About Us & Our Virtual Counseling Services
Virtual Counseling Services
Based out of DeKalb County, Illinois, Emerald Cove Counseling offers fully virtual counseling services in Illinois and New York. We serve clients throughout all of Illinois with a focus on Chicagoland and an emphasis on the surrounding areas of Champaign, Rockford, and Aurora. Emerald Cove Counseling was born of a collective of therapists with similar visions for helping others to heal and prosper mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. We offer a safe haven for clients to explore their inner world and to nurture areas of growth. We specialize in compassionate and personalized mental health therapy, with a focus on women’s mental health, depression, anxiety, recovery counseling, adoption services, couples counseling, and relationship coaching. Practicing from a place of gentleness and working with our clients’ strengths, we deliver evidence-based treatments tailored to each individual. Our virtual model makes therapy more accessible to those in rural areas, individuals with disabilities, or anyone facing transportation or mobility barriers. In the spirit of our roots in Social Work, we offer fair sliding scale fees and pro bono sessions for those with limited resources. We are licensed to practice in the states of Illinois and New York, with our home office based in Sycamore, Illinois.
What Should I Look For In A New Therapist?
Degrees, licenses, certifications. A qualified therapist needs to hold a Masters Degree or higher, or be working toward those degrees with adequate supervision. Therapists must be licensed in the state in which their clients reside in order to treat them. Some therapists are licensed in multiple states. Insurance will not cover an unlicensed clinician to practice independently without supervision. Many therapists will also hold certifications in specific areas, such as recovery counseling services, or they may be certified in specific treatment modalities.
Experience. Therapists gain experience by treating clients with different needs, but most have certain areas of expertise. Inquire about their experience in working with your specific concerns.
Insurance and/or cost per session. This question doesn’t necessarily help you to get to know a therapist, but it’s good to know upfront before you start building rapport with someone. Different therapists take different insurance plans. Self-pay rates vary somewhat, approximately $120-$250 per session, depending on a number of factors. You should always be provided with a good-faith estimate. You’ll also want to inquire about no-show fees and/or late cancellation fees.
Insurances We Accept
- Insurance Plans We Accept:
- Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO
- Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO Choice
- Blue Cross Community (IL Medicaid HMO)
- Blue Cross Medicare Advantage HMO
- Blue Cross Medicare PPO
- Aetna
- Aetna Medicare
- Aetna Better Health Medicaid
- Cigna
- United Healthcare
- United Healthcare Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Medicare
- Medicaid
- Molina Medicaid (Coming August 2026)
- Self Pay/Sliding Scale (must meet eligibility requirements)
- Pro Bono (must meet eligibility requirements)
What equipment do I need to do in order to have a Telehealth session?
You will need one of the following:
∙Desktop computer with webcam, speakers, a 2.5 GHz processor, and 4GB of RAM
∙Laptop computer with built-in webcam and speakers, a 2.5 GHZ processor, and 4 GB of RAM
∙Tablet device with built-in webcam and speakers
∙Smartphone with at least iOS10 or Android 7.0 (note: to use a smartphone, you must first download the Telehealth by SimplePractice App— available for download in the app store for Apple or Android)
∙Internet connection that is at least 10mbps (for optimal results, a reliable, high-speed internet connection is recommended).