Urban Balance

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.

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 über 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.

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.

I have gone through various counselors and therapists throughout my life, and never have I had an amazing experience as I have had at Urban Balance. My therapist here was the first therapist to ever «get» me.
My therapist was 45 minutes late to our first session due to a storm, so she comped that short 10−15min session for me. Since that first session two months ago, she’s only been 5 minutes late to one other session, and she has always made sure to call me to let me know that she was running late. I thought that was incredibly kind and considerate of her.
I’ve been dealing with a lot of stress and anxiety lately, but I always looked forward to my therapy sessions every week. I’ve never felt this way before with previous counselors/​therapists/​psychologists; I have always felt a sense of dread in the past. Not once have I felt that way about my therapist here except for our first meeting (which was not surprising, given my past experiences with therapy). I’ve probably cried at every session, but I always leave feeling as though I’m working towards some sort of recovery.
Since changing jobs and insurance, I have left Urban Balance to continue therapy with my therapist, and still, to this day, I cannot believe I have stuck with a therapist for more than 3 – 5 sessions. Because of this experience, I’ve continued to recommend Urban Balance to other people, seeking for a good, calming therapeutic experience.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

UB has such a calm and peaceful atmosphere — perfect to help every one feel comfortable! Joyce Marter, LPCP is welcoming and caring. You couldn’t ask for 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.

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.

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.

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.

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