Dr. Draga Ilievski

Dr. Draga Ilievski is a dedicated licensed clinical social worker in Valparaiso, Indiana. Clinical social work, program management, psychosocial oncology, client/patient evaluation, counseling, therapy, team cooperation, clinical intervention, research, analysis, training, and instruction are just a few of her many abilities.

Among her honors are memberships in the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), the Association of Oncology Social Workers (AOSW), and Post Partum Support International (PSI). She is well-versed in clinical social work procedures and is well-known among patients and colleagues for going above and beyond to provide exceptional patient care.

Draga graduated from Indiana University with a bachelor’s degree in speech and hearing. She subsequently attended Indiana University Northwest, where she earned a Master of Social Work degree. Draga became a licensed clinical social worker three years later and joined the National Association of Social Workers shortly afterward. Finally, Draga Ilievski earned a Ph.D. in clinical social work from the Chicago-based Institute for Clinical Social Work, where she obtained in-depth training in psychodynamic psychotherapy. 

She completed an internship at the Youth and Family Services Bureau, where she got experience producing psychosocial assessment reports and treatment plans. Additionally, while helping children reintegrate into the school system, Draga developed an understanding of the importance of empathy and compassion. Draga Ilievski also began providing individual, family, and group therapy and knew that she had found her true calling.

Draga began her professional career as a student intern at a nearby hospital. She acquired clinical experience as a member of the case management team and assisted with discharge planning. 

Draga provided case management and clinical services to both inpatients and outpatients while honing his acute care, rehabilitation, critical care, skilled nursing, and labor and delivery departments. Draga also conducted psychological assessments and treatment planning for oncology outpatients and hospital inpatients throughout this period, always providing supportive counseling throughout the process.

Draga Ilievski is the kind of person who is always looking for ways to improve a current system if she sees its potential. As a result, it was unsurprising that she sought to improve cancer care coordination to ensure treatment continuity throughout the hospital system. 

Draga’s unwavering commitment to her patients extends to her coworkers as well. She counsels different agencies on issues of abuse, neglect, and psychological distress. Draga also founded and organized a cancer support group in her neighborhood. Additionally, she served on the advisory board of an Adult Day Services agency and worked with the LaPorte County Domestic Violence Task Force. Draga also assisted with hospital adoption processes, coordinated interprofessional team care planning for patient care management, and developed quality improvement efforts for the cancer center’s American College of Surgeons’ credentials.

Draga is exceptionally talented at performing biopsychosocial assessments and developing treatment plans for individual, family, and group counseling sessions, as well as psychotherapy for children and adults. She has facilitated numerous cancer support groups, has experience testifying in court, engaging in weekly clinical supervision, and advising on individual cases. Additionally, Draga worked closely with community service providers, schools, and government agencies to ensure that patients got the most comprehensive treatment possible. 

Draga Ililevski founded her private business in 2007 to help families of adult and adolescent clients with mental health problems and provide individual and couple therapy. Additionally, she collaborates with other oncology physicians to help cancer patients in her community with their psychological needs.

Draga is educated in psychodynamic methods and as a therapist specializing in psychodynamic treatment. Additionally, as a specialist in Radically-Open Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (RO-DBT), Draga is capable of treating chronic illnesses such as chronic depression, chronic anxiety, autistic spectrum disorders, and anorexia, as well as personality disorders such as schizoaffective disorders, avoidant personality disorders, paranoid disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorders.

Draga also spent almost a decade as a visiting lecturer and adjunct faculty member at Indiana University Northwest. Draga assisted in implementing educational methods by combining social work theory and practice while teaching undergraduate and graduate courses on social work in healthcare, human behavior, and the social environment.