Dr. Elia is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in Arizona and Illinois. She obtained her Bachelor of Science Degree, cum laude, in Psychology, from Arizona State University in 1997 and went on to earn her Masters of Science Degree in Counseling and Education in 2002 from the same prestigious university. She completed her Doctorate of Psychology Degree in Clinical Psychology in 2007 from the American School of Professional Psychology in Phoenix, Arizona. Her doctoral dissertation focused on the positive effects of parental involvement on a child’s academic success.
Since graduating, Dr. Elia has amassed a wide array of clinical expertise among various age groups and diagnoses. She worked for several years with children in K-6th grade as a school based family counselor. She worked several years with male inmates in the Illinois Department of Corrections as both a clinician and educator. Dr. Elia worked several years within geropsychology in skilled nursing and assisted living facilities, conducting brief psychotherapy, family interventions, and neuropsychological evaluations. Dr. Elia has worked in private practice with all age groups and provided individual, couples, family, children, and group psychotherapy. Her vast clinical experience includes working with clients diagnosed with severe mental illness, sociopathy, mood disorders, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, trauma, cognitive disorders, substance abuse and eating disorders. Dr. Elia works within a group practice in the Chicagoland and downtown Chicago areas and she conducts neuropsychological assessments with people living with dementia and brain injury in various nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities.
Dr. Elia's long-term professional goals are to continue research and program development geared toward assisting youth in obtaining academic success through the support of their caregivers; to provide those less fortunate, whether due to years of incarceration, low SES, limited resources and education, or mental illness with opportunities for change and long-term relationship/life success.
Dr. Elia is a Member of the American Psychological Association. She is also an Adjunct Associate Professor for The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, teaching graduate students in the psychology and counseling programs. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, being active, and taking in sporting events.
Currently, Dr. Elia is seeing patients for psychotherapy, life coaching, consultations, and evaluations via telehealth.