Gillian Van Dien, LPC

Gillian Van Dien is a licensed professional counselor in Wisconsin with 17 years of experience helping people manage stress, anxiety, depression, and relationship difficulties. She focuses on supporting people coping with trauma, grief, self-esteem struggles, eating and intimacy-related concerns, and life transitions. Her approach centers on building resilience and clearer communication. Gillian uses practical, person-focused work in sessions. She helps people notice patterns that hold them back and try different ways of responding. Conversations often include exploring values, practicing new skills, and addressing painful past experiences so they have less power in day-to-day life. She has helped adults and teenagers with stress, workplace strain, and identity questions. She also supports people facing chronic illness, caregiver strain, parenting challenges, and midlife changes. Sessions aim to strengthen self-compassion and a sense of purpose while reducing symptoms that interfere with daily living. Her style is collaborative. She listens first and then offers approaches that fit each person’s goals. People are invited to set the pace and focus on what matters most to them. Gillian draws on several therapeutic frameworks to guide the work. Over time clients may use skills from cognitive behavior therapy, practice acceptance-based strategies, or dig into attachment patterns that shape relationships. The goal is clearer choices and more manageable emotions.

How therapy approaches shape online work

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify their values and take small actions that match those values. It can be useful for anxiety, depression, and coping with chronic health challenges by focusing on what matters more than trying to eliminate difficult feelings. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors interact and teaches concrete skills to change unhelpful patterns. It often helps with worry, low mood, and stress by offering practical strategies to try between sessions. Attachment-Based Therapy explores how early relationship patterns affect current closeness and communication, helping people notice and change repeating cycles in their relationships.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with each person about goals and preferences, try different methods when needed, and adjust the plan as progress is made. Clients and the therapist work together to choose techniques that fit the person’s life and challenges.

Confirm the exact session formats before booking since options are not listed here. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when that works better. It also lets people try techniques and exercises from home between appointments. Licensed professionals can adapt ACT, CBT, and attachment work to an online setting so clients can practice skills and track changes over time.