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VM Portrait of Vicki Marcum

Vicki Marcum

Compassionate clinician combining evidence and empathy

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About Vicki

Vicki Marcum is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) with 40 years of clinical experience in a wide range of practice settings. She blends client-centered principles with targeted, evidence-informed methods to help people cope with stress, anxiety, trauma, grief, depression, relationship and family concerns, and other life challenges.

Background and approach

Vicki’s background includes inpatient psychiatric care, outpatient community mental health, emergency and crisis intervention, case management, in-home services, and independent practice in Illinois.

Her work draws on Attachment-Based Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), and Existential perspectives to address issues such as parenting, intimacy and family dynamics, coping with life changes, compassion fatigue, ADHD, bipolar disorder, eating and body image concerns, anger, self-esteem, and career-related stress.

She has experience with adoption and foster care matters, family of origin issues, domestic violence, and blended family adjustments. Vicki adapts her approach to each person’s needs, prioritizing a collaborative therapeutic relationship and shifting strategies as appropriate.

Vicki practices in Illinois and conducts sessions in English. Her style emphasizes support and empathy while encouraging clients to explore choices and develop their own solutions.

She aims to create a respectful, direct environment where growth often involves moments of laughter, tears, and honest challenge.

Integrating Therapeutic Approaches for Online Care



Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on how early relationships shape current patterns of connection and trust; it helps clients explore relational needs, improve emotional attunement, and address attachment-related distress. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) examines how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors interact and uses practical strategies to reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress while building coping skills. Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) centers on identifying and reshaping emotional responses within relationships, which can be particularly helpful for intimacy-related issues and improving communication.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work and occurs collaboratively. The therapist will begin with a client-centered stance to build rapport, then discuss which methods best fit a person’s goals, history, and preferences. Together the client and therapist will adjust strategies over time to respond to changing needs.

Online therapy offers flexibility to access these approaches through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. These options make it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules, maintain continuity of care when travel or time constraints arise, and preserve therapeutic momentum between meetings by using messaging for brief check-ins or reflections.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does Vicki commonly address?
Vicki works with a broad range of issues including stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, depression, relationship and family problems, parenting concerns, eating and body image issues, bipolar disorder, and coping with life changes.
What therapeutic approach does she use in sessions?
Her work begins with a client-centered stance to build trust and then incorporates approaches such as Attachment-Based Therapy, CBT, EFT, and existential ideas tailored to the presenting issue and client preferences.
How much clinical experience does the therapist bring?
She brings 40 years of clinical experience across inpatient psychiatry, outpatient community mental health, crisis intervention, case management, in-home services, and independent practice.
What credentials and location are on record?
She is a licensed clinical social worker with the credential IL LCSW 149008067 and practices in Illinois.
In which language are sessions offered and can international clients join?
Sessions are offered in English and she is not accepting international clients at this time.
What session formats are available for therapy?
Clients can work with her via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging depending on what fits their needs and scheduling.
How is cost handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are arranged through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the first steps to begin working together?
To get started, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to the therapist's availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Also works with

Therapeutic approaches

Experience
40 years
Licensed
Illinois
Languages
English