Ellen Spiese, LMFT

Ellen Spiese believes that her education in Psychology and Marriage and Family Therapy has shaped both her professional and personal life in a meaningful way. She has received a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and a Master of Science degree in Applied Family and Child Sciences with a Specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy from Northern Illinois University.

Ellen believes in the importance of continuing to challenge herself and expand her area of knowledge in her field. She is a clinical fellow with the American Associate of Marriage and Family Therapy and attends trainings and continuing education opportunities to add to her clinical knowledge, which she applies to her work with clients.

With her background and training in Marriage and Family Therapy, Ellen is well versed in systemic treatment models and identifies the impact that therapeutic issues have on the entire family system. She believes in identifying and utilizing the strengths and unique qualities of individuals and families. Ellen has previously worked in both outpatient and residential treatment settings working with individuals, couples, and families. In her experience in residential treatment, Ellen worked with youth that experienced complex trauma histories, family crisis, reactive behaviors and abandonment issues. Her work with youth and their families helped them to identify dysfunctional patterns of interaction and improve individual and family functioning. She has partnered with families, couples and individuals to work through difficult treatment issues and helped them to develop the necessary skills to manage stress, anxiety and conflict.

Ellen utilizes a wide variety of theoretical orientations including, but not limited to, Attachment Theory, Family Systems Theory, Structural Family Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Experiential Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, Narrative Therapy and Trauma Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy to meet the unique needs of her clients. Her areas of focus include trauma, Depression, Anxiety, family and couples therapy, stress management, attachment issues, parenting issues, LGBTQ issues, life transitions and self-esteem.