The therapists and the billing department do not communicate. I've ended up with surprise bills months after sessions. The therapists I've met have been nice enough but as a company they are disorganized and unprofessional. read more

RUN!!!! Their billing department is down right bordering on illegal. I am at the end of my practice with them (which I have been self paying for) and now I am suddenly getting hit with large payments because "They forgot to charge for x,y,z" during my time there. I have NOT gotten a single bill - even after asking for them. I have asked that they stop charging my card without sending me a bill, and that has not been honored! The stress of this billing department easily beats out any benefit from my counseling! read more

Last Review unfortunately because no one from Urban Balance or Refresh returned my call to allow me to describe what I experienced as unethical and unprofessional behavior at Urban Balance. I was asked to turn over my clinical charts and that it was not a good fit after 3 weeks while all my intakes had scheduled second appointments. No one at Urban Balance provides assistance or direction. Management does not reach out to help you succeed. Unfortunately once no one from Response would communicate with me I had to attempt a dialogue indirectly this way. Please improve the Chicago management...nothing vindictive meant...great organization. read more

Is it weird to write a review for a counseling place? Probably. But Urban Balance had some downright sketchy billing practices that made me bummed I chose this practice to seek care. Like another reviewer below me, I too encountered an issue with the practice billing all under the owner's name. The individual I saw was, according to insurance, neither contracted with them nor even pulling up in their system. And the insurance person I spoke with on the phone was not only unnerved by the billing practice, but said she'd never encountered anything like this before, ever (in a bad way). All of this was uncovered when I got an unauthorized charge to my credit card when my copay should have been zero. And now, a week later, they have still yet to refund me for the incorrect charge despite 10+ emails back and forth. I'd also agree with others' sentiment that the intake process is frustrating. I was told that -- out of all their locations -- only one counselor was available in the evenings. Okay, I can be flexible! But then, actually scheduling that first session was so insanely difficult and lengthy. Two stars because the woman I saw was actually really nice, but man, I'm pretty sure this is not how counseling is supposed to be. read more

Completely incompetent billing department (as many others have said)! Over a year after ending my relationship with UB, I received a bill for over $160. After days of back-and-forth, it turned out THEY owed ME over $180 -- and they paid it. Four months after that, I got another bill for $30 from a session 18 months prior. Resolution pending. I'M GOING TO NEED COUNSELING FOR THE HARASSMENT BY MY COUNSELING OFFICE!! read more

Wonderful place to help straighten out your life. The staff is so nice and friendly. The waiting area is pleasant and warm. I look forward to going every week. I loved the fact that they are working with me on a sliding scale since I do not have insurance. Their services are a great value at a great price. read more

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It's really important for every person to have a way to talk through things to understand your feelings. I got to a place that I didn't understand why I was having a panic attacks or what tools I needed to help them stop happening frequently. Just like anything else, going to a doctor seemed like the right fit for me and I was so blessed to have found Urban Balance. I was give the tools I needed to combat anxiety when it has come on in the past few years because of the time I spent with my therapist. I have also gotten to the root of a lot in my life that has contributed to different feeling of anxiety so I know the why behind my feelings. I cannot say enough about this company because they use a very different approach than I had heard of before and I really appreciated that my therapist was able to repeat things back to me so I could really hear and understand what I was saying. I was able to get the help I needed and it not be a prolonged journey because I was given tools and worksheets to explore outside of therapy as well. Best part? They accepted my insurance for a copay. Highly recommended. read more

Honestly I worked with a therapist there who i've worked with for years and she was amazing. That being said though someone charged me a couple hundred dollars DESPITE me having a payment plan set up so I could finish paying. Also it's important to note that I was told not only by my therapist but also by the person who set up my payment plan that there was an alert to NOT charge my card due to me setting up a payment plan. They then said it was a mistake and I was forced to pay a late fee for my rent due to not having money in my account because of a mistake that THEY made. I am also really frustrated due to the fact that they haven't contacted me and tried to charge my card $15 which I had money in my savings account and I didn't know they were going to charge me due to the fact that I was told that I had paid the rest of my account and it was closed with them. They then sent me a bill for $75 via email saying that my card bounced which by the way is 5x the amount of the $15! read more

Do NOT ignore the comments about the Billing department. I have been trying to resolve an issue for 9 months with them. I have spent more time on insurance and trying to hunt down the "billing team" than I did in therapy. Not worth the trouble with the Billing department. read more

