Empowered Connections Counseling

Home
Empowered Connections Counseling

If you’re looking for personalized support to help you create meaningful connections and change in your life,
we’re here to help.

We offer multidisciplinary therapy to adults, children & teens, relationships, and families in Chicago/greater Illinois.

11/06/2025

The world may seem overwhelming at times, but the therapists at ECC are here to support you! Everything isn't always fine, but we got this, together.

24/02/2025

Does balancing your mental health and daily life feel impossible right now, especially when you see the latest news headlines?

We get it. It's a difficult, scary time in American politics. You may be feeling worried for the safety and well-being of yourself and your loved ones while also feeling anxious about the future of democracy. The policies being enacted by the current administration may directly effect you. Even if you feel relatively privileged and unlikely to experience direct harm from current political policies, it's reasonable to feel worried about where we're headed as a country.

On today's blog, ECC therapist Gia Scalise offers some practical strategies for how to stay politically engaged, while building sustainable strategies for protecting your mental health. Read the full post here: https://empoweredconnectionscounseling.com/blog/2025/2/22/how-to-stay-politically-engaged-while-protecting-your-mental-health

17/02/2025

"You’re a sensitive, empathic, deep feeler who spends so much time worrying about the comfort of others that setting boundaries and caring for yourself comes last. Maybe you’ve been told, “you’re too sensitive” throughout your life, you’re easily overstimulated in new environments, or deeply impacted by the people around you. If so, you might be a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP). As a HSP myself, I offer warmth and safety so your thoughts, feelings, and experiences can have a voice."

Staff Therapist Liz Gray utilizes a combination of talk therapy, expressive arts, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) to help clients find safe ways to express vulnerability and build resilience. Liz earned her Master of Social Work from Washington University and is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in Illinois and Michigan with 13+ years working with individuals of all ages.

Liz has availability for new clients. Learn more about Liz and request an appointment via the link to our website.

14/02/2025

Why do humans fall in love with the idea of someone, rather than the actual person? What function does this serve in the course of a relationship? Should we avoid doing it? How do we handle it when we start to see our partners for who they really are, and they’re different from who we expected?

It turns out there are actually some very good answers for all of this, writes ECC therapist Grace Eiden. The “rose-colored glasses” effect serves an evolutionary function of drawing us in and forging a bond with the other person. It’s a protective effect; if we saw the flaws first, they would repel us, and we would never be able to build a connection with anyone.

So how do we build real relationships, based on who our partners actually are? Read the full blog post by Grace at the link in our bio.

31/01/2025

On the last day of January, just a gentle reminder: it's never too late to make mindful, realistic resolutions that honor our desire for change while still respecting our bodies' needs, or the reality of our circumstances. Make this the year you choose self-compassion.

If you need support as you navigate this year, reach out. Our therapists are here to help. Head to the link in our bio to learn more about our team and schedule a session.

30/01/2025

Congrats to Liz, Mary, and Sami for their anniversaries at ECC! We're grateful to have you on our team.

At ECC, we're committed to celebrating and supporting the professional growth of our staff so that we can better serve our clients. Learn more about our team members via the link in our bio.

28/01/2025

"As a therapist and storyteller, I strongly believe that we are all the experts of our own stories. That being said, systems of power, privilege, and oppression, intersecting identities, cultural values, relationships, and the pressure of social norms can greatly affect the way in which we move through the world as well as the stories we tell ourselves. My goal is to create a safe and compassionate space for you to explore your experiences and determine which stories are authentically yours and which you’re ready to reauthor."

ECC Associate Therapist Gia Scalise grounds their therapy practice in relational and harm reductionist approaches to meet each client where they're at, highlight strengths, and explore sustainable change.

Because they center their practice on dismantling systemic narratives and expectations that may not quite fit who we are and what we need as individuals, they often work with LGBTQ+ and TGNC adults, neurodivergent adults, those wanting to break intergenerational trauma cycles, and those interested in changing their relationship to substances and alcohol.

