Nikkie Evans PLLC

02/02/2026

✨Creating Progress Team Spotlight✨

If you ask our team who the cheerleader is, the answer is always Mary.

Mary Elston, MA, LCPC has a natural way of making people feel valued, appreciated, and truly heard — whether she’s sitting with a client or supporting a fellow therapist. If you’re having a bad day, all you need to do is find Mary — she’ll effortlessly remind you that you’re valued, appreciated, and doing better than you think.

Mary works with children, teens, adults, couples, families, and athletes, and is especially passionate about supporting anxiety, depression, performance anxiety, burnout, relationship stress, and life transitions. She brings evidence-based tools like CBT, DBT, ACT, and Motivational Interviewing into her work, all while leading with warmth and encouragement.

With her background in figure skating coaching and her multicultural, bilingual (English & Assyrian) perspective, Mary creates spaces that feel supportive, empowering, and connected. We are incredibly grateful to have Mary on our team. Her ability to uplift others and foster genuine connection is a true gift — to both our clients and to all of us at Creating Progress.

We're thrilled to share that after a few months of being on waitlist, she's now accepting new clients for both daytime and evening appointments.

Reach out today to schedule an appointment with Mary!

847.790.4959 (call or text)
intake@creatingprogress.net
www.creatingprogress.net

01/03/2026

When life feels heavy, starting can feel harder than staying stuck.
Our newest blog, written by therapist practice owner Nikkie Evans, reflects on why the mountain often looks biggest at the beginning — and how support can make the climb more manageable.

If you’ve been considering therapy, this one’s for you.

intake@creatingprogress.net
847.790.4959 call or text

When life feels heavy, starting can feel harder than staying stuck. Our newest blog, written by practice owner Nikkie Evans, reflects on why the mountain often looks biggest at the beginning — and how support can make the climb more manageable. If you’ve been considering therapy, this one’s fo...

01/01/2026

✨ 4 Years of Creating Progress ✨

Four years ago, Creating Progress began as a dream — a vision for a mental health counseling practice rooted in compassion, connection, and the belief that progress matters more than perfection.

Along the way, I’ve learned that meaningful change rarely happens all at once. Instead, it unfolds in small, brave steps, honest conversations, and the courage to keep going — even when things feel messy or uncertain. To the clients we have the privilege of serving, thank you for trusting us with your stories and your growth. It is truly an honor to walk alongside you.

I am deeply grateful for the incredible team I get to work alongside. Their heart, skill, and dedication are the foundation of Creating Progress, and this work would not be possible without them.

As we kick off 2026, I’m taking a moment to celebrate how far we’ve come while feeling excited for what’s ahead. We have some exciting things coming that we can’t wait to share.

If you or someone you love could benefit from support, we are currently accepting new clients with immediate availability.

Here’s to another year of creating progress — not perfection — together.

— Nikkie Evans, LCPC
Founder of Creating Progress

12/29/2025

🌟 Welcome Jessica Kolka to the Creating Progress Team! 🌟

We’re so excited to introduce the newest member of our therapy team — Jessica Kolka, MSW, LCSW! Jessica brings a calm, compassionate presence and a deep understanding of what it feels like to juggle life’s demands while quietly struggling beneath the surface. She believes in connection as the heart of healing and creates a space where clients can feel truly seen, heard, and supported.

Jessica works with teens, young adults, adults, women, and parents, and has special experience supporting people through anxiety, depression, self-esteem challenges, life transitions, and perinatal concerns including fertility, IVF, pregnancy loss, and the emotional realities of motherhood. Whether you’re navigating stress, identity shifts, overwhelm, or emotional regulation, Jessica meets you where you are — with empathy, curiosity, and real-world tools for growth.

✨ Great news — she currently has daytime AND evening availability with no waitlist! That means you or your loved one can get connected with support now — no waiting, no delay.

Interested in scheduling with Jessica or learning more about her approach? Reach out to our intake team today:
📞 847-790-4959 call or text
📧 intake@creatingprogress.net

Please help us give Jessica a warm welcome to the team!

Learn more about Jessica here: https://www.creatingprogress.net/jessicakolka

12/20/2025

✨ Introducing our practice newsletter: The Progress Report ✨

We’re excited to share something new from Creating Progress, Not Perfection — The Progress Report, our monthly newsletter designed to bring a little encouragement, connection, and practical support right to your inbox.

