Mary Leimbach

Between 11 years as a cop and nearly a decade as a therapist, I’ve seen it all — the good, the bad, and the “you cannot make this sh*t up” kind of stories. I’m not here to sit back, nod, and hand out generic advice. I’m here to get in the trenches with you, cut through the noise, and maybe even laugh at the absurdity of it all along the way. I’m licensed in Illinois, Tennessee, and Florida. In Illinois, I see clients both in person and through telehealth, and I also offer telehealth for clients in Tennessee and Florida. Yes, I’ve got the degrees (two Master’s and a Bachelor’s — basically a small stack of student loans and paper on the wall). But let’s be real: you don’t come to therapy for textbook jargon. You come because you want someone real — and that’s exactly what you’ll get. My years as a police officer gave me a front-row seat to life’s messiest, most unfair, and sometimes downright unbelievable moments. It also showed me how damn strong people can be, even when they don’t feel it. Now, instead of writing reports, I get to do the work that actually matters — showing up with honesty, compassion, and a little humor to help people find a way forward. I’m an ally of the LGBTQ community, which means this is a zero-judgment, be-your-whole-self kind of space. We can meet in my Illinois office, or you can hop online from the comfort of your couch — whatever works best for you. When I’m off the clock, I’m running a circus with my dogs: a one-eyed Boston Terrier who thinks he runs the place and two Boxers who never got the memo about personal space. And if I’m not breaking up their antics, you’ll probably find me at a thrift store digging up treasures nobody asked for but I absolutely had to have. Life can be messy, unfair, and downright brutal — and pretending otherwise doesn’t help anyone. In this space, we don’t sugarcoat, we don’t tiptoe, and we sure as hell don’t pretend everything’s fine when it’s not. We’ll take on the hard stuff — frustration, injustice, inequality — with compassion, grit, and plenty of unfiltered honesty. And let’s be clear: this is not a “watch your language” zone. If you need to scream, swear, or drop every four-letter word in the book, go for it. Around here, cursing isn’t just welcome — it’s a sign you’re being real. And I’ll be right there, swearing right along with you. Contact me through MDATherapyLLC@gmail.com or call/text 217-684-9613 for information and availability.