Dr. Thomas Kadela

Dr. Thomas Kadela greets readers directly and keeps things straightforward. He has nearly 30 years of clinical work and administrative experience, and he presents therapy as a partnership where the client helps choose the goals and methods. He writes in a conversational tone and aims to make therapy accessible and practical for people who are juggling busy lives.

He describes sessions as flexible and shaped by the client's needs. Clients can use him as an executive coach, a sounding board, or to target specific concerns such as depression, trauma, anxiety, sleep, communication, or anger. He notes that some approaches include structured steps and short assignments between sessions when an evidence-based path is chosen.

His background spans inpatient, outpatient, and residential settings, and he has experience teaching at both undergraduate and graduate levels. He has published in journals and presented workshops and keynotes. He also has held leadership roles such as Chief Clinical Officer and Training Director, and he currently works with the Department of Veterans Affairs while serving as a National Guard Behavioral Health Officer.

Clinically, he lists Trauma-Focused Therapy among his approaches and also uses methods that emphasize acceptance, behavior change, and skills training. He favors a whole-person view that balances body, mind, and spirit while tailoring work to each person's situation. He invites prospective clients to discuss what approach feels right and to decide together how sessions will proceed.

Dr. Kadela holds an LCSW and practices in Illinois. He communicates in plain language and encourages questions about fit and process before beginning work together.

How different approaches work in online therapy

Trauma-Focused Therapy focuses on helping a person process and tolerate difficult memories and reactions related to traumatic events. It often uses structured steps to gradually address trauma symptoms and reduce their impact on daily life.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, helps people notice unhelpful thoughts and commit to actions that reflect their values. It can be useful for anxiety, depression, and life transitions when someone wants clear steps to live by rather than only changing thoughts.

Client-Centered Therapy centers the conversation on the person's own experience and priorities. The therapist listens, reflects, and helps a person find their own answers without directing the process.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will discuss options with each client and choose methods based on the person's goals, preferences, and the issues they bring. That collaboration helps tailor sessions to what the person finds most helpful.

If you are considering online sessions, confirm the available session formats before booking so arrangements match your needs. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into life by reducing travel time, allowing shorter check-ins on busy days, and enabling participation from different locations. A conversation at the start will clarify how the therapist and client will structure sessions and any between-session tasks they want to use.