ELKA CUBACUB, LSW (she/her)

Associate

At the center of every person, there is something healthy, whole, and beautiful. That belief is truly at the core of my work. I use practical tools and mind-body practices to treat eating disorders, helping to reduce shame and rebuild a healthier relationship with food. I also provide individual and family therapy for those navigating depression, anxiety, and psychotic conditions like schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder.

My approach draws from mindfulness, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Internal Family Systems to promote healing, resilience, and self-understanding.

What’s one strength clients often notice about you?

Clients have told me that I integrate a strong theoretical and clinical background with intuition and practical application, so that they feel validated and accepted for who they are, while also challenged to grow in real, tangible ways. 

Many also share that they walk away from sessions feeling more hopeful and empowered. As clients begin to get in touch with what’s underneath the patterns they’ve had trouble shifting, there’s often less helplessness and shame and more agency and self-acceptance.

What kinds of challenges do people usually bring to you?

Clients often come to me with some version of, “I know what I need to do, but I just can’t get myself to do it. I need to stop [fill in the blank] drinking, binge eating, obsessively worrying, or beating myself up for my failures. But something in me won’t let me change.”

In session, we get to know what that “something” is, how it evolved, and what it needs in order to let us live more fully. As we do, clients become more hopeful, less stuck, and better able to translate what they know intellectually to what they feel at a gut level.

The conditions I work with most are anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and psychosis. I also have a deep passion for relationship counseling, especially in helping people navigate political and ideological divides. 

What drew you to this work?

I've always been fascinated by the depth and complexity of the human mind. Growing up in a family of ten children, I was often cast in the role of mediator. As a young adult, I struggled with binge eating disorder, and experienced the loss of control, shame, and helplessness that came along with it. In a desperate attempt to regain control of my own life, I read and learned everything I could about the human psyche and how we heal. As I moved toward what would eventually become full recovery, I developed a strong sense of purpose in helping others who’ve experienced the same loss of self I once felt.

How does your training help you support your clients? 

My approach to therapy is informed by somatic and acceptance-based modalities. Simply put, I believe that 

  1. At the center of every person, there is something healthy, whole and beautiful. 

  2. Symptoms develop as a means of avoiding overwhelming experiences. 

  3. As we integrate the parts of ourselves that feel hurt, afraid, or shameful, those symptoms begin to heal, and we become able to live more fully and freely.

I hold training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Phase 1 Brainspotting, and Level 1 Gottman Method Couples Therapy. I’m also a registered yoga teacher (RYT-200), and mindfulness and mind-body integration are central to how I approach therapy. I’m the author of Binge Eating Demystified and host of the podcast EDeology: The People Behind Today’s Eating Disorder Treatment Landscape.

I completed my bachelor’s degree in psychology at Hebrew Theological College and earned my master’s in social work with a mental health specialization from the University of Illinois at Chicago. During graduate school, I conducted a qualitative research project on mindfulness meditation and self-transcendence in individuals living with chronic pain and opioid misuse.

Clinically, I’ve worked in a range of settings, including partial hospitalization, long-term residential, and outpatient care. I’ve supported individuals facing eating disorders, mood disorders (such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and self-harm), and substance use challenges. I’ve also provided therapy and case management in a First Episode Psychosis program. Earlier in my career, I volunteered for the National Runaway Safeline, supporting adolescents and their families in crisis.

Read Elka’s recent blog posts:

Listen to Elka’s podcast, EDeology: The People Behind Today's Eating Disorder Treatment Landscape

EDeology is a space for conversations among eating disorder recovery professionals to share the personal and professional experiences that shape their narratives. The podcast explores a variety of divisive issues around food, health, body image, and disordered eating.

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