Marilyn Medow, LCSW

Marilyn Medow is a licensed clinical social worker with 35 years of experience based in Illinois. She focuses on stress, anxiety, depression, family concerns, trauma and abuse, and low self-esteem. She also pays attention to caregiver stress, chronic illness or pain, and issues tied to attachment and abandonment. Marilyn welcomes people who are taking a first step toward change and supports them through the early stages of seeking help.

She began her career focused on domestic violence, child welfare, and crisis intervention. That work gave her a long history with trauma and safety-focused care. Over the years she added other methods and ways of working and now blends what she’s learned to match each person’s situation.

In sessions she aims to create an open space where thoughts and feelings can be shared without fear of judgment. She listens for patterns that cause pain, then helps people try new behaviors and perspectives. The goal is practical change - small shifts that make daily life easier.

Marilyn draws on decades of clinical practice to guide conversations about parenting, relationships, grief, and life transitions. She often helps people untangle guilt, shame, control issues, and isolation so they can move forward. Her way of working is shaped by long experience and attention to each person’s needs.

She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point and a master’s degree from Smith College. Sessions are conducted in English and international clients are accepted. To begin, a reader would select the Start Therapy button and complete a short matching questionnaire.

How her approaches translate to online therapy

Marilyn uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques tailored to each person. One common approach focuses on trauma-informed work, which helps people process past hurt and reduce the ways it shows up in daily life. This approach is useful for those who have experienced abuse, domestic violence, or crises and want to find steadier coping methods.

Another approach emphasizes practical problem-solving and behavior change. In this work she helps people spot patterns that cause pain and then practices new behaviors that can fit into everyday routines. This kind of focus can help with anxiety, caregiver stress, and relationship communication problems.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapy process. She will work together with each person to figure out which techniques match their needs, goals, and preferences. The choice of methods can shift over time as progress and new issues emerge.

If you are considering online therapy, check which session formats are currently offered before booking since formats are not specified in the biography. Online options can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life, cut down travel, or allow shorter check-ins when schedules are tight. Licensed professionals can adapt trauma-focused work and behavior-based strategies to remote sessions so therapy stays practical and goal-oriented.