Kellie Calderon offers clients an empathetic, judgment-free space to cope with difficult situations and discover their strengths. Kellie believes each client has the ability to grow, make positive changes, and fulfill their full potential with the right guidance and support.

Kellie is the founder of Ace Counseling Group and feels this work is her passion in life. She aims to help people identify, discover, grow, and heal, while recognizing their capabilities and strengths so they can live more fully. Her counseling style is motivating, empowering, and grounded in respect for each client’s ability to create meaningful change.

Who I Work With

• Clients seeking anxiety counseling, support through life transitions, or help with relationship stress
• Adolescents and adults navigating stress, grief, depression, work stress, or personal challenges
• Children, adolescents, and young adults, based on Kellie’s experience in private practice
• Clients who want an eclectic approach tailored to their needs
• People seeking crisis-informed, short-term counseling, or goal-focused support

My Approach to Therapy

Kellie uses an eclectic therapeutic approach, drawing from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Person-Centered Therapy, and Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT). She tailors therapy to each client, using the approaches that best fit their needs, goals, and current circumstances.

CBT helps clients identify negative thoughts and distorted thinking patterns, then work toward changing those patterns to support shifts in feelings and behaviors. DBT helps clients recognize a both-and perspective rather than an either-or perspective. It is highly skills-based and balances acceptance with change, helping clients hold truths such as doing the best they can while also wanting to do better.

Person-Centered Therapy reflects Kellie’s belief that every person has the innate ability to change and grow, even when life experiences or struggles cloud that ability. SFBT focuses on solutions in the present, with realistic and identifiable goals that help clients move forward. Kellie’s background in crisis response and short-term counseling also supports her ability to help clients focus on immediate needs while still working toward broader growth.

What Clients Can Expect

Clients can expect Kellie to create a supportive, empathetic environment where they can explore challenges without judgment. She is passionate about helping clients find new ways of thinking, identify strengths, set goals, and build coping skills that support change.

Her work may involve identifying patterns, challenging unhelpful thoughts, learning skills, clarifying goals, and developing practical solutions. Kellie’s approach is encouraging and direct enough to help clients move forward, while staying rooted in compassion and respect.

Areas of Focus

• Anxiety counseling in Chicago
• Life transitions
• Relationship stress
• Adolescents and adults
• Children, adolescents, and young adults
• Depression, grief, work stress, and transitional stress
• Crisis response and short-term counseling
• CBT, DBT, Person-Centered Therapy, and SFBT
• Goal setting and strengths-based growth

Background and Personal Details

Kellie earned her Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Summa Cum Laude, from Governors State University in 2016. She also received a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Saint Ambrose University in 2012.

Kellie has worked in community agencies, private practice, and an Employee Assistance Program. During graduate school, she interned at Family Service Association of Greater Elgin Area, worked with youth, adolescents, and adults, co-led groups for adolescents, and worked with the SASS team on crisis response. In private practice, she has mainly worked with children, adolescents, and young adults. She has also conducted over-the-phone assessments and served as an onsite EAP counselor using a solution-focused short-term counseling model. Outside of work, Kellie enjoys cooking, spending time with her husband and two boys, and being with her dog, Jax. Her personal warmth complements her professional focus on helping clients feel capable, supported, and ready to take practical steps forward.

Closing Invitation

To learn more about anxiety counseling with Kellie, reach out through Ace Counseling Group or schedule a session when you are ready.