Sunlight filtering through tall pine trees in a lush green forest.

you deserve to live an authentic life.

Therapy for queer folks in Illinois

I provide a supportive space for queer folks to be themselves and process their concerns aloud.

It is an extremely challenging time to belong to the LGBTQ+ community.

You may be experiencing significant fear about your physical safety or bearing the emotional burden of knowing that your rights may be taken away because of your sexual orientation or gender identity. You may cope with this by:

  • Isolating or not sharing your identity with others

  • Doubting or disconnecting from who you are

  • Ruminating on contingency plans to protect yourself

It’s okay to feel conflicted about being authentic or fitting in.

How therapy works

This is too painful and challenging to figure out alone.

Even if you are out to most people in your life, coming out is a highly unique and lifelong process. You may feel drained by constantly having to monitor how much to share, with whom, and in what settings you might be safe to be your whole self. It’s totally understandable that you may need some help navigating this reality.

Our sessions can be a place for you to be fully yourself, express your concerns/fears about the world, and safely experiment with using different pronouns, dressing differently, or changing your name. I will not rush or dissuade you in your journey.

Along the way, we can discuss strategies to build community and enhance your social support. Ultimately, whether your reasons for coming to counseling are identity related or not, I will accept who you are and will strive to reduce as many barriers as possible for you to get the support you deserve to live an authentic life.

LGBTQ+ affirming therapy can help you…

  • Feel a sense of authenticity and comfort with yourself

  • Grieve the people in your life who won’t accept you

  • Gain clarity about your identity and explore your fluidity

  • Build resilience to stressful times

  • Reduce internalized heterosexism and transphobia

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Frequently asked questions about LGBTQ+ Affirming therapy

FAQs

  • I can help you explore your identities or support you in working on other aspects of your life. Learn more.

  • It’s normal to feel angry, scared, and sad with everything going on in the world right now. Sometimes it helps just to have someone outside of your family/friends to talk to about these emotions and experiences. Learn more.

  • We’ll start by doing a 15-minute free phone consultation to discuss how we could work together. Learn more.

 You don’t have to struggle alone.