Todd Nelson, LCPC

Todd Nelson grew up and continues to live in Central Illinois. He began his working life as a millwright and carpenter, but when the job market faltered in the early 1980s he returned to school. With a wife and child to support, he joined the Air Force and served ten years of active duty, including the period following Desert Storm. After leaving the military he pursued a master’s degree in counseling and began working as an on-call therapist at an outpatient mental health clinic. He later became a full-time clinician at that clinic, spent a few years at an inpatient facility serving youth, and then returned to outpatient work. In 2009 he accepted a full-time position as a Mental Health Professional with the Illinois Department of Corrections. In total he has 29 years of experience in the mental health field.

Todd describes his approach to counseling as helping each person navigate their own life - he uses a person-centered, solution-focused style and prefers straightforward, practical language over technical jargon. He aims to help clients identify workable steps forward rather than getting caught up in theoretical labels. He holds the LCPC credential - Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor - which indicates graduate-level training and clinical licensure in counseling.

Outside of clinical work he enjoys motorcycling and woodworking. He is currently accepting new clients, though there are no evening openings. He asks that prospective clients indicate preferred meeting times rather than scheduling appointments directly, since he manages his own calendar.