Areas of Expertise

Well-being

Pursuit of a more nuanced definition of well-being drives much of Dr. Colacchio’s research, including her foundational study with youth in foster care.

The Way to Well-being© framework is the core finding from that art-based, participatory action research project with young adults who experienced foster care. It illustrates how people can move from distress and ill-being to the worthiness and freedom of well-being by owning their full life story and nurturing relational safety©.

  • Review Dr. C’s full dissertation: The Way to Well-being

  • Read the article on The meaning and essence of child well-being according to child welfare professionals.

    Co-authors: Julia Pryce & Gina Samuels

  • Coming soon: Listen to my conversation about the Way to Well-being on the Illinois DCFS podcast.

Freedom

The fundamental definition of true well-being is freedom. This work demonstrates that freedom is the contented, embodied ability to express, connect, explore, choose, innovate, and lead from a place of clarity, confidence, courage and creativity.

Diagram titled "The Therapeutic Process" showing a step-by-step staircase from self-awareness to freedom, with key steps labeled "Self-awareness," "Understanding," "Compassion," and "Freedom." Created by Dr. Bridget Colacchio, PhD, LCSW.

  • In an art-based collective auto-ethnography, my colleagues and I created and analyzed artwork as we uncovered how arts-based research (ABR) can offer a sense of deep authenticity, connection, and freedom.

    Check out this article on Finding Freedom and Connection in Arts-Based Collaborative Autoethnography.

    Co-authors: Darren Cosgrove and Dana Levin.

  • Dr. Colacchio created her very first conceptual framework in 2007 to describe the therapeutic process she was experiencing as a new clinician and also as a client (see image). Without realizing it, this was the start of a centering freedom as the aim of her work.

Relational Safety©

A core theme of the Way to Well-being©, relational safety©, describes the optimal aim of relationships, where people are humanized, supported, and embraced.

“Plants for Mom,” Painting by Kalhan, research participant

  • In this innovative podcast, co-hosts Dr. Colacchio and Nick Davis, start out as acquaintances. By creating relational safety© with and for one another, they explore various topics as they model how to forge a deeply open and respectful relationship.

    Listen to the All We Know is Where We Are podcast on Spotify

  • Read about a pre-cursor to relational safety: Steadfast benevolence.

    Co-authors: Julia Pryce, Johanna Barry, and Philip Young P. Hong

  • Coming soon in 2026.

Values-based leadership

A pie chart titled '7 Habits of Well-leadership' with segments labeled Values, Presence, Reflection, Relational safety, Worthiness, Freedom, and Transformation, created by Dr. Bridget Colacchio, PhD, LCSW.

  • The 7 Habits of Well-leadership© was developed to translate the comprehensive findings from my well-being research, teaching, clinical work, and leadership experience. The model (and accompanying skills and practices) represent the distillation of the central themes and lessons and apply those to leadership behaviors.

  • To ground our teaching and leadership in values, my colleagues and I created a holistic framework to guide work in pedagogy and beyond. Read the article on The Loyola Way.

  • Listen to a limited series podcast about values-based teaching and learning.

    Co-hosted by Dr. Polina Pine.

Get started on your way to well-being.

Contact Dr. C