnotherapy, Mindfulness Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Trauma-Focused Therapy.

How can I communicate with Dr. Athena Porter?

Dr. Athena Porter 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 Dr. Athena Porter?

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.