About Consider Yourself Counseling Services

Personalized therapy built on compassion, connection, and growth.

Our Story

Yvonne Fanizza

MS, LCPC, BCPC,CADC

CYCS History & Approach

Founded in 2000 by Yvonne Fanizza in St. Charles, IL, Consider Yourself Counseling Services began as a one-therapist practice rooted in the belief that true wellness comes from honoring the mind–body connection. Yvonne originally provided counseling within physicians’ offices. To ensure clients received coordinated and integrated care, Yvonne established strong partnerships between mental and physical healthcare. From the very beginning, the practice has been guided by the principle that mental and physical health are deeply connected and that clients experience the greatest improvement when both are addressed together.

Over the past 25 years, Consider Yourself Counseling Services has grown into a thriving, client-centered practice with its own dedicated location and a skilled team of eight therapists, supported by a Billing Coordinator and an Intake Coordinator who ensure a smooth and welcoming experience for every client.

Her New Role

Yvonne’s role has evolved from sole therapist and business owner into that of a visionary leader, guiding a well-rounded team and fostering a collaborative culture where therapists provide the highest level of care. Her clinical expertise continues to shape the team’s approach. Through regular guidance, supervision, and mentorship, she ensures that every therapist benefits from her years of experience and dedication to therapy. In turn, every client receives the highest-quality care, even though they do not see Yvonne directly.

Our Support Services

Consider Yourself Counseling Services unique approach to care is collaborative, personalized, and holistic. We recognize that each person’s upbringing, family dynamics, and early experiences shape how they relate to others and navigate life. Our therapists provide flexible, skill-based guidance tailored to each individual’s needs and communication style. We are dedicated to creating a supportive environment where clients feel understood, empowered, and equipped to achieve healthier, more balanced lives.

How We Are Different/Our Unique Approach to Working with Families

At Consider Yourself Counseling, we are proud to offer a unique and collaborative approach to working with couples and families. We provide customized support for each individual while also helping the entire family system grow together.

We understand that it can be challenging for one person—or even several people—to work on themselves when the rest of the family dynamic stays the same. When one member changes, the whole system naturally adjusts. Our team-based model supports both individual growth and family system change, leading to stronger, healthier outcomes for everyone involved.

Here’s how it works:
Each family member may have their own therapist, but those therapists can also work together as a team for shared sessions. This allows us to offer joint appointments where two therapists meet with two or more family members at once. This approach creates a more efficient, coordinated, and effective therapy experience. It’s especially helpful for couples, parent–child work, parent–teen dynamics, and sibling relationships.

Examples of how this can look:

A couple attends individual sessions every other week, alternating with joint couples sessions where both therapists participate.
A teen meets individually with their therapist while the parent(s) work with another. Then, once a month, both therapists meet with the family together to review progress, improve communication, and strengthen support.

Our therapists also meet regularly as a team to ensure treatment methods complement each family member’s personality and needs. This coordinated care helps reduce friction, improves problem-solving, and supports the development of healthy communication and coping skills across the entire family.