About Andie

Andie Coston, LSW

“Shame dies when stories
are told in safe spaces.”

- Ann Voskamp

About:

Andie is a mom to four children and her two wiener dogs: Daisy Duke Banana-Pants and Long John Custard. A semi-recent transplant to Illinois, originally from Northern Michigan, Andie has been in private practice since 2022 when she graduated with her MSW. Andie has been with CHAT since 2023. Andie is also employed at Illinois State University where she will be teaching within the Social Work department as an Associate Professor.

Andie is an avid reader, writer, artist, humorist, and admirer of nature. She is also an advocate for the Neurodiverse, Adoptee, and Queer communities online as well as a speaker and educator. If money were not an issue, she would be traveling, exploring, learning at museums with her kids, taking long walks on the beach (literally) collecting rocks, or would move to a tiny little lake cabin to create art, write, collect 4 leaf-clovers, and befriend the local wildlife.

Theoretical Framework and Modalities:

Professionally, Andie seeks to help you understand how we react to change, adapt, and heal from single or complex traumatic experiences. Her goal is to help clients work towards acceptance with past experiences, live more fully in the present, and gain agency over their life journey by working to improving their internal view of self, increase skills through a growth mindset to improve functioning, and help process traumas impeding them from being peacefully present and engaged in their lives.

Beyond talk therapy modalities such as CBT and DBT, Andie utilizes the Expressive Arts, Somatic therapy, EMDR, Sand Tray, Narrative Therapy, Psychoeducation, ITR, and TF-CBT.

Andie’s Typical Clientele:

Andie’s clientele usually have a Venn Diagram of experiences or diagnosis ranging from Neurodivergence (Autism/ADHD) Trauma, High Control Religious Trauma, LGBTQIA+ and Transgender identities, Pathological Demand Avoidance, Attachment, Chronic Pain, or have experienced biological family separation or loss through adoption, foster care, or family dysfunction.

Education and Training:

Andie’s educational background is diverse with a Bachelor’s of Intercultural Studies and Marketing having originally studied Fine art and Theater. She began her Master of Social Work right before the pandemic and graduated in 2022. Andie is a trauma trained clinician through the Mindsight Institute/PESI having taken and completed an Intensive Trauma Treatment Course, as well as training and certifications in EMDR, ITR, TF-CBT, and Sand Tray. Andie is also an adoption and foster care competent therapist through training and lived experience.

License number: 150.111370

Andie might be a good fit if:

You use humor as a coping skill.
You like learning and info dumping.
You like to stim, move, play, or do art while you talk.
You are interested in politics and policy, religious and oppressive system deconstruction.
You are a bit nerdy.
You like to show people photos of your pets.