Meet Stephen Kotsiris, LCPC, CADC

Stephen grew up outside Chicago and moved to the city in 2005 to complete his Bachelor’s in Neuroscience at University of Illinois at Chicago, while also shadowing in the Department of Neurosurgery at UIHealth. He went on to complete his Master’s in Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Addictions in 2019 from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. 

He first became involved in street level harm reduction work while volunteering with Chicago Recovery Alliance in 2017 and began offering free monthly Overdose Responder and Education Trainings (Narcan) at Above and Beyond in 2018. He began working full-time at Above and Beyond in 2019, becoming Clinical Director in 2022 and then Director of Strategic Initiatives in 2025. Stephen’s passion lies in working to destigmatize people who use drugs and integrating neuroscience with substance use treatment to provide honest education and empower people he serves to make the best choices for themselves. 

In addition to his work at Above and Beyond, Stephen teaches in the Addiction Concentration at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, and facilitates at Metropolitan Peace Academy where he provides education on substance use, support, and naloxone training to hyperlocal neighborhood violence intervention workers. He has presented at various conferences including Illinois Counseling Association and the Midwest Harm Reduction Institute on topics ranging from Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy to Harm Reduction and safer use practices for folks using substances.

He lives at home with his long-time partner as well as his rescue pigeon named Huxley. He’s a Deadhead with a special passion for West-side Chicago blues and live music wherever he can find it. Stephen knows—first and foremost—every single human has stepped into today having walked a different path and will step into tomorrow in their own unique way. He believes in honoring personal agency above all, dignity, respect, and radical acceptance, compassion, and empathy.