How are Chicagoans taking care of their mental health? For some, it starts with simple lifestyle changes like getting outside more, eating better, or setting stronger boundaries. But for many people dealing with anxiety, depression, or just feeling stuck, that’s not enough.
More Chicago residents are exploring innovative treatments like ketamine therapy and TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation), both of which are gaining serious traction. At the same time, wellness retreats and holistic tools are becoming trendy ways to reset and recharge.
To see which kinds of care are most interesting to Chicagoans, we looked at search data across the city, from psychiatric care to self-help resources.
Most Popular Cutting-Edge Treatments
These therapies go beyond traditional talk therapy or medication. They’re especially popular with people who’ve tried other approaches and want something more targeted, science-backed, and personalized.
- TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) – 6,110 searches
TMS therapy is a non-invasive treatment that uses magnetic pulses to stimulate areas of the brain linked to mood regulation. TMS is FDA-approved for depression and OCD—and it’s growing in popularity because it’s drug-free, low-risk, and effective for people who haven’t responded to medication. - Neurofeedback / Brain Mapping – 2,370 searches
Neurofeedback helps train your brain to function more calmly and efficiently by showing you your brainwave activity in real time. It’s especially popular among people with anxiety, ADHD, and sleep issues. Brain mapping gives a snapshot of how your brain is functioning to tailor treatment. - Ketamine Therapy – 2,130 searches
Ketamine therapy works differently than taking traditional antidepressants—often providing relief in hours or days instead of weeks. It’s gaining attention for its fast-acting effects on depression, anxiety, PTSD, and burnout, especially in people who haven’t had success with other medications.
Most Popular Types of Professional Care
Despite all the buzz around new treatments, traditional mental health care remains the logical choice for many. Here’s how the most-searched roles differ—and what kind of support each offers.
- Therapy – 28,520 searches
Therapy is a broad term that covers talk-based treatment provided by licensed professionals such as Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs), Licensed Clinical Professional Counselors (LCPCs), Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFTs), and Clinical Psychologists (PhDs or PsyDs). Therapists help people work through emotional challenges, build resilience, and create long-term change through evidence-based approaches (like CBT, psychodynamic therapy, or DBT). - Counseling – 12,270 searches
Counseling is often more short-term or solution-focused, helping people navigate specific stressors like relationship conflict, grief, or career transitions. Counselors may hold credentials like LCPC, LPC, or LMHC depending on the state. While therapists and counselors often overlap in their work, counseling tends to be more structured and goal-oriented. - Psychiatry – 6,410 searches
Psychiatrists are medical doctors (MDs or DOs) who specialize in mental health. They can prescribe medication, make formal diagnoses, and manage complex psychiatric conditions like bipolar disorder, treatment-resistant depression, or schizophrenia. People often see psychiatrists when symptoms are severe, not improving with therapy alone, or may benefit from medication or advanced treatments like TMS or ketamine.
Most Popular Types of Non-Clinical Care
Many Chicagoans are also turning to self-guided and holistic methods to support their mental wellness, whether it’s as a first step or to complement professional treatment.
- Self-Help Books – 21,590 searches
Self-help books remain an affordable, flexible go-to for people wanting to understand themselves better, improve relationships, or learn new coping skills. - Wellness Retreats – 11,830 searches
These immersive getaways offer rest, reflection, and healing; often through yoga, meditation, nature, and nutrition. For many, they’re a chance to step back, reset, and reconnect with themselves away from daily stress. - Wellness Centers – 6,510 searches
Combining services like massage, acupuncture, nutrition, and sometimes therapy, wellness centers offer a whole-body approach to feeling better. They’re increasingly popular for people seeking mental health support in a more holistic or integrative environment. - Self-Help Podcasts – 1,920 searches
Podcasts make personal growth feel accessible. They’re perfect for people who want to learn on the go or add small doses of insight to their daily routine.
