Maga McElroy, MSW, LCSW

Personal Statement

I am a BSN-prepared nurse and Licensed Clinical Social Worker with more than 30 years of experience working alongside professionals in healthcare and social services. I am bilingual in English and Spanish. Over my career in private practice and public agency settings, I have worked with individuals, couples, and families from many backgrounds. My approach is warm, approachable, and grounded in the insight I have gained through decades of practice. I create a space where you feel heard, understood, and supported as you work through life’s challenges.

Who I Serve

I work with individuals, couples, and families who want more clarity and direction in their lives. Many of my clients come to me during a difficult transition or a moment of change, looking for a space where they can slow down and be understood. Whether you are working through a specific challenge or simply want support as you move toward meaningful change, I am here to help you get there.

Specialty Treatment Areas

• Grief & loss
• Victim-survivor of sexual abuse, assault, or trauma
• Life transitions
• Depression
• Anxiety

Theoretical Approach

At its foundation, my therapeutic approach is rooted in the understanding that it takes a measure of effort for anyone to take steps to reach out for support and engage in therapy.   Moreover, it is with respect and compassion that I acknowledge that every individual’s body, brain and being may function differently, contain some weaknesses, and have strengths on which to draw or build upon.  In other words, everyone has some measure of resiliency and strength along with the capacity to learn, grow and change; however the approaches any of us may take to gain knowledge or understanding can differ.  

When distressed by challenges, struggles or difficult circumstances, we seek solutions.  As a solution-focused therapist I want to listen attentively and patiently to gain an understanding of the struggle or challenges you are experiencing.  Together, we will discover and formulate your goal or goals for achieving a solution and based on your strengths, I will find therapeutic approaches and techniques for you to attain and more importantly maintain your goal’s solution.  

Some of the modalities or methods I use are found in Cognitive Behavioral therapy, which focuses on addressing and altering the ways we may think and behave in order to attain our goal. Another useful approach, might be Integrative, or Holistic, to discover how early life experiences or even unconscious thoughts could be influencing our current emotions or behaviors, how health problems or aging may be contributing factor in struggles, still another approach might be on becoming more aware of the here and now, how to find meaning, or acknowledge our free will or self- determination to achieve goals. 

My aim, as you undertake a therapeutic journey, is to provide a safe, trusting environment where you can feel heard and understood.  My role is to walk alongside you, compassionately listening, offer approaches and techniques to allow you to grow, learn, change, and heal towards a greater sense of well-being and feeling of peace. 

Insurance Networks

• Private pay
• Aetna
• Aetna Medicare
• BCBS PPO
• Cigna (Evernorth)
• TriCare
• BCBS Community Health (Medicaid)
• Meridian (Medicaid)

Education/Certifications

• MA of Social Work from University of Illinois Chicago
• BS in Nursing from Alverno College
• Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of Illinois