Annika O’Melia, LISW

I earned my Bachelor of Science and Education from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. I majored in Human Development and Psychological Services and fell in love with the science of the mind. My absolute favorite paper/project during undergraduate was on the brain/body reaction to stress and trauma.

I earned my Master or Social Work degree from the #1 school of social work in the country at the time, Washington University in St. Louis. My Masters program helped me deepen my understanding of the person within their environment and ignited my passion for policy and feminist theory.

After graduating with my Masters, I spent a year working with victims of felony crimes. The experience expanded my understanding of trauma and its effects on a person’s physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. I also witnessed the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unspeakable violence and loss.

I worked as a family therapist in Vancouver, Canada, where I focused on helping parents with children with ADHD and behavior disorders. I had the privilege to work intensively with many families both at our clinic and in the families’ homes. In addition to loving the work, I loved living in Vancouver with my husband and our Golden Retriever.

I worked as a family therapist for Lutheran Services of Illinois with birth mothers who had lost custody of their children and were trying to regain custody, with children in the foster care system, and with foster parents. This was rewarding and challenging. I expanded my understanding of the devastating impact of addiction on women and their families and met some women who were transformed by the love of their children.

I had the privilege of working as the wellness counselor at Edgerton Women’s Health Center. In this role, I was able to develop an integrated behavioral health program with the physicians, midwives, and nurse practitioners who saw over 4,000 patients every year. I was responsible for the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of women referred from the medical team for mental health concerns. This is the position that ignited my passion for reproductive and maternal mental health and really honed my therapeutic skills in this area.

I completed two years of weekly supervision with a phenomenal social worker to receive my licensure at the independent level in Iowa in 2012. Having an LISW means that I do not require a supervisor to provide services and that insurance companies will recognize the work I do as an eligible mental health service for reimbursement.

In 2013, I became the President and Chief Executive Officer of Edgerton Women’s Health Center. I stepped away from counseling during this time and moved into administration to challenge myself and to serve women from a more macro/policy level rather than at the individual level. I learned more than I ever wanted to know about business administration and the experience was extremely valuable.

In July of 2016, pregnant with twins, I decided to stay home with my three-year-old and five-year-old when my company merged with a larger company. After a difficult pregnancy, my twins arrived in late 2016 and I rocked it as a stay-at-home mom of four… until…

I decided to start my own private psychotherapy practice to serve women during the most beautiful yet challenging and vulnerable time of our lives. I hope Quad City Women’s Therapy becomes a place women come to feel safe, to own their power, to connect with their purpose, and to experience real joy and peace in life through their journey toward greater wellness.