Ted Ribbens

I came to therapy later than most — and I think that makes me a different kind of clinician.

Before graduate school, I spent years as a professional musician and then as a commercial pilot and flight instructor. By the time I was in my 40s, I'd accumulated a lot of miles and a lot of insight into how people think, behave, and get in their own way. I also felt genuinely dissatisfied with where I was headed. So I went back to school. I graduated from Simmons University School of Social Work in 2023 with a Master of Social Work and a Certificate in Practice with Groups and Families, and I've been working as a licensed therapist in the greater Chicago area since.

I work with college-age individuals, adults, and couples. The people who tend to find their way to me are dealing with anxiety, depression, ADHD, OCD, relationship challenges, and the particular weight that comes from growing up in difficult or dysfunctional family systems. I also work with people navigating substance use challenges, trauma-related patterns, and the social and societal pressures that affect both men and women — often in ways they haven't fully named yet.

My approach is primarily grounded in CBT and psychodynamic theory. The short version: CBT helps you understand how your thoughts are driving your mood and behavior, and change the patterns that aren't working. Psychodynamic work goes deeper — into the subconscious drives that shape how you see yourself and the world, often without realizing it. I use both, intuitively, depending on what you need. What stays consistent is that my job is to help you make real changes — in how you understand yourself and how you move through your environment.