Lily McCloskey

Master of Social Work candidate, graduating in May, with a passion for supporting youth, young adults, and their families in managing mental health challenges and navigating social barriers.

Group Therapist Intern - Compass Health Center (September 2024- Present)

Provide group therapy to adolescent patients with a variety of mental health concerns in a partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient setting

• Facilitate evidenced-based groups using modalities including CBT, DBT, and ACT to patients in the Mood & Anxiety and OCD Programs.
• Develop effective therapeutic group-based relationships that contribute to the wellbeing of the group as a whole and individual patients
• Engage in crisis management and complete risk assessments and safety plans when appropriate
• Collaborate cross-functionally with individual and family therapists as well as psychiatrists to share relevant clinical information to support each patient’s wellbeing

• Provide individual mental health counseling to Chicago Public High School students with a variety of mental health needs
• Engage clients using open-ended questions and active listening to build rapport and establish relationships built on genuine care and connection
• Provide psycho-education to students around the interrelated nature of thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and physical reactions and impact on ability to function
• Utilize evidenced-based CBT and DBT interventions to help students learn skills to cope with mental health symptoms
• Complete psychosocial assessments and case plans with each student, including identifying SMART goals with students, action steps students will take, and interventions utilized

• Support elementary special education students in an inclusive classroom setting by providing social, emotional, and educational support in accordance with each students’ individualized education program (IEP)
• Work with students one-on-one to achieve a range of outcomes, including improved focus on academic instruction, emotion regulation skills, and modeling the skills needed to participate in social settings
• Work alongside the school social worker to help students navigate challenges and conflict through restorative conversations and circle discussions

• As part of University of Chicago Medical’s Comprehensive, Care, Community, and Culture program, engaged with patients in the Emergency Department to conduct social determinants of health screenings to address unmet social needs
• Provided case management and connected patients to appropriate resources to meet needs such as housing insecurity, food insecurity, transportation, public assistance, immigration issues, maternal health, and mental health, and more
• Helped launch a pilot food pantry within a primary care clinic, created systems and processes to operate the pantry, worked in the pantry to provide food to patients and screen for social needs

University of Illinois, Jane Addams College of Social Work - May 2025

• Master of Social Work, Specialization: Mental Health

• Bachelor of Business Administration