Vanessa E. Ford, LCSW, CADC logo

Vanessa E. Ford, LCSW, CADC

Psychotherapist · Chicago, IL · reviewed since 2014

How the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 69%86+59.5Reliability 31%75+23.1Experts Score= 83Not enough data for value, replies to reviews; its weight is shared by the others.Grade A: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews.83SCORE
AGradeLetter from the Experts Score: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39, F = under 20.
#67 of 114 therapistsPosition by Experts Score among all companies we track in this category. · better than 42%
4.9 ★★★★★ 30 Google reviews · 6 photos
97%five-star reviews
5%1–2★, last 20 reviewsShare of 1–2★ reviews in the last 24 months — or the 20 newest reviews when the company had fewer than 20 in that time.
0%reviews answered by the owner
Jun 2022latest review

Vanessa E. Ford, LCSW, CADC at a glance

Google reviewers rate Vanessa E. Ford, LCSW, CADC, 4.9 out of 5 based on 30 reviews. Clients describe her as a non-judgmental and empathetic therapist who provides a safe environment for addressing trauma, anxiety, addiction, and relationship issues. Recurring themes include her flexibility with scheduling, punctuality, and ability to offer practical coping strategies. Reviewers note she is knowledgeable in EMDR and works effectively with LGBTQIA+ populations. No common criticisms appear in the provided excerpts, and the owner did not reply to any reviews.

  • Google rating: 4.9 out of 5 from 30 reviews (97% five-star).
  • Reviews on this page: 30 Google reviews (29 with written comments).
  • Owner responses: the business replied to 0% of reviews.
  • Most recent review: June 24, 2022.
  • Service: Therapist serving Chicago, Illinois.

Data from Google, last updated October 26, 2026.

Star ratings

30 Google reviews we collected

  • 5 stars2997%
  • 4 stars00%
  • 3 stars00%
  • 2 stars00%
  • 1 star13%

Praise vs complaints

Phrases our text analysis found in 29 written reviews

  • Praise5098%
  • Complaints12%

Topic share

How often each topic comes up in the written reviews

  • Staff & attitude2039%
  • Would recommend1937%
  • Honesty & trust816%
  • Price & value36%
  • Speed & response12%

What customers talk about

We read 29 written reviews and marked every phrase about these topics. The same colors are highlighted in the reviews.

  • “She's incredibly kind and I would recommend her to anyone.”
  • “I would recommend her to anyone thinking about therapy.”
  • “It was a truly groundbreaking experience that has honestly changed my life, and I am still enjoying and benefitting from EMDR therapy with Vanessa now.”
  • “Vanessa is such a great listener and possess a great deal of empathy.”
  • “She is easy to schedule with, always punctual with visits, billing, etc.”

praise complaint · found by our text analysis, Google review wording unchanged.

Recent reviews

katharine1 reviewTotal number of Google reviews this person has written across all businesses on Google Maps (not just this one). More reviews usually means a more experienced, trustworthy reviewer. · 4 years ago★★★★★

Vanessa is an amazing therapist. I've been seeing her once a week for about a year now and she's really helped me get through and unpack a lot of my issues. She's incredibly kind and I would recommend her to anyone. She's also always willing to work around my schedule. I'm very grateful to have found her.

Hayley3 reviewsTotal number of Google reviews this person has written across all businesses on Google Maps (not just this one). More reviews usually means a more experienced, trustworthy reviewer. · 4 years ago★★★★★

Vanessa helped me grow as an individual. She created a safe space for me to talk about my struggles. I would recommend her to anyone thinking about therapy.

Shara2 reviewsTotal number of Google reviews this person has written across all businesses on Google Maps (not just this one). More reviews usually means a more experienced, trustworthy reviewer. · 5 years ago★★★★★

I highly recommend Vanessa Ford as a Therepist! I have been meeting with Vanessa once a week since the end of 2019. My sessions came at a fairly critical time in my life and her direct but non-judgmental manner made hard topics easier to address. I have had experience in the past with therapy but Vanessa has a…

Elizabeth1 reviewTotal number of Google reviews this person has written across all businesses on Google Maps (not just this one). More reviews usually means a more experienced, trustworthy reviewer. · 5 years ago★★★★★

It was such a life changing and positive experience to have Vanessa as a therapist. She truly is great! She helped me through so much. She is professional, honest, extremely knowledgeable, experienced, down to Earth, understanding, caring. I could go on and on. I truly feel blessed to have found Vanessa.

Brian4 reviewsTotal number of Google reviews this person has written across all businesses on Google Maps (not just this one). More reviews usually means a more experienced, trustworthy reviewer. · 5 years ago★★★★★

Vanessa is an amazing therapist, and I highly recommend her. She provides balance and wisdom to any concerns or issues that are presented to her. I really value the way she is able to think about a problem from many different angles and provide tangible advice as well as new ways to reframe how to think about a…

Devin8 reviewsTotal number of Google reviews this person has written across all businesses on Google Maps (not just this one). More reviews usually means a more experienced, trustworthy reviewer. · 5 years ago★★★★★

I have been seeing Vanessa for almost a year. I began seeing her when my life was unmanageable. Since seeing Vanessa I have learned to set boundaries and manage my life a lot better. I highly recommend Vanessa especially for her knowledge on addiction.

Photos

Customer reviews

4.9 ★★★★★ 30 reviews on Google · rating breakdown

Reviews from Google, shown as published (original wording, unedited).

