01 · Who Cindy works with

Cindy works with stress, Anxiety, addictions and family conflicts

Cindy lists 15 specialisms and 19 further focus areas. Specialisms are the subjects Cindy chose to list first, which is the closest a listing gets to “this is my actual practice”.

02 · In Cindy's own words

What Cindy says about the work

Reproduced in full and unedited - not summarised, not tightened, not rewritten in a house voice.

I'm a therapist with extensive experience supporting individuals through life's most challenging moments. Throughout my career, I've worked with clients navigating stress, anxiety, trauma, addiction, and anger-helping them build resilience and find pathways toward healing.

My approach is grounded in evidence-based practices and a deep commitment to understanding each person's unique story. I specialize in addressing communication difficulties, social anxiety, isolation, guilt and shame, attachment concerns, mood disorders, and workplace challenges. I'm also experienced in supporting men's issues and personality-related concerns.

I create a safe, nonjudgmental space where you can explore difficult emotions, process past experiences, and develop practical skills for moving forward. Whether you're working through trauma, relationship struggles, parenting challenges, or questions around forgiveness and personal growth, I'm here to listen and support your journey.

I believe in meeting clients where they are-with honesty, respect, and genuine care. My goal is to walk alongside you as you work toward the life you want to build.

Cindy Gradle, on the BetterHelp listing · read 5 Nov 2026

03 · How Cindy works

The 6 approaches Cindy lists, in plain English

These are the clinical methods Cindy lists. The descriptions are Maker Therapy's, not Cindy's - a general explanation of what each method is, so the list means something before you have spoken to anybody. They are not a claim about how Cindy runs a session.

Acceptance and Commitment TherapyACT

Rather than trying to argue a painful thought away, ACT works on loosening its grip and getting on with what matters to you anyway. Sessions spend real time naming your values, then building action around them while difficult feelings are still present.

Attachment-Based Therapy

Reads present-day relationship difficulty through the lens of how safety and closeness were learned early on. The therapeutic relationship itself is treated as part of the work, because it is where the pattern tends to show up first.

Client-Centred TherapyPerson-centred · Rogerian

The therapist does not steer toward a technique or a diagnosis. They offer sustained, non-judgemental attention and reflect back what they hear, on the premise that people find their own direction when they are genuinely listened to. Often what people mean by “someone who just gets it”.

Cognitive Behavioural TherapyCBT

Structured, present-focused work on the loop between what you think, how you feel and what you then do. Usually means noticing a thought pattern in the room, testing it against evidence, and practising something different between sessions. Among the most heavily researched talking therapies for depression and anxiety.

Dialectical Behaviour TherapyDBT

A structured skills-led adaptation of CBT built around holding two things at once: accepting yourself as you are and working to change. Teaches concrete skills for distress tolerance, emotion regulation and relationships. Developed for people whose feelings arrive at overwhelming intensity, and strongest-evidenced there.

The Gottman Method

A couples approach built on decades of observational research into what distinguishes relationships that last. Structured and assessment-led: it maps friendship, conflict and shared meaning, then works on the specific mechanics of how the two of you argue.

04 · What happens next

From this page to a first session

Cindy practises through BetterHelp, so the route in is BetterHelp's. This is that sequence, written by Maker Therapy from the platform's published process - not a description of Cindy's own practice, and not a promise about how quickly anything happens.

1. A questionnaire, not a booking form

   BetterHelp opens with a set of questions about what you are dealing with, what you want from therapy, and any preferences on the therapist. You are not booking Cindy at this point.

2. Naming Cindy specifically

   BetterHelp matches algorithmically by default, so asking for Cindy is a step you have to take. There is a field for requesting a specific therapist during sign-up, and you can switch afterwards from your account. Starting from a link on this page does not by itself assign you to Cindy.

3. If the caseload is full

   You will be offered somebody else rather than put on a waitlist. Worth knowing, because it is easy to assume a match is the person you asked for.

4. The first conversation

   A first session is typically history and orientation: what brought you, what has been tried, what you want to be different. It is also where the questions in the next section belong.

5. If the fit is wrong

   Changing therapist on BetterHelp does not need a reason. A first session that does not click is common and is not a verdict on therapy. That option existing is the main practical difference between a platform and a private practice.

05 · Before you commit

4 questions worth asking Cindy

Built from what Cindy actually lists, so they are answerable and specific rather than generic. Maker Therapy's, not Cindy's - Cindy has not seen them and is under no obligation to answer any of them.

• “You list both Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Attachment-Based Therapy. Which do you lean on with someone like me?”

  Those two point in different directions - one structured and led by the therapist, the other led by you. The answer tells you what the sessions will actually feel like.

• “How do you decide when someone is ready to work on a traumatic memory itself?”

  Pacing is the biggest safety question in trauma work. A clear, unhurried answer here matters more than any credential.

• “With 30 years in, what has changed most in how you work?”

  Long experience is only an advantage if it has been examined. This tends to surface whether it has.

• “How do you handle the gap between sessions if something comes up?”

  On BetterHelp this varies a great deal by therapist. Better to know the rhythm now than to discover it on a bad week.

06 · Practical details

Credentials and licensing

Credential

LCSW

Licensed in

Illinois

Licence

IL LCSW 149005296

Licence number

149005296

Licence expires

30 Nov 2027

NPI

1891113312

Years in practice

30

Gender

Female

Languages

English

International clients

Not accepted

Listed since

22 Oct 2026

07 · Provenance

Where every line on this page came from

Cindy's name, credential, state, subjects, approaches and biography are read from BetterHelp's therapist roster, which Maker Therapy re-reads once a day; this page reflects the reading taken on 5 Nov 2026. The licence number and NPI are cross-checked against public registers.

The plain-English method descriptions, the first-session walkthrough and the questions are written by Maker Therapy and labelled as such wherever they appear.

Maker Therapy is not BetterHelp, does not take bookings, and has not met Cindy. There are no reviews or ratings on this page because we have no way to verify one. If you start therapy through a link here, we may be paid a commission - it does not change your price and it does not affect who appears here or in what order.

Something on this page wrong or out of date? Report it and it will be checked against the source.