Melissa Filippi

I am an experienced Social Worker with an LCSW and have worked in agencies and private practice and public schools during my career. I am also a Certified Integrative Mental Health Professional which is helpful when working with people managing anxiety and mood disorders. Integrative Health is about looking at lifestyle factors and blends conventional and complementary modalities to best address symptoms. When we work together, my goal is to help you figure out how to improve all areas of your life, but of course, address the goal that you want to work on. You should know that I often assign think-sheets or homework between sessions which we will discuss later. This helps keep you moving toward your goals and practicing the skills learned during our sessions. More about my training- I was formerly an Certified Addictions Counselor (CADC) but have broadened my practice to work with clients with a variety of issues but that is also an expertise you may want to know about. I earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Southern Illinois University and a Masters in Social Work from the University of Illinois at Chicago Jane Addams School of Social Work. I continually work to grow and improve my practice by researching, finding and providing effective supports and using the most current, best-practices in the field. Using a strengths-based approach with Cognitive Behavior Theory, Person-Centered counseling approaches and the integration of other approaches, such as Solution Focused Therapy, I work with you to find more positive, effective social and coping skills, in order to see improvements in relationships I specialize in working with those who have difficulty with self-esteem, depression, trauma, anxiety, Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and making lasting changes in life. Further, I have extensive experience working with those who have experienced trauma to help them to learn distress tolerance, emotion regulation and how to incorporate mindfulness and other coping strategies in order to manage your relationships and functioning in life in a healthier way. My focus is on the well-being of my clients, and will work with you to set goals to improve your life functioning. I am told that I am warm and approachable and easy to talk to. I would I love to work with you to improve your life!