Rev. Sergio Ayala, LCPC, LMHC
Helping people reshape their life stories
Details
| Name | Rev. Sergio Ayala |
|---|---|
| Credentials | LCPC, LMHC |
| Based in | Illinois |
| Licensed in | Iowa, Illinois |
| Session format | Online |
| Languages | English, Spanish |
| Years in practice | 10 |
About Sergio
Rev. Sergio Ayala is a licensed counselor who blends pastoral experience with clinical work. He holds a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling and a Master of Divinity, and he brings ten years of clinical practice to his sessions.
He speaks English and Spanish and works from Illinois while also accepting international clients. He treats common concerns such as stress, anxiety, depression, and grief. He also helps people facing addictions, trauma and abuse, caregiver strain, and compassion fatigue.
Background and approach
Rev. Ayala views each person as the expert on their own story and looks for strengths to build on. In sessions he uses Narrative Therapy alongside client-centered and cognitive behavioral approaches.
He aims to help people reframe difficult experiences, clarify values, and try small, practical changes between meetings. Conversations are grounded and direct, with space for reflection and meaning-making. His background includes more than 15 years in ministerial and pastoral roles and clinical pastoral education.
That experience shapes a calm, respectful style that attends to values and spiritual concerns when they matter to the person in front of him. He offers phone, video, chat, and text-based formats. People who prefer a collaborative, story-focused approach tend to feel comfortable with him.
He emphasizes steady support and real-world steps you can try between sessions. Starting is done by completing a short matching questionnaire and scheduling a session.
What this therapist works with
His listing names Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Trauma and abuse among the things Sergio works with, alongside the areas below.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Depression
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Intimacy-related issues
- Anger management
- Career difficulties
- Coping with life changes
- Compassion fatigue
- Abandonment
- Adoption and foster care
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Attachment issues
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Dependent personality
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Eating and food-related issues
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Immigration issues
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Phobias
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-love
- Sex addiction
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Somatization
- Traumatic brain injury
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches listed
- Narrative Therapy: Named in his listing among his approaches.
- Client-Centered Therapy: Listed by Sergio among the ways he works.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Listed by Sergio among the ways he works.
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT): Listed by Sergio among the ways he works.
- Existential Therapy: Listed by Sergio among the ways he works.
- Jungian Therapy: Listed by Sergio among the ways he works.
- Mindfulness Therapy: Listed by Sergio among the ways he works.
- Solution-Focused Therapy: Listed by Sergio among the ways he works.
- Trauma-Focused Therapy: Listed by Sergio among the ways he works.
- Training stated: This directory copies the approaches a therapist names and does not check training records. Ask Sergio directly how much of the work is narrative and what a session usually looks like.
Narrative Therapy in this listing
Narrative Therapy appears in this therapist's own list of approaches. That tells you it is part of how he works. It does not tell you how much of a session it shapes, and this directory does not check or rate training.
If a narrative approach is what you are looking for, it is worth asking Sergio directly how he uses it and what a session usually looks like.
Online session options
How narrative and practical work together online
Rev. Sergio Ayala uses Narrative Therapy to help people examine the stories they tell about themselves and their relationships. This approach looks at patterns, names problems separately from the person, and helps create alternative narratives that fit the life someone wants to lead. It can be useful for trauma, grief, identity concerns, and relationship patterns.He also draws on Client-Centered Therapy, which focuses on listening closely and following the person's lead. This creates space for values and meaning to come forward without pressure. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is used when practical changes are helpful - identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing new behaviors between sessions.
Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. He collaborates with each person to choose what fits their goals, needs, and preferences. That means checking in on what helps and adapting the plan together as progress unfolds.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video is useful for face-to-face conversation and visual cues. Phone sessions can work when bandwidth is limited or people prefer not to be on camera. Live chat and text messaging allow brief check-ins, quick problem-solving, and ongoing reflection between longer sessions. These options make therapy more flexible for different schedules and daily demands.
Common questions about this listing
What concerns does this therapist help with?
He works with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, addictions, trauma and abuse, and related issues such as caregiver stress and compassion fatigue.
What is his therapy style like?
He uses a narrative approach combined with client-centered and cognitive behavioral ideas to help reframe problems and try practical changes.
What is his professional background?
He has ten years of clinical experience, a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling, and over 15 years of ministerial and pastoral practice.
Where is he licensed and based?
He is licensed as LCPC in Illinois and as LMHC in Iowa, and his practice location is listed as Illinois.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English and Spanish, and he also accepts international clients.
What session formats are available?
He offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging as ways to meet.
How are sessions paid for?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working together?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.
Contacting this therapist
Sessions with Sergio are arranged through our partner platform. It asks a few questions about what you are looking for, then shows you the therapists available to you, including Sergio where he has space. Ask about fees, and whether he holds a licence or registration where you live.
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