Bridget Bauersfeld, LCSW, MD, LCSW-C

Bridget Bauersfeld is a licensed clinical social worker who helps people facing stress, anxiety, parenting strains, relationship problems, depression, trauma, and family conflict. She brings 23 years of clinical experience to her work and uses practical techniques to help clients move toward clearer goals and steadier days.

Her style is warm and relational. She listens closely and aims to make sessions feel calm and focused. Bridget mixes conversational therapy with skills-based tools to address symptoms and everyday challenges.

Bridget draws on cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, and relational approaches to shape treatment plans. She also incorporates elements from dialectical behavior therapy and EMDR when those methods fit a person’s needs. She explains techniques plainly and practices them alongside clients so people can use them between sessions.

Her background includes work in residential programs, school-based mental health, and outpatient trauma treatment. She has supported children, adolescents, young adults, and parents across community and hospital settings. That range informs how she adapts treatment for different life stages.

Bridget holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Maryland in Baltimore and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Bucknell University. She currently practices in Illinois and works as an outpatient therapist at Advocate Children’s Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois.

How Bridget’s approaches translate to online sessions

CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy, focuses on the links between thoughts, feelings, and actions. Online CBT sessions involve identifying unhelpful thinking patterns and practicing small behavioral changes to reduce anxiety or low mood. Attachment-based work looks at how early relationship patterns shape current relationships and emotional responses, and sessions use discussion and reflective exercises to build different ways of relating.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with each person about their goals, preferences, and what feels most useful. Together they decide whether to emphasize skills training, relational exploration, or a trauma-focused method and can shift direction as needs change.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video is useful for interactive exercises and face-to-face conversation. Phone sessions can fit into a short break or when bandwidth is limited. Live chat and text messaging offer quick check-ins, homework support, and regular touchpoints between visits. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule while keeping the focus on practical, usable strategies.