About Lilly Counseling and Consultation
Meet Michelle Lilly, Ph.D.
Dr. Michelle Lilly is a Professor of Clinical Psychology at Northern Illinois University (NIU). She completed her undergraduate training at Brown University before earning her doctorate in clinical psychology at University of Michigan in 2008. Throughout her professional career, Dr. Lilly has published over 50 peer-reviewed empirical articles, white papers, and book chapters examining the adverse psychological and physical impacts of trauma. She serves on the editorial board for Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, a premiere trauma-focused journal of the American Psychological Association.
Early in her career at NIU, she began research with 9-1-1 telecommunicators and continues to focus on this understudied population. Dr. Lilly’s research on mental and physical health in first responders has been used in legislative efforts to enhance services available to this critical population. Currently, her research team is invested in illuminating the adverse impacts of moral injury on first responder functioning and wellness. Her work has been recognized by the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) through its President’s Award, and by the Fraternal Order of Police through its Blue Award.
Dr. Lilly delivers training on the topics of PTSD, stress management, and resilience for public safety, corporate, and non-profit audiences across the country. As a nationally and internationally recognized speaker, she has presented for groups such as EENA, ICCRA, APCO, NENA, IAED, FOP, NAPO, ICJIA, ILEAS, and 911derWomen.
She is the owner of Lilly Counseling and Consultation, an organization that provides evidence-based intervention for PTSD, depression, and anxiety for predominantly first responders, as well as organizational assessment and consultation.
Her first book entitled Just Be Happy was published in late 2024. It is a memoir that describes her marriage, its dissolution, and the important lessons learned along the way. The book is a call to honor our previous suffering by recognizing and changing faulty patterns in our lives.