Therapy itself was constructive, but the professionalism, organization, and business approach was poor. Schedules were simply verbal and written in a notebook, no electronic confirmation, no email invite (even when we had to do teletherapy due to COVID-19, no reminders, no appointment card, nothing). My therapist usually was a little late and then spent 10-15 min of the session on office management type stuff (payment, insurance info, logistics, etc.) so spending money for an hour usually only rendered 30-45 minutes of real service. read more

I was recommended Urban Balance per my college as it accepted my insurance. I called to set up an appointment and everything seemed okay until I had some questions about how appointments would go (in person/phone call due to covid) but they've ignored all my emails. I personally don't feel like placing my trust in a company that cannot fulfill basic service (ie. replying to an email) especially since this concerns my mental health so I dropped them. I would recommend others do the same. (I have never written a Yelp review in my life but this one seemed worth writing) read more

I started going to Urban Balance (Michigan Avenue) during a trying time in my life. I found the environment to be calming, professional and welcoming. Stephanie Whitman was a great help to me and helped me to change my view on the world and myself in what was a very difficult time. I would recommend UB to anyone looking for counseling services. read more

Silvija is an amazing, compassionate mental health professional that I honestly do not know how I've lived without. She has gotten me to be more self aware, mindful, and a generally more healthy person. Separately, Urban Balance is conveniently located on Michigan Ave and easily accessible by public transportation. Seriously, if you're looking for a therapist you need to check out UB and you need to request Silvija. read more

I've been over-stressed the last couple of weeks with family and relationship issues. Although i've only had one session so far it was a positive session. I left feeling a huge weight lifted off me and definitely look forward to going back. I don't have any issues with insurance and I don't foresee any in the future but I will update my review if anything arises. read more

I last went here last August and have been charged 15 times since then- was promised a refund months ago and they still keep charging me. Impossible to get through to billing. read more

After posting this review, Joyce did follow up with me quite earnestly and the situation was able to be resolved. I do appreciate the quick action taken to correct the problem and after seeing another UB staff member, I am pretty satisfied with their service. They actually do seem to care about what they do despite the initial speed bumps. I still think the voicemail system is a clunky way to get started for new clients, but at this point I can safely recommend UB thanks to Joyce's attentiveness and professionalism. read more

I'd give Urban Balance a 5 star only because of the therapist I worked with - Yana Melnik. Yana was always professional, on time, and very knowledgeable. She answered all questions during my initial consultation without taking it personally (I also asked her to explain her qualifications and source of certifications), I had spoken with therapists since who take such questions personally and I have learned to not work with them ever. Yana also went out of her way to tale care things so I could focus on my therapy, such as some billing discrepancies I noticed. She is empathetic, kind and genuinely appears to be in this field for her love for people. I highly recommend her, especially if you are new to therapy, I believe Yana would be a great person to work with. I would have continued working with her but I had to move and state laws in US are weird so she could not practice with me. read more

I met with a counselor (I'm not sure what to call her because she wasn't a licensed therapist) at Urban Balance in July after suffering from panic attacks for several months. -She spent most of our session trying to convince me that I needed to see a psychiatrist instead of her - who does that?? Any good therapist knows that medication should not be the first line of defense. Even the psychiatrist that I did end up seeing thought it was ridiculous and sent me back to therapy. -She sent me the most alarming email telling me I needed to go to the ER immediately due to heart palpitations.. thing is, I'd been having them for months, they were one of my anxiety symptoms and I'd already been checked out by PCP, Cardiologist, and even ER and all tests came back normal - ALL of which she knew from our session.. yet the email caused me to have one of my worst panic attacks to date. -I obviously decided not to go back to her.. then I found out from my current therapist that my insurance was covering my visits in full, yet the counselor at Urban Balance had charged me a copay without even checking my insurance. Instead of helping me process the refund, she sent me some generic phone number to call and it's taken me more than 2 months to get my refund. All in all, very poor experience with this group. I would not recommend. read more

What can I say about urban balance that hasn't already been said. Probably nothing. What I can say is that my therapist Silvija Barisic has been amazing for me as a first timer. Always patient, always kind, friendly, never uber clinical and a great listener. She really helped me to discover solutions that worked for me. As someone who had never used a therapist before I was wary, and I might still be if I hadn't chosen Silvija. I can't reccomend urban balance and Silvija Barisic enough. read more

