Gillian Van Dien

Calm, practical support for emotional and relational healing

LPC Wisconsin

Experience: 17 years in practice
Focus areas: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Trauma and abuse
Approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Languages: English

About Gillian

Gillian Van Dien is a licensed professional counselor in Wisconsin with 17 years of clinical experience helping people contend with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship struggles, grief, and intimacy-related difficulties.

Background and approach

She emphasizes compassionate, whole-person care that recognizes each person’s distinct background and life story, and she supports work on self-esteem, communication, eating and body-image concerns, career transitions, parenting challenges, and compassion fatigue. Gillian blends practical tools with deeper emotional work to help clients interrupt unhelpful patterns, strengthen resilience, and reconnect with purpose.

Her practice draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy alongside acceptance-based and attachment-informed approaches, and she aims to foster greater self-compassion while guiding clients through coping with life changes, loss, and complex relational dynamics. Sessions are framed as collaborative partnerships where clients build skills, process painful experiences, and experiment with new ways of relating to themselves and others.

Approach-based online therapy that fits your life

Gillian commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in her online practice. CBT focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors to reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress, and to improve everyday functioning. ACT emphasizes learning to accept difficult emotions while committing to actions that align with personal values, which can be helpful for grief, chronic stress, and meaning-focused challenges.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist works with clients to clarify goals, explore which methods feel most helpful, and adapt strategies over time so therapy matches changing needs and preferences. That partnership guides whether the work leans more toward skills training, emotional processing, or relational repair.

Online options include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, providing flexibility for varied schedules and comfort levels. These formats make it easier to maintain consistent care while balancing work, family, or other commitments, and they allow licensed professionals to offer ongoing support even when in-person visits are not possible.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does this therapist address?

Gillian supports people with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, relationship and intimacy issues, grief, self-esteem, eating and body-image concerns, parenting and career challenges, and compassion fatigue among other topics.

How would you describe the therapeutic style and approach?

The practice combines compassionate, client-centered listening with practical, skill-oriented methods. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and acceptance-based and attachment-informed techniques are used to help clients build coping skills and process emotions.

What background and experience does the therapist bring?

The therapist has 17 years of experience working with adults and young people on a range of emotional and relational issues, supporting clients through life transitions and healing from past experiences.

What credentials and location are listed for this clinician?

Gillian Van Dien holds the LPC credential and is licensed in Wisconsin under WI LPC 4237-125.

Are sessions available in languages other than English or to international clients?

Sessions are offered in English. International clients are not currently accepted.

What session formats are offered for online work?

Available session formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to accommodate different preferences and schedules.

How is cost handled for therapy with this clinician?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions operate through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin working with this therapist?

To start, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesTrauma and abuse Self esteem Depression

Also works with

Family conflictsGriefIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersParenting issuesAnger managementCareer difficultiesCoping with life changesCoachingCompassion fatigue

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesBlended family issuesBody imageCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDivorce and separationEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesGuilt and shame ImpulsivityInfidelityIntellectual disabilityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMidlife crisisMood disordersNarcissismPost-traumatic stressPrejudice and discriminationSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-loveSexual assault and abuseSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Existential TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

Experience

17+ years

Licensed

Wisconsin

Languages

English