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LCPC

Dr. Penny Brower, LCPC

  • Experience34 years
  • LocationIllinois
  • Focus areasStress and Anxiety, Relationship, and Self esteem
  • Therapy approachesInternal Family Systems and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
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About Penny

Dr. Penny Brower draws on Internal Family Systems alongside other evidence-based methods to help people understand the inner dynamics that shape their responses to stress, relationships, and life transitions.

Background and approach

With 34 years of clinical practice, she frames therapy as a collaborative exploration of the thoughts, emotions, and parts that influence behavior, helping clients develop practical skills and healthier patterns. Dr.

Brower holds an LCPC and earned her doctoral degree from The University of Iowa, and her background includes work in community mental health, independent practice, and in-home family therapy.

Her experience also includes an eight-year role with the Air National Guard where she helped create a program focused on reducing suicide risk and enhancing resilience while addressing stigma about seeking mental health care. Dr.

Brower emphasizes individualized, respectful care rather than labeling, inviting feedback so interventions can be adjusted to fit each person’s needs. She works with concerns such as anxiety, depression, relationship and intimacy issues, ADHD, addictions, grief, trauma, and a wide range of family and attachment-related challenges, guiding clients toward more adaptive and fulfilling ways forward.

How integrative approaches translate to online therapy

Internal Family Systems (IFS) helps people identify and relate to the different parts inside them, offering a way to understand inner conflicts and patterns that show up in relationships, anxiety, and self-esteem. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on clarifying values, accepting difficult feelings, and committing to behavior changes that align with what matters most, which can be useful for stress, depression, and life transitions. Attachment-Based Therapy attends to early relational patterns and their impact on current connections, helping clients strengthen communication and emotional regulation in close relationships.

Choosing the right combination of these methods is often a collaborative process. The therapist will work with each person to assess needs, goals, and preferences, then tailor interventions so the approach fits rather than forcing a single model. Clients are invited to give feedback throughout so techniques can be adapted if something is not helpful.

Online therapy offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, making it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules and to maintain continuity during life changes. These formats allow licensed professionals to use IFS, ACT, and attachment-informed interventions in ways that support practical skill building, reflection, and ongoing communication between sessions.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does Dr. Brower commonly address?
She works with a broad range of issues including stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and intimacy problems, ADHD, addictions, grief, trauma, and family or attachment-related difficulties.
What is Dr. Brower’s therapeutic style?
The approach is collaborative and client-centered, combining Internal Family Systems with acceptance, mindfulness, and cognitive techniques to explore internal parts and build practical coping skills.
How much clinical experience does she have?
Dr. Brower has 34 years of professional experience in settings that include in-home family therapy, community mental health centers, and independent practice.
Where is Dr. Brower based and what are her credentials?
She is licensed in Illinois as an LCPC with license number IL LCPC 180.001847 and holds a doctoral degree from The University of Iowa.
Does she offer services in languages other than English?
Sessions are provided in English; she does not accept international clients at this time.
What session formats are available for working with her?
Therapy can be scheduled as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or through text-based messaging depending on client preference and availability.
How are sessions billed and what does cost look like?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; services are delivered via a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin if I want to work with Dr. Brower?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule an appointment according to her availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesSelf esteemDepressionADHD

Also works with

AddictionsLGBTFamily conflictsTrauma and abuseGriefIntimacy-related issuesAnger managementCoping with life changes

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeCodependencyCommunication problemsControl issuesDivorce and separationEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsForgivenessGuilt and shameInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksPhobiasPrejudice and discriminationSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-loveSexual assault and abuseSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Gottman MethodMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family SystemsSystemic Therapy

Experience

34+ years

Licensed

Illinois

Languages

English