Super frustrating when you call in to make an appointment. Michelle gives you a day and time and tells you the counselor will contact you to confirm the appointment. I call back in the day of since we never received a call. Michelle picks up and says if the counselor didn't call to not show up. Leah Raulerson never contacted us to confirm or move the appointment if she couldn't make it. What's the whole point of making an appointment a week before if they won't acknowledge it? Very poor way of doing things, especially when you're a first time client and desperately needing a therapist. read more

Overpriced ($150 for 50 minutes) and just useless. The therapist was nice enough, but definitely not interested or invested at all with what I wanted to talk about. She didn't even have her own agenda- she just kind of sat there. No notes, no tips, no nothing. I gave her three chances, but she seemed most interested in collecting her money. The straw that broke the camel's back was when I was telling her something that upset me and she interrupted with a completely unrelated question (about real estate). This is just rude and unhelpful. Also, Urban Balance doesn't seem to have any administrative staff- no one except the therapist confirms appointments or really seems to deal with the business side. It's dark and hot in the offices, too. The waiting room is always crowded and it's all very weird. Definitely not what I was expecting. read more

Honestly I would give them 0 stars but that option is not available. There is no reception and you deal directly with the counselor. If you dial the number listed they never get back to you. I had to email but they only gave me address and nothing else. The girl assigned to me looked scared right away when she met me but decided to keep going. Next day she calls me saying she wont work with me. So in short they took the money but rejected me right away. She should have said right away that this wasn't a fit and I would understand and wouldn't have wasted my time, but she started right away with billing info. Btw, I did give her an overview when I emailed her so its not like she didn't know what she was going to deal with. Typical, its all about the money. It was in the end easy to charge for a session where they only had me signing paperwork so they could bill my insurance. Maybe this will be a fit if you have minor complications but they certainly do not want to deal with people with mental disorders. Made me simply want to give up on counseling. Find somewhere else, or don't. I'm sure as long as you have insurance there will someone who will take the money. Certainly this place will. Didn't work for me and it wont for you if you actually have mental health issues that merit going to a psychiatrist. Again, they deal with "easy" things. In the marketplace all is subterfuge. This place is no different. I thought that when going to a counselor there was some professional trust involved but I felt here that I had to hide who I was. No help at all. Wish you all the best of luck. read more

My husband and I began premarital counseling and loved our experience so much we decided to keep going! Our therapist helps us solve our weekly issues and keep a balanced relationship. This is one hour a week we have dedicated to each other, not our jobs or anyone else. There's such a negative stigma attached to therapy, but I think it's very healthy to get an outside, educated opinion. When family and friends have their own agendas, our therapist is there to offer objective ideas. We love it and would highly recommend this company. read more

pros: my therapist (or therapist in training) was feigning niceties to the best of her ability, which is where the single star comes from cons: this place is managed (and you will be billed accordingly) by a licensed LCPC, and most of the "therapists" practicing under the main/sole practicing provider's license seem to be on their own path to obtaining a license. So a major concern is that these supposed "therapists" are severely UNDER-QUALIFIED! Definitely concerning considering the fact that someone with a provisional license needs 2 years of apprenticeship to complete the processes that allow an individual to practice on his/her own. This makes sense in hindsight as the level of care received is cursory, but the qualifications of each "therapist" is not disclosed upfront, so definitely would recommend doing a deep dive into the organizational structure prior to scheduling routine sessions. This is why i put "therapist" in quotes because most of the staff working under JOYCE MARTER AND ASSOCIATES PC don't actually seem to be qualified to be therapists in their own practice, but are merely apprenticing to advance their qualifications. Another con: intake staff is rather frustrating to deal with. i received a verity of conflicting information on available "therapists" and available times. No one person seems to own this process or was able to provide me with a transparent rate for sessions that were in accordance with my insurance & should have been billed accordingly. Having insurance is another point of contempt for this business, which is rather abnormal in my opinion for s health care provider. cost of sessions are very high, anywhere from 100-300 a session with insurance, mind you -- this again i speculate is due to the fact that unqualified individuals are working under a licensed therapists/ credentials, and therefore unable to bill insurance in full (which i'm sure the organization will try to refute, but beware!) Do make sure you are getting the charge agreement ahead of time for every session from your own insurance provider rather than Urban Balance's intake staff/"therapist" as they are not very helpful/knowledgeable/accurate when in comes to billing read more

