Olivia Harpster, LCSW
Anxiety, Depression & Burnout
Grief & Life Transitions
Trauma Recovery
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Hi, I’m Olivia. I help people turn insight into meaningful change.
When you're going through grief, burnout, or a major transition, it can feel like your usual strengths stop working. You may still be showing up for everyone else while feeling depleted, reactive, or disconnected.
If you've done a lot of reflecting but you still feel stuck, you're not doing it wrong. You may simply need more structure, concrete tools, and consistent support.
I offer therapy that's active and grounded. We'll slow down enough to understand what's happening, and we'll stay focused on what helps. That means pairing insight with strategies you can use between sessions, especially in the moments that tend to derail you.
I work with adults dealing with anxiety, depression, burnout, grief, trauma, and major life transitions. My approach is collaborative and grounded in evidence-based care, with an emphasis on building skills, increasing emotional flexibility, and taking values-driven steps forward.
We'll work best together if you want a collaborative relationship and you're open to being gently challenged as we work toward meaningful, sustainable change.
If you’re interested in working with me, book a free 15-minute therapist matching call with our intake team. You can share what you’re looking for, ask about my current availability, and get a sense of whether I might be a good fit.
On Being a Counselor
My style is attuned, interactive, and grounded in honesty. I’ll be clear about what’s in my scope, and transparent when I need to consult or learn more. People describe my energy as bright and steady. It matters to me that you feel supported as we talk about what feels vulnerable, and that we stay curious about what’s really going on. I respect the courage it takes to show up and do this work.
When it’s helpful, I’ll gently challenge you if avoidance or old patterns are keeping you stuck. I’ll name what I’m noticing and offer a tool we can try. Together, we’ll focus on what helps between sessions. That might be more clarity about what’s happening, or a strategy to practice before we meet again.
Practitioner Background
I'm inspired by turning points, when insight deepens, defenses soften, and someone begins making choices that reflect what matters most to them. Those moments of clarity and forward movement are what keep me passionate about this work.
My pull toward honest, meaningful conversation started early, first as a peer mediator in high school, then through research in college on stress, anxiety, and depression in children and adolescents. Seeing how early experiences shape long-term well-being is what led me to become a therapist. I wanted to apply that knowledge directly, working alongside people as they build lives that feel more aligned with what matters to them.
Since 2013, my work has taken me through hospital emergency rooms, community health centers, and healthcare leadership roles. Across those settings, I’ve learned that people are rarely as stuck as they feel, especially in the middle of crisis, grief, trauma, or major life transitions. Over and over, I’ve watched people find a way forward they could not access at the start.
I’ve also learned that the question is not only what works, but what works for you. The same approach can feel grounding to one person and completely unhelpful to another. That is why I care so much about fit, and why I pay close attention to how you learn and process. We will choose tools and strategies that make sense for you, not just what a model says should work.
In my work, I'm drawn to therapy that is both relational and practical, where insight translates into meaningful change over time. Resilience isn't about pushing through. It is about building skills, support, and self-trust so you can move forward with more intention.
Across all of these settings, what has remained most meaningful to me is direct connection. It is a privilege to sit with someone over time, notice the moment something shifts, and support change in a sustained way.
More About Olivia
Key Philosophical Beliefs
- Change happens when you feel safe enough to be honest, clear enough to see what’s going on, and supported enough to try something new.
- Insight is a starting point, not the whole goal. Growth happens through practice and values-aligned action.
- Resilience is not pushing through. It is building skills, support, and self-trust so you can find a way forward.
- Trauma affects both the mind and body. Healing includes learning to regulate, reconnect, and feel more at home in yourself.
- Care and support for mental health and emotional wellbeing is a fundamental human right.
Counseling Training
- Master of Social Work (MSW), Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL
- Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, DePaul University, Chicago, IL
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Illinois
- Trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Trained in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Trained in Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE)
- Motivational Interviewing
- Trauma-Informed Care
Specializations and Experience
- Anxiety, depression, burnout, and chronic stress
- Grief and loss
- Trauma recovery and post-traumatic stress
- Major life transitions (career change, relocation, divorce)
- Young adults, graduate students, and early career professionals
- Helping professionals and caregivers
- Continued support after IOP or PHP
- Health behavior change and motivational support
Olivia as a Person
I was born in Park Ridge and raised in Mount Prospect, so the Chicago area has always felt like home. After a decade living in the city, I now live in Washington, DC with my husband and our two dogs. I travel back to Chicago frequently throughout the year for work trips and to visit family and friends. I enjoy cozy neighborhood restaurants and live music, and Chicago's food scene is one of the best.
Outside of therapy, I feel most grounded when I'm moving, reading, or spending time outdoors. Running has become a big part of my life. I've done five marathons and two ultramarathons so far. When I'm not running or reading, I love exploring new places in our campervan with my husband and our dogs, Max and Baxter.
