Vicki Marcum, LCSW
Experienced, compassionate therapy tailored to each person
- 40 years clinical experience
- Client centered and collaborative
- Trained in EMDR
About Vicki Marcum
Vicki Marcum, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker in Illinois with more than 40 years of clinical experience. She holds two master’s degrees - one in Community Health and one in Social Work - and brings a broad, real-world understanding of how mental health, relationships, and life circumstances intersect.
Across her career, she has worked in a wide range of settings, including inpatient psychiatric care, outpatient community mental health, emergency and crisis intervention services, and private practice. Her background also includes work as a Qualified Examiner, as well as supporting adults living with chronic mental illness through outpatient day treatment and extended day treatment programs. She has provided case management for adults, children, and families, with attention to parenting support, developmental growth, and behavioral concerns, and has delivered services in emergency rooms, schools, churches, social service agencies, and other community settings.
Vicki has worked with people across the lifespan, from infancy through older adulthood, offering individual, family, and group therapy in community mental health and within the child welfare system. She is a registered play therapy supervisor with extensive training in play therapy with all age groups, and she has also completed clinical training and certification in EMDR.
Her approach typically begins in a client-centered way, focusing on building a trusting relationship. From there, she adapts her methods to match the treatment concern, the client’s personality, and what feels most understandable and useful. Vicki is known for being compassionate and supportive while also being willing to respectfully challenge unhelpful beliefs when the time is right. She does not position herself as someone who “fixes” people or tells them what to do. Instead, she emphasizes client choice and collaboration, helping people explore options and find a direction that feels true to them, with space for humor, emotion, and honest conversation along the way.
Across her career, she has worked in a wide range of settings, including inpatient psychiatric care, outpatient community mental health, emergency and crisis intervention services, and private practice. Her background also includes work as a Qualified Examiner, as well as supporting adults living with chronic mental illness through outpatient day treatment and extended day treatment programs. She has provided case management for adults, children, and families, with attention to parenting support, developmental growth, and behavioral concerns, and has delivered services in emergency rooms, schools, churches, social service agencies, and other community settings.
Vicki has worked with people across the lifespan, from infancy through older adulthood, offering individual, family, and group therapy in community mental health and within the child welfare system. She is a registered play therapy supervisor with extensive training in play therapy with all age groups, and she has also completed clinical training and certification in EMDR.
Her approach typically begins in a client-centered way, focusing on building a trusting relationship. From there, she adapts her methods to match the treatment concern, the client’s personality, and what feels most understandable and useful. Vicki is known for being compassionate and supportive while also being willing to respectfully challenge unhelpful beliefs when the time is right. She does not position herself as someone who “fixes” people or tells them what to do. Instead, she emphasizes client choice and collaboration, helping people explore options and find a direction that feels true to them, with space for humor, emotion, and honest conversation along the way.
Areas of Expertise
Primary Focus
Also Specializes In
Relationship issuesFamily conflictsIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCompassion fatigueADHD
Additional Focus Areas
AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAntisocial personalityAttachment issuesBlended family issuesBody imageCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDivorce and separationDomestic violenceFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMood disordersPersonality disordersPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthPrejudice and discriminationSelf-harmSexual assault and abuseSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesWorkplace issues
Therapeutic Approach
Attachment-Based Therapy Client-Centered Therapy Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) Existential Therapy Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Mindfulness Therapy Narrative Therapy Psychodynamic Therapy Solution-Focused Therapy Trauma-Focused Therapy
Frequently Asked Questions
How much experience does Vicki Marcum have?
Vicki Marcum has 40 years of experience providing therapy and mental health services.
Is Vicki Marcum a licensed therapist?
Yes. Vicki Marcum is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW). Her Illinois license is IL LCSW 149008067.
In which languages does Vicki Marcum provide therapy?
Vicki Marcum provides therapy in English.
Where is Vicki Marcum located?
Vicki Marcum is located in Illinois.
How can I work with Vicki Marcum as my therapist?
Sessions with Vicki Marcum can take place through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, depending on what works best for the client.
Does Vicki Marcum work with international clients?
No. Vicki Marcum does not currently work with international clients.
How much does therapy with Vicki Marcum cost?
The cost of therapy can vary depending on factors such as location and the therapist’s availability. Sessions are billed through a subscription that can be canceled at any time, for any reason. For current details, click the “Start Therapy” button on this page.
How can I get started with therapy?
Getting started is quick and straightforward. Click the “Start Therapy” button and complete a short questionnaire to help match you with your therapist. Depending on availability, the first session can then be scheduled and may take place by phone, video call, live chat, or in-app messaging.
Therapeutic Approaches That Translate Well to Online Care
Vicki Marcum, LCSW, draws from multiple evidence-informed approaches to support clients with concerns such as stress, anxiety, trauma, grief, depression, relationship challenges, and major life transitions. In Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), clients learn to notice patterns in thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, then practice practical strategies that can make day-to-day coping feel more manageable.Her attachment-based work focuses on how early relationships and life experiences can shape trust, connection, and emotional safety in the present. This approach can be especially helpful for people navigating relationship strain, family of origin concerns, or recurring patterns that feel hard to change. She also incorporates a client-centered foundation, emphasizing respect, empathy, and the belief that clients are the experts on their own lives, while offering supportive guidance and appropriately timed challenges.
Finding the right fit is part of the process. Vicki collaborates with clients to choose an approach that aligns with their goals, preferences, and pace, adjusting along the way as needs become clearer.
Online therapy makes it easier to get consistent support without adding extra travel or scheduling stress. Clients can meet with her through video calls or phone sessions, and can also use live chat or text-based messaging for added flexibility between sessions.