Colleen Koncilja, LCSW, CADC, ICGC- II, BACC, EMDR

Hi, I’m Colleen.

I work with adults and parents who experience anxiety, depression, chronic pain, chronic illness, trauma and/or are grieving and mourning. Most of the adults I have the privilege of providing therapy to have experienced traumas, childhood neglect, and/or were raised in a family where their physical and emotional needs weren’t met. Often, this caused them to not feel safe, understood, or emotionally supported. They may have had a parent who struggled with hoarding or an active drug, alcohol, or gambling addiction.

Through therapy we can work together to help you begin to: develop helpful coping skills, create new positive beliefs about yourself, process your past, identify and align with your own values, increase your ability to sit with and feel discomfort without having to numb or avoid, release shame, develop trust in yourself, and create connection, trust, and attachment to others. We can work together to help you create the life you’ve been waiting for.

Therapy Approach

I provide a safe space where you can feel heard, supported, understood, and cared for while you explore new ways to cope, reduce your suffering, and begin healing. You don’t have to suffer alone. We can work together to get you unstuck, develop certainty, create needed changes, face the unwanted, unwelcomed, and unexpected, and develop your plan for health and healing. 

Growth and learning are values of mine and of our practice. I seek out updated research-based clinical practices that are proven to help people transform their lives. Actively reading, gathering information, improving my skill set, and seeking specialized training(s) allow me to offer the most appropriate and helpful services and care possible. 

I use various types of therapies in my practice: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and other trauma-focused approaches including Polyvagal Theory. The therapy and counseling services I provide focus on helping people learn, change, and grow while supporting their ongoing healing. 

You deserve support, encouragement, and grace, and it would be a privilege to support you as you make the necessary changes in your life that will enable you to start creating and living the life you want and wholeheartedly deserve.

Additional Specialties & Approaches:

• Adult Children of Parents who have an Addiction
• Parents who are navigating relationships with their adult children
• End of Life / Palliative Counseling 
• Gifted Adults
• Partners / Family Members of those who have an addiction
• Polyvagal Theory

Colleen also leads the following group therapy sessions:

Professional Experience

Education

• Master of Social Work,  Jane Addams School of Social Work / University of Illinois at Chicago
• Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Bradley University

Certifications & Credentials

• Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) – Illinois # 149008267
• Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) – Illinois # 12158
• International Certified Gambling Counselor (ICGC-II)
• Board Approved Clinical Consultant (BACC) – Illinois # 1261

Specialized Trainings

• EMDR – Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
• EMDR – Complex Trauma & Dissociation Advanced Trainings
• EMDR – Chronic Illness & Chronic Pain Treatment Advanced Trainings
• ACT and CBT for Chronic Illness & Chronic Pain Treatment
• Polyvagal Theory
• ISSTD – Complex Trauma and Dissociation courses
• ACT – Acceptance and Commitment Therapy 
• DBT – Dialectical Behavioral Therapy 
• Gottman Method for Couples Counseling 
• PSI – Postpartum Support International, Components of Care
• Problem Gambling and Substance Abuse Treatments

Professional Memberships

• International Society of the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD)
• Illinois Council on Problem Gambling (ICPG)
• Illinois Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Professional Counselor Association

Published Articles

• Why Are We Ashamed to Need Medication?, Folks: a Pillpack Magazine, April 24, 2019
• How ‘Pill Shaming’ Hurts Those Who Take Medications for Mental Health, Healthline, October 18, 2018
• Double or Nothing – Gambling Addiction, The Addicted Mind Podcast, March 29, 2018

Interests, Passions, & Fun Facts About Colleen

I enjoy experiencing nature, vegetable gardening, going to outside concerts, attending live theater, creating art with pour painting, and spending time with family and friends. Being by water is also something I adore – oceans, lakes, waterfalls, and streams are incredibly calming and help me find clarity. 

I am a night owl, love having special dates with my daughter, and I enjoy having couch time with my dog Chloe (Bichon), having bonfires, sitting on my deck swing, walking through fall leaves, listening to a fresh snowfall (shinshin), and cooking for various holidays.