Pros - internet friendly; clean; plenty to read in the waiting area; therapist I saw was OK Cons - horrendous management system; no appointment confirmation; does not feel like a cohesive mental health related business I'm the site manager for a psychiatrist. I understand the importance of communicating with patients. I never once received any confirmation calls, text messages confirming appointments, or even emails. From anyone. The second time this happened, it should have raised a red flag with my background and presenting a mental health center in a professional manner. I was late to my second appointment because I scrambled the locations (I went to the North Michigan office instead of the South one). The third appointment I had, I had forgotten I had an appointment. I understand, I'm an adult I am suppose to have "my sh!t together". Nevertheless, most centers do confirmation calls. Hell, I get MY a$$ chewed off by the owner if I don't confirm appointments with patients in my job. Some of the issues that I have revolve around executive functions and issues with organization and time management. I left UIC because my therapist got another job. They texted me to confirm the appointment, they called me, and they even emailed me. Once I bounced back from my depression a bit, I was not late nor did I miss many appointments (never was I late so many times in a row). This place seems to be the place for people who apparently don't need confirmation calls, or reminders to patients that they have an appointment. Oh, but they do tell you they charge you like $65 if you cancel/reschedule within 24 hours of your appointment. LOL. Hard to make it when you don't get a confirmation call. Don't let the soft music, colors, and nice waiting areas fool you; they have glaring management problems. read more

This was a wonderful, supportive place to help me through some serious trauma and issues of the last year. Joyce Marter, one of the founders, is as warm and caring as they come. If you have ever though of therapy as hokey or as cheesy, I urge you to try UB instead as it truly helped me through a really tough time. They are wonderful, open, accepting people. read more

I have been going to Urban balance for about two years now. It was recommended to me by a friend who also still finds them very useful. Both the Michigan Ave and Evanston locations have been wonderful fits for me, and they have helped me to simply better "balance" my life and the daily stresses. I find them to be professional, sincere, and respectful. The offerings and specializations of each staff member (I have seen two) are unique and have proven themselves greatly beneficial. read more

I write this review as a therapist and owner (Clinical Care Consultants) of a Chicago suburban counseling center. Rarely, have I encountered a counseling / psychotherapy business like Urban Balance. Joyce Marter, the CEO, has done a remarkable job in creating a company that is befitting of it's name. We all are seeking emotional balance and personal/relational harmony. Unfortunately, we can't always achieve it by ourselves. Joyce has put together a company of top notched clinicians, who have the necessary experience, training and therapy know how to compassionately lead their clients on a journey toward emotional and relational balance. I am impressed by the level commitment to the client's needs while truly caring about each and every client. Well done Joyce! Keep up the good work. read more

I have been working with Jill at Urban balance and she has been a blessing for me. I have found her to be very easy to speak with and very easy open up to. Thanks for all your help Jill read more

This review is for a specific therapist: Marion. She is wonderful! I started going to her a little over a year ago and truly appreciate every session. Marion has helped me through some major life decisions that I was struggling to make. This was my first time in therapy and didn't really know what to expect. I feel so grateful to have found Marion. I felt comfortable to share everything with her and work through my biggest issues. After going to Marion I have improved my life and have created a plan to continue to improve my happiness. read more

I couldn't be happier with my experience at Urban Balance.

I have known Joyce Marter LPCP for several years and she has always been kind and professional. I also recently attended a wellness event at Urban Balance and it was great. The speakers were informative and uplifting with good suggestions. I especially found the tips from the nutritionist to be helpful. read more

I recommend this place to all my loved ones. I have been seeing my therapist for many years here. I am so grateful for the range of insurance that they accept, and I also appreciate that their accountant takes care of insurance issues for me. Most also work on a sliding scale (I was without insurance for a few months and had no interruption in service thanks to their reasonable adjustments). I make my schedule directly through my therapist and while there are no reminders of upcoming appointments, this has not been a problem for me. They have several locations, and they have a lot of really amazing counselors available. Definitely give this place a try if you need mental help, couples counseling or if you are just ready for some self-care. I know there is someone there who will fit your needs. read more

I have attended a few of Urban Balance's workshops and have found them to be extremely informative and beneficial. Urban Balance has a fantastic reputation and has many therapists to choose from and they accept most insurance plans which is very helpful. read more

I was very dissatisfied with my former therapist who just more or less was checking her phone and maybe on occasion looked like she was paying attention, then I came to URBAN BALANCE!! I knew after my first session with her, that I wanted to keep this new therapist and she is great with getting your calls and emails back within the day. I love the waiting area, with the smoothing music, soft lighting, the pictures, its a place I would refer to anyone who is looking for a new therapist! read more

This review is for Cori Dixon-Fyle. Cori is absolutely one of a kind. She is incredibly patient, kind, and very knowledgeable. Cori offers different perspectives to situations you may not otherwise realize, and has countless ideas and suggestions for you to promote better self-awareness and a change in attitude towards yourself, and possibly others. Cori respects her patients and has a sincere approach towards truly wanting to help you be your best self. She is very personable and to me, that is important to be able to unload your baggage to. I highly recommend visiting Cori whether you are seeking counseling, or you're on the fence about it - she is a delight and guaranteed to put a smile on your face. read more

My fiance and I are using their services for pre-marital counseling. So far, so good!

