Latechia Hester, LCMHC, LCPC

Latechia Hester is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) and Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) practicing in Illinois with 24 years of experience. She works with adults on concerns such as stress, anxiety, addiction, depression, relationship and intimacy problems, parenting strain, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and family-related issues. Sessions address practical problems and day-to-day coping rather than abstract theory.

Hester began her career in 2001 as a group home counselor supporting at-risk and homeless young men and their families. There she focused on family reunification, substance use, LGBTQ+ matters, job skills, life skills, and independent living. She later worked in substance abuse treatment with DUI offenders and court-mandated anger-management clients, and served as an interventionist for people facing addiction and codependency.

She returned to school for a master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and worked in an outpatient hospital clinic with people facing depression, grief, suicide risk, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anxiety, PTSD, and co-occurring disorders. A second master’s in School Counseling added experience with students dealing with body image, self-harm, substance use, ADHD, neighborhood trauma, and abuse-related concerns.

Her main approaches include cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, and solution-focused therapy. She also uses client-centered and mindfulness ideas when helpful and adapts those methods to each person’s situation. In sessions she focuses on clear goals, practical strategies, and building skills that fit daily life.

People who work with Hester typically focus on changing recurring patterns learned in childhood, improving communication, managing mood and addictive behaviors, and finding better ways to handle life transitions. She welcomes clients who want straightforward, skills-oriented work toward measurable change.

How her approaches translate to online sessions