DES PLAINES OUTPATIENT EATING DISORDER PROGRAM

Melissa O’Neill, LCSW, CEDS-S

Melissa O’Neill is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over a decade of experience with Eating Disorders in higher levels of care. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University and her Master’s degree from University of Illinois.

Ms. O’Neill has specialized in working with adults and adolescents struggling with Eating Disorders, co-occurring disorders, and those who have experienced trauma. She has supervised programs for the treatment of Eating Disorders at IOP, PHP, and residential levels of care and holds her Certified Eating Disorder Specialist Supervisor designation. Ms. O’Neill approaches therapy from the lens that relationships are vital to the healing process and a key component of recovery. She is also an EMDR trained clinician and is adjunct faculty and DePaul University.

Magdalena Zelazko, BS

Magdalena Zelazko graduated from Loyola University of Chicago in 2017 with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and minor in Psychology of Crime & Justice. During her undergrad, she began volunteering and working in communal and hospital settings with children, adolescents, and adults who struggled with behavioral and developmental delays. She also worked as an assistant designer/manager for an interior design firm specializing in rehabilitative settings by overseeing both project progress and team efficacy. In 2018, Magdalena began her work at Center for Discovery in the Residential Treatment Center in Glenview, IL as a milieu counselor. In this role, she honed in on her leadership and interpersonal skills by leading counseling groups such as DBT, providing one-on-one support to clients, managing crisis situations, and providing meal support. In the summer of 2019, Magdalena began her role as Facility Coordinator of the new Chicago Eating Disorder Outpatient Facility to better serve the clients and their families.

Melissa Koontz, M.Ed

Melissa Koontz graduated from DePaul University with a Masters in Counseling, concentration in Clinical Mental Health. Melissa has worked in a variety of mental health settings, including residential, partial hospitalization, and out-patient programs. She has significant clinical experience treating eating disorders, mood and anxiety disorders, as well as adolescent and adult age groups. Melissa uses a strengths based approach to explore the client’s true self, while empowering them towards change. Also a registered yoga teacher, RYT, Melissa uses yogic principles to connect the mind-body and promote mindfulness in and out of therapy sessions. At Center for Discovery, Melissa offers gentle yoga to help clients connect with their physical bodies and practice self-acceptance. Her focus on the whole-person gives clients a chance to make long-lasting holistic changes in their lives. Melissa truly believes in the power of therapy and is passionate about the well being and success of her clients

Demi Maropoulos, RD

Demi Maropoulos is a Registered Dietitian with a Bachelor’s of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Demi first began at Center for Discovery during her professional internship rotations as a dietetic intern. She stepped in as many roles before becoming the facility’s full-time dietitian.

Demi believes Center for Discovery’s food philosophy is essential in creating positive relationships with food. She believes in “all foods fit” and “health at every size” for everyone, not just those recovering from eating disorders. Demi lives this philosophy daily, in and out of Center For Discovery, with the hope of inspiring others to develop their own healthy relationships with food.