Biography

Hello Everyone!  - my name is Diedra Hopes.  I am an Illinois LCSW.  I grew up in a small town located within the Southeast corner of Kansas.  After graduating HS, I decided to move to the big city of Tulsa, OK.  That is where I attended both my undergrad and graduate programs.  My undergrad is a BSW from Northeastern State University - Broken Arrow and my MSW is from University of Oklahoma - Tulsa.  My internships included a Child Welfare Emergency Shelter for displaced children, as well as Medical Social Work at an urban hospital.  After graduating with my MSW, I started working as a child and family therapist.  I was trained and became certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.  In 2018, I moved to Southern Illinois and started leadership roles within community mental health.  I have worked as a Clinical Manager in both the Crisis and Family Services department.  Most recently, I was the Senior Program Director for Behavioral Health.

Teaching Experience: 

I have been teaching in higher education since 2019.  I have experience teaching in-person, hybrid and online (synchronous and asynchronous).  I quickly found that teaching is a passion of mine, and I love helping others learn, grow and find their full potential.