Therapists in Lakeview East, Chicago, IL

You are the one that lives your worries, fears, shame, and desires. You are the expert or emerging expert on your own life. Sure, it may not feel that way because this world is confusing and overwhelming (and a bit devastating). My aim is to help you become more aware of your emotions, relationship patterns, and unhelpful thoughts, and become more responsive to your needs, desires, and values in authentic ways. My hope is that we can help you begin to feel more comfortable and confidant with who you are, who you want to be, and how to get there.

I'm a Mental Health Clinician with over 20yrs experience, and also a Certified Sex Therapist. I work with LGBTQ+ and heterosexual people on a variety of relational and mental health issues, as well as sexual and intimacy concerns. I approach my work from a sexual health model and values driven perspective. I work with clients on consensual non-monogamy/polyam, kink, BDSM, as well as sexual health challenges such as erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, desire discrepancies, etc. I continue to work with mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, as well as navigating life!

You may feel your true, joyful self is hidden under layers of depression, anxiety, guilt, or shame. Maybe you’re trying to figure out how to achieve your dreams of living the life you were meant to live. Maybe you’re trying to deal with being alone for the first time, or again. Or maybe you’re trying to manage a relationship that has gotten very tense, or is long distance. You may have had a negative experience with therapy in the past. I'm a solution focused therapist working with an incredible team and if I can't help there'll be someone on my team who can.

As a queer transgender therapist, I believe there isn't a one-size-fits-all approach to living our lives. The same goes for therapy - there isn't a "right way" to do it. In my practice, I am committed to helping individuals tap into their personal strengths and uncover a path that is meaningful and fulfilling. I trust that my clients are the experts on their own lives and have the skills and tools they need to navigate their problems. However, I'm here to provide support and guidance when they need it.

You want a therapist who is more than just a good listener. Therapy should be a supportive but challenging and dynamic space that opens up new ways of relating to the world. I aim to build a relationship based on trust and honesty to help you develop new skills and uncover opportunities for agency and growth. Clients appreciate the frankness, humor, and authenticity I bring to the therapy space. I see value in deep exploration, but will balance it with attention to opportunities for action you can take now in your daily life. I see clients not as people who are "sick", but rather "stuck." I want to help you get unstuck.

The ideal client is seeking out reassurance and support in times of calm as well as crisis. The goal is to help clients with the issues facing them every day to treat the entire person, not just the pinpointed issue. A therapist is only as strong as the relationship with each client. Each client is unique, collaboratively we find an approach to therapy that fits to your specific needs and goals then we re-evaluate to bring about the best self. Whether it be LGBTQIA+ issues, sex/intimacy, relationships, depression, anxiety, OCD, substance use, kink and/or other issues, you aren't alone. Together we can get you where you want to go.

In a time where the world is shifting toward isolation, I will guide you in new ways to help form closer relationships to yourself and to others no matter your orientation or relationship style. Whether you are challenged by self-esteem, emotional connection, body image, anxiety, sexuality, conflict management, (re)building intimacy, differing sexual desires, arousal concerns, or navigating the world of dating; huge transformations await you! I'll support and guide your efforts to become more aware of intruding patterns to embrace more understanding and meaning in your life and help you become closer to the people you love.

There are numerous reasons why an individual makes a decision to seek therapy. From my