"I also identify as a geek therapist, so I try to bring nerd culture into the therapy space for my nerdy clients to make complex topics more accessible within contexts we’re already fond of and familiar with."

Gia earned their Master of Social Work from Northeastern Illinois University.
They have availability for new clients. Learn more about Gia and request an appointment via the link to our website.

23/12/2024

From all of us here at ECC, we wish you happy holidays! Thank you for being part of our community.

19/12/2024

Christmas and Hannukah may be only six (!) days away, but there's still time to make a plan for interacting with your family that honors your own needs. If you're anxious about seeing your family this holiday season, try these tips:

1️⃣ - Clarify your own expectations for seeing your family. Check in with yourself: what do you hope holiday gathering will be like? How do *you* want to spend time together?

2️⃣ - Make a plan for when & how to interact with your family. Whether it's choosing to show up later or leave earlier, or stay in a separate location so that you have more downtime, it's okay to try new strategies.

3️⃣ - Set goals and limits for family time. Be specific. "I want to make it through the family Christmas party without fighting with Dad" is a worthy goal, but deciding how you'll choose to respond to specific triggers will help you emotionally prepare for the moment.

4️⃣ - Practice clear communication and boundaries. You can do all the work of clarifying expectations and making plans for yourself, but if you never communicate them, resentment and hurt are inevitable. Speak up for yourself!

If you need additional support as you navigate family dynamics (during the holidays or any other time of year), our team at ECC is here to help. Licensed in the state of Illinois, our therapists offer multidisciplinary counseling to adults, children & teens, relationships, and families of all backgrounds. Learn more today via the link in our profile.

29/11/2024

"I know how challenging it can be to seek therapeutic support when feeling vulnerable, yet I believe therapy offers a powerful space to affirm one’s values, explore unrecognized strengths, and embrace authenticity. I believe when the therapist and the client walk together, self-love and confidence can be rebuilt."

Shinhae Oh is the latest therapist to join our ECC team. As she states in her bio, Shinhae draws from her lived experiences as a refugee, mother, and someone who has worked multiple jobs to make a living and pursued a nontraditional education path to connect with clients and understand their unique therapy needs.

Shinhae is available to take new clients -- individual adults, relationships, and families -- and specializes in treating:
- Self-acceptance, esteem and confidence
- Relationship issues around communication and intimacy
- Premarital and cohabitation experiences
- Intergenerational conflicts especially among immigrant families
- Immigrant, refugee, undocumented, and identity struggles
- Religious background and related conflicts

She offers bilingual therapy in both English and Korean. Learn more about Shinhae and request an appointment via the link in our bio.

31/10/2024

Congrats to Peter, Whitney, and Tim on their recent professional milestones. We're proud to have you on our team.

Our team at ECC is committed to professional growth so that we can better serve our clients. Learn more about our team members via the link in our bio.

25/09/2024

No matter what mental health issues you're dealing with, you deserve the support of an understanding, trauma-informed therapist who can support your healing journey.
Staff therapist, Garth LaHue, MA, LMFT, works with individual adults, relationships, and families to address presenting issues collaboratively, and strengthen interpersonal communication.

He specializes in treating people with:
- family-of-origin issues
- mood disorders
- relationship affairs
- sexual trauma
- suicidal ideation

Garth earned his Master of Couple & Family Therapy from Adler Universitys and Bachelors in Philosophy & Psychology from University of Wisconsin-Parkside.
Learn more about Garth and request an appointment via the link in our bio.

Address

Telephone

+13127672057

Website

http://www.empoweredconnectionscounseling.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Empowered Connections Counseling posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Empowered Connections Counseling:

Shortcuts

Address
Telephone
Alerts
Contact The Practice
Claim ownership or report listing
Want your practice to be the top-listed Clinic?

Country:

City: