Empowered Connections Counseling

10/20/2025

Have you ever noticed behavioral patterns in yourself or in your family that seem impossible to change?

These patterns can feel confusing, frustrating, or even shameful—especially when you can’t point to anything in your own life that seems to explain them. Often, they’re signs of generational or inherited trauma: wounds passed down through families not just through stories or memories, but through behaviors, coping styles, and emotional patterns.

The good news is that these cycles can be understood and healed. In their latest blog, ECC therapist Gia Scalise shares insights on how therapy can help you recognize and understand patterns of generational trauma, where they come from, how they’ve shaped you, and how to begin breaking the cycles.

Read the full post at the link in our bio.

09/27/2025

Some members of the ECC team walked today to raise awareness and money for su***de prevention in Illinois and the U.S. We are honored to have the opportunity to participate in this walk, as well as to support our clients on their mental health journeys. You are not alone. The world is a better place with you in it.
***deawarenessmonth ***depreventionwalk

09/24/2025

Just a few days left before the Out of the Darkness walk! Some members of the ECC team will be walking in honor of our family members, our friends, our clients, and our community. Please consider donating if you are able to.

Please support the American Foundation for Su***de Prevention to help save lives and bring hope to those affected by su***de. Donate or register to walk!

09/12/2025

Hello, deeply feeling humans. We see you, we love you, we are you. The world may be a mess, but you’re not alone in it.

September is – a good time to remind ourselves that the work of sobriety is learning to show up as our full, messy, human selves and comfortable feeling and sharing the full range of our emotions. If you’re struggling, we’re here to help you carry the load. Therapy can help you process the deep feelings and approach life with a little more confidence and self-trust. Head to the link in our bio to book a session with one of our therapists.

09/11/2025

In honor of su***de awareness month, the ECC team is joining thousands of teams across the country to help save lives and bring hope to those affected by su***de.

It is our mission to support people in developing meaningful connections with themselves, their significant relationships, and their communities. In the moments in which we feel most disconnected from others, we most need the reminder that we are not alone. Many of us know someone whose life has been touched by su***de in some way. We are walking for our clients, our loved ones, our friends, our community, and for anyone who has struggled with finding their value and feeling connected in this world.

Please consider supporting us if you are able to!

***deawarenessprevention ***deawarenessmonth

06/11/2025

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.

02/24/2025

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

02/17/2025

"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.

02/14/2025

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.

01/31/2025

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.

01/30/2025

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.

01/28/2025

"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.