My experience with Urban Balance was extremely positive in all ways imaginable. I want to specifically call out Aaron Karmin, who helped me through an extremely difficult and emotionally trying period in my life. Thanks Aaron, for your support, compassion, and wisdom. You're like a real life super hero. read more

I was so lucky to finally find Urban Balance. Having seen many therapists in my life and having some not so great experiences, I was understandably cautious. Finding and calling Urban Balance (Michigan Ave) was one of the best things I could do for myself (and others around me!). While I agree the automatic intake was less personal than I would have liked during that low time in my life, I was pretty quickly set up with someone. When I didn't think that particular match would work, they matched me with someone else and it worked out better than I could have hoped. Marion Malcome is kind, understanding, supportive, professional and meets you where you are. In my case, I needed tools to practice and she helped find them and taught me how to use them. If that style won't work for someone else, I have full confidence that she'd figure out what would help and do that instead. I can't thank her enough for these lifelong tools that will continue to help me because, after all, the goal of therapy isn't to stay in it forever! I saw my therapist for a year and the only reason I stopped was because we moved. Leaving a therapist behind that was actually beneficial for me was the saddest part about moving. And if I wasn't making progress with her, I would have tried someone else in the group. In fact, I know someone who saw a different therapist there and he liked her just as much. The practice is great and really can help you...just give them a chance. The more specific you are about the kind of therapist you need, the easier it will be to make a successful match. So be patient through the intake process and try them out. You're worth it. read more

I had a very disappointing experience with UB. This review may be more for the one person that I saw here, but how Urban considered this person to be qualified as a counselor is beyond me. Long story short-- I got pulled over by a state trooper for speeding who asked me if I had any drugs in the car. He said if I cooperated he would confiscate what I had, write me a speeding ticket, and I would be on my way. If I did not tell him, he would take me to the station and "blue glove" me (very illegal). I knew my friend had marijuana and I didn't want to get arrested or deal with any trouble, so I cooperated and told him (stupid, I know). He ended up writing me a ticket for use of marijuana instead of speeding. As a working professional, I had to fight it off my record. I went to Urban Balance since they were in my insurance and had good reviews, seeking someone with expertise that could provide an evaluation stating I was not an "addict" and did not need further counseling. I met with Natalie Goldstein and told her the whole story. She said that should be fine and she would enjoy our discussions. From the very beginning, she stated that she "will not dig for problems" or "create an issue", and I never assumed she would and I enjoyed talking with her. The first 2 sessions she actually stuck to that notion; I talked about what happened then talked freely about other parts of my life. I asked her if I could receive an evaluation as previously discussed and she suddenly had a problem with doing that. I tried to be understanding and asked for at least something stating that I am going to counseling for my case. She had a problem with that too and asked why I didn't give her notice (I asked her at least 3 days in advance. It is not difficult to sign and scan a piece of paper saying we have attended sessions; she didn't even sign the note when she sent it). She kept suggesting in the notes that I see her again=$$$?. By the 3rd session she said she "consulted her boss" and wanted to know more about the marijuana situation. This made me distrust her even more as our conversations did not feel confidential and made her appear unqualified. She then began asking questions about how much I drink on the weekends and said she didn't think I was being honest with her... aka- digging. She also told me "you don't have to impress me...", which really rubbed me the wrong way when I am going to this person to give an honest evaluation of me, and I was nothing but honest. I asked why the sudden change in plan, "I thought you said you weren't going to dig or make assumptions?". She then called me defensive, which I later find out is the word that psychiatrists use as evidence to there being a problem... Instead of this person helping me out of an unfortunate situation, she created problems and made me uneasy. I don't think she is a bad person that meant to do this, but I think she either has a lot more learning to do or should not be a counselor. Urban might have other great counselors to see, but I highly suggest not seeing this person for this type of problem. read more