Top Mental Wellness Practices Overall:
- Therapy
- Self Help Books
- Counseling
- Wellness Retreat
- Wellness Center
- Psychiatry
- TMS
- Neurofeedback/Brain Mapping
- Ketamine
- Self Help Podcasts
It’s no surprise that therapy tops the list as the most common place people turn for help. Remote care and platforms like BetterHelp paved the way to make therapy accessible for all. Next in line is the option with the lowest barrier to entry: self help books. Options like psychiatry, TMS, and ketamine therapy likely rank lower because they are used as a next step to therapy.
Touching Grass: The Underrated Mental Health Benefits of Nature
Don’t rule out the basics–getting out in nature can be a powerful antidote to overstimulation in a fast-paced city like Chicago. The sights, sounds, and demands of urban life can leave your nervous system in a near-constant state of alert. Nature offers a reset, reducing sensory overload, calming the mind, and helping you return to a more regulated state.
Even brief doses, like 20 minutes in a green space, can create measurable improvements in mood and focus. It’s one of the most accessible, low-cost ways to care for your mental health.
Lincoln Park (North Side)
- Lincoln Park & Nature Boardwalk: The city’s largest park stretches seven miles along Lake Michigan, blending trails, beaches, and open green spaces. Its Nature Boardwalk, nestled within Lincoln Park Zoo’s South Pond, offers a tranquil habitat designed by Studio Gang—with a boardwalk, benches, and sightings of herons, turtles, and butterflies.
- Lincoln Park Conservatory & Lily Pool: Step inside a Victorian-era glass house bursting with exotic palms, ferns, and orchids. Adjacent, the Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool offers water reflections, walking paths, and guided “forest bathing” walks via Lincoln Park Conservancy.
Hyde Park / Jackson Park (South Side)
- Jackson Park & Garden of the Phoenix: Designed by Olmsted and Vaux, this sprawling 551-acre park includes reconstructed lagoons, prairie areas, and boat harbors. The Garden of the Phoenix—a serene Japanese garden with koi ponds—makes this both a historic and calming retreat.
Humboldt Park (West Side)
- Humboldt Park Greenways: This 207-acre public garden anchors the neighborhood with lakeside paths, flower gardens, and open fields. It’s perfect for slow walks, birdwatching, or stopping under a shady tree. It even has a swimmable lagoon in the summer as well as swan boats for a tranquil paddle.
Garfield Park
- Garfield Park Conservatory: Free for Chicagoans, this botanical garden is an especially precious oasis in the winter, where you can visit its arid Succulent Room or its lush tropical rooms even as it hits the single digits outside.
Lincoln Square / Welles Park (North Side)
- Welles Park: This is a quiet community gem with lush lawns, a European-style gazebo, and weekly bird‑watching walks hosted by the Chicago Ornithological Society. It’s a peaceful urban haven for mindful movement and nature connection.
Citywide Guided Forest Therapy
- Forest Bathing Walks: If you prefer a sensory-led experience, the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum and Chicago Botanic Garden both offer guided “forest therapy” walks. Led by certified guides, these slow, invitation‑based walks help cultivate presence. The Morton Arboretum, just outside the city, also hosts immersive forest therapy sessions in its woodland setting.
Start Your Mental Health Journey
Whether you’re starting with therapy, exploring new treatment options like TMS or ketamine, or simply seeking stillness in one of Chicago’s parks, mental wellness is about finding the right combination that works for you.
At Able Psychiatry, we specialize in helping people who’ve already taken the first step, often through therapy, and are looking for something more personalized or advanced. From TMS to ketamine therapy and traditional psychiatry, we offer innovative, evidence-based treatments for depression, anxiety, and other conditions that haven’t responded to traditional approaches.
If you’re ready to explore next-step care in a thoughtful, compassionate setting, we’re here to help.
Methodology:
In August 2025, we analyzed Google over 120,000 searches surrounding mental health terms from the dates June 30, 2024 – July 1, 2025.