Team members customers mention
Filter by topic — each topic is highlighted in the reviews in the same color
katharine burns1 reviewTotal number of Google reviews katharine has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
Review from Google · view on Google
★★★★★

Vanessa is an amazing therapist. I've been seeing her once a week for about a year now and she's really helped me get through and unpack a lot of my issues. She's incredibly kind and I would recommend her to anyone. She's also always willing to work around my schedule. I'm very grateful to have found her.

Hayley Quackenbush3 reviewsTotal number of Google reviews Hayley has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
Review from Google · view on Google
★★★★★

Vanessa helped me grow as an individual. She created a safe space for me to talk about my struggles. I would recommend her to anyone thinking about therapy.

Sadie Stoiber1 reviewTotal number of Google reviews Sadie has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
Review from Google · view on Google
★★★★★

Vanessa is a fantastic therapist! I found her through the BCBS website - I wanted to find someone who was certified to provide EMDR therapy, who worked with LGBTQIA+ populations, and who was willing to dive into some of the tougher trauma work with me. I knew she was a great fit after our first session - she really took the time to get to know me and what I wanted to get out of therapy. Vanessa always makes me feel heard and understood, and she offers truly valuable insights that have helped me better understand myself. I am particularly amazed by the EMDR therapy process. We explored some early childhood trauma during our first EMDR session. When we first started, I was really anxious to think back to that time in my life and started to feel the beginning stages of a panic attack. By the end of that first session, I had no negative reaction to those memories whatsoever! In fact, I could look at that time in my life with a sense of compassion and empathy in a way I've never been able to before! It was a truly groundbreaking experience that has honestly changed my life, and I am still enjoying and benefitting from EMDR therapy with Vanessa now. She has also been extremely flexible with my chronic health issues and has been willing to meet me both in person and virtually depending on my needs. I would highly recommend Vanessa!

Shara Pohl2 reviewsTotal number of Google reviews Shara has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
Review from Google · view on Google
★★★★★

I highly recommend Vanessa Ford as a Therepist! I have been meeting with Vanessa once a week since the end of 2019. My sessions came at a fairly critical time in my life and her direct but non-judgmental manner made hard topics easier to address. I have had experience in the past with therapy but Vanessa has a kind of grace that allows me to truly be open and honest to see what I need to see. She has helped me navigate current obstacles which previously seemed out of reach. Her knowledge and observations have opened my eyes to possibilities and a more fulfilling life. I would not hesitate to recommend her.

Elizabeth Garcia1 reviewTotal number of Google reviews Elizabeth has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
Review from Google · view on Google
★★★★★

It was such a life changing and positive experience to have Vanessa as a therapist. She truly is great! She helped me through so much. She is professional, honest, extremely knowledgeable, experienced, down to Earth, understanding, caring. I could go on and on. I truly feel blessed to have found Vanessa.

Betsy Sklena3 reviewsTotal number of Google reviews Betsy has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
Review from Google · view on Google
★★★★★

The moment in my life when I decided "professional help" was a must was way too long in coming. My stress and anxiety led me to Vanessa's website and to meeting with her for the last year and a half. As a businessperson she is always professional, flexible, and understanding of schedule changes. As a therapist, Vanessa has guided me past decades (yes, decades) of struggling with my own counterproductive actions. She has suggested ways of thinking about situations differently and a new set of tools to use. Setting boundaries, reestablishing relationships with old friends, and dealing with challenging work issues were problems we worked on during the Covid pandemic (by Zoom) - making that time much more tolerable. While in therapy with Vanessa I feel supported and less isolated. I know she will be honest even if it's not what I want to hear. After working with her I've learned new approaches to my day to day situations - my responses are much healthier and beneficial to everyone involved. Therapy with Vanessa Ford has helped to set my life on a path of actively moving toward my goals.

Brian Moschel4 reviewsTotal number of Google reviews Brian has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
Review from Google · view on Google
★★★★★

Vanessa is an amazing therapist, and I highly recommend her. She provides balance and wisdom to any concerns or issues that are presented to her. I really value the way she is able to think about a problem from many different angles and provide tangible advice as well as new ways to reframe how to think about a particular challenge. I have felt that as she got to know me better, she became even more of a valued voice, and her advice really honed in on core areas of my life and thought-process that I need to improve. She is a great listener and really hears and understands before providing any feedback.

Devin Fuller8 reviewsTotal number of Google reviews Devin has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
Review from Google · view on Google
★★★★★

I have been seeing Vanessa for almost a year. I began seeing her when my life was unmanageable. Since seeing Vanessa I have learned to set boundaries and manage my life a lot better. I highly recommend Vanessa especially for her knowledge on addiction.

Anna Blankenship8 reviewsTotal number of Google reviews Anna has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
Review from Google · view on Google
★★★★★

I found Vanessa a little over a year ago during a time in my life that felt a lot like rock bottom for a lot of reasons. Reaching out for help was difficult but Vanessa made it effortless once the ball was rolling. She’s seen me through a lot of ups and downs and has always made me feel safe, heard, and keeps me committed to maintaining goals we set during our work together. If you’re considering therapy, I highly recommend Vanessa for her professionalism, candor, patience, and validity.

Karla Meier5 reviewsTotal number of Google reviews Karla has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
Review from Google · view on Google
★★★★★

I feel incredibly lucky to have found Dr. Ford. With the help of her exceptional skills and perception, I've grown in ways I didn't think possible and tackled some extremely challenging traumas that I didn't know if I could move past. I've been incredibly impressed with her and really appreciate the opportunity to work with her!

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