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LCSW, LICSW

Benita Whitfield, LCSW, LICSW

  • Experience26 years
  • LocationIllinois
  • Focus areasStress and Anxiety, Relationship, and Parenting
  • Therapy approachesInternal Family Systems and Attachment-Based Therapy
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About Benita

Benita Whitfield is a licensed clinical social worker who helps people facing stress, anxiety, relationship difficulties, parenting challenges, anger, and self-esteem concerns. With 26 years of clinical experience, she offers steady, attentive care for those navigating complex life transitions and interpersonal struggles.

Background and approach

Benita emphasizes culturally responsive, person-centered work that supports emotional healing and clearer communication. Her practice draws on a range of therapeutic tools to meet each person where they are, addressing issues such as abandonment, attachment concerns, adoption and foster care questions, caregiver stress, chronic health challenges, and body image.

Benita blends Internal Family Systems perspectives with client-centered and skills-based strategies to help clients build resilience, manage strong emotions, and deepen self-understanding. She maintains licenses in Illinois and Massachusetts and brings practical, compassionate guidance to people seeking meaningful change.

Integrating evidence-based approaches for online care

Benita uses Internal Family Systems to help people notice and relate to different inner parts with curiosity, which can be useful for addressing internal conflict, anxiety, and patterns that interfere with relationships. Attachment-Based Therapy is another strand of her work, focusing on how early connection patterns shape current relationships and helping clients build more supported ways of relating to others. She also incorporates client-centered principles that prioritize empathy, active listening, and collaboration to honor each person's lived experience.

Choosing the right approach is treated as a collaborative process. Benita works with clients to explore which methods feel most helpful for their goals, adapting techniques over time so therapy aligns with changing needs and preferences. This shared decision-making helps clients feel more engaged and supported throughout treatment.

Online therapy with her is offered through a mix of video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, which makes it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules and varied life circumstances. These options increase flexibility for attending regularly and allow clients to maintain continuity of care even when routines or locations change.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does Benita commonly address?
Benita works with stress, anxiety, relationship difficulties, parenting issues, anger, and self-esteem struggles, along with related areas such as attachment issues, adoption and foster care, caregiver stress, chronic illness, and communication problems.
What is her therapeutic style and approach?
Her style is person-centered and culturally responsive, integrating approaches like Internal Family Systems, attachment-based work, DBT skills, and emotionally focused techniques to support emotional regulation and relational clarity.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She brings 26 years of clinical experience supporting people through trauma recovery, midlife transitions, workplace challenges, and diverse personal concerns.
What credentials and licensure does she hold and where is she located?
She holds LCSW and LICSW credentials with licensure details IL LCSW 149013710 and MA LICSW LICSW127501, and she practices in Illinois.
Does she offer services in other languages or to international clients?
Sessions are offered in English and she accepts international clients.
In what session formats can clients meet with her?
Clients can work with her via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging depending on preference and availability.
How are costs and payment handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What steps are needed to begin working with her?
To get started, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to therapist availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteem

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAntisocial personalityAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeAvoidant personalityBlended family issuesBody imageCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCo-morbidityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFertility issuesFirst responder issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameHoardingImpulsivityInfidelityIntellectual disabilityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMen's issuesMidlife crisisMoney and financial issuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsPanic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPhobiasPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthPrejudice and discriminationProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-loveSexual assault and abuseSocial anxiety and phobiaSomatizationVisually impairedWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyDialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Mindfulness TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

Experience

26+ years

Licensed

Massachusetts, Illinois

Languages

English