Emily Cotto

Biography

I am proud to be an Aurora native. I graduated from IMSA’s neighbor – Aurora Central Catholic High School and received both my Bachelor and Master of Social Work degrees from Aurora University.

During my career, I have had the pleasure of working in a variety of settings with a primary focus on the betterment of children’s lives. I began my social work journey in the child welfare field as a Skills Coach assisting adolescents in learning, practicing, and improving social skills in addition to conducting crisis intervention when needed. I later worked as a community social worker where I served a diverse population of children of lower socioeconomic status who were in elementary through high school. In that role I facilitated social skills and socioemotional groups as well as provided individual counseling for children and adults. Additionally, I served as an advocate for implementing more equitable resources for the community’s residents.

Following those experiences I transitioned into private practice as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. I continue to find great joy in providing individual therapy to adolescents and adults through a whole-person centered approach. I utilize a combination of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy from a Polyvagal informed and Neurodiversity-affirming lense.

In my personal life I thrive on spending time with family and close friends, connecting with those loved ones over a good meal with lots of laughs, exploring podcasts, documentaries, expressing myself through art of various forms, and being mindful in nature.

Education and Qualifications

  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker
  • Master of Social Work