Each month, you can expect:
🌱 Practice updates & what’s new at Creating Progress
📚 Therapist picks for books, podcasts, and things we’re loving
🏡 Progress you can practice at home — simple, realistic tools
💛 A special corner just for teens & moms
🍽️ What’s Cooking at Creating Progress — our recipe of the month
…and a few extra thoughtful surprises along the way

👉 Subscribe to The Progress Report today for a monthly reminder that growth doesn’t need to be loud, fast, or perfect to matter- and stay connected with us throughout the year!

Visit www.creatingprogress.net to subscribe.

Nikkie Evans PLLC provides individual and group therapy for teens, therapy for college students, therapy for young adults, therapy for adults, therapy new moms, EMDR Therapy, Christian Counseling for those living on the North Shore and surrounding suburbs of Illinois.

12/20/2025

Wrapping up the year doesn’t have to mean fixing, evaluating, or pushing forward. Our latest blog is an invitation to pause, reflect with kindness, and remember that progress often looks quieter than we expect.

Check it out here: https://www.creatingprogress.net/post/wrapping-up-2025-honoring-progress-letting-go-of-perfection

Looking for support in the new year? Reach out today to get scheduled:
847.790.4959 call or text
intake@creatingprogress.net
www.creatingprogress.net

As we come to the close of 2025, there’s often a quiet (or not-so-quiet) pressure to look back and measure ourselves. Did we do enough? Did we grow enough? Did we become the version of ourselves we hoped we would be? At Creating Progress, Not Perfection, we want to gently offer something different...

12/11/2025

A big THANK YOU to Stevenson High School for inviting us to be part of their resource fair this year. It was truly meaningful to connect with local schools, social workers, and fellow mental health practices who are all working toward the same mission- supporting teens, families, and our community.

Collaborating like this is how we create progress, not perfection- together.

We are grateful for the opportunity, and we are so excited to keep building partnerships that help our community thrive in the new year!

Intake@creatingprogress.net
www.creatingprogress.net

11/24/2025

This weekend we took some time to slow down, connect, laugh, and celebrate the people that make this work possible.

Our team holiday gathering was a reminder that progress is built in community- with support, empathy, and a lot of heart.

Today I’m feeling extra grateful for each person on this team- and for our clients who trust us with their stories!

Happy Holidays from your Creating Progress team! ✨

11/03/2025

Life can feel messy, overwhelming, or just a lot sometimes — and you don’t have to navigate it alone.

At Creating Progress, Not Perfection, our team of therapists specialize in walking alongside teens, adults, parents, and professionals through life’s challenges with compassion and care.

We’re currently accepting new clients — reach out if you’ve been thinking it might be time for extra support.

Let's create progress- together.

📞 Call or text 847-790-4959 or visit www.creatingprogress.net

08/13/2025

✨ Sometimes the smallest reminders make the biggest difference.

Last week, I watched my 4-year-old close her eyes on the monkey bars, whisper, “I can do this,” and then make it all the way across — one bar at a time.

It got me thinking about self-talk — that constant conversation we have with ourselves. When it’s encouraging, it can help us keep going. When it’s critical, it can stop us before we even start.

This week, I’m sharing a story, a mindset shift, and one small action you can take to create momentum toward your goals. Because it’s not about doing it perfectly — it’s about creating progress, not perfection.

📖 Read the full post here: https://www.creatingprogress.net/post/the-monkey-bars-and-the-power-of-a-simple-reminder
💬 What’s your go-to phrase when you need a boost?

intake@creatingprogress.net
847.790.4959 (call or text)
www.creatingprogress.net

It was our third trip to the monkey bars that afternoon. My 4-year-old is still too short to reach them on her own, so I lifted her up so her hands could grab the first bar.The second her fingers wrapped around it, she closed her eyes and whispered, “I can do this.”When she opened her eyes, she ...

08/12/2025

New School Year, New Challenges? We’re Here to Help.

The start of a new school year can be exciting… and overwhelming. If your teen is struggling with:

📈 Academic pressure
😔 Anxiety about new social situations
💤 Trouble adjusting to new routines
😢 Changes in mood or motivation

…they don’t have to navigate it alone.

Our licensed therapists specialize in working with teens and understand the unique pressures they face—both in and out of the classroom.

We offer:
✅ After-school sessions to fit busy schedules
✅ Weekend availability for families on the go
✅ A safe, nonjudgmental space where teens can express themselves and learn coping skills

📅 Now accepting new clients for the fall semester. Reach out today to schedule an appointment.

Intake@creatingprogress.net
www.creatingprogress.net
847.790.4959 (call or text)

Nikkie Evans PLLC provides individual and group therapy for teens, therapy for college students, therapy for young adults, therapy for adults, therapy new moms, EMDR Therapy, Christian Counseling for those living on the North Shore and surrounding suburbs of Illinois.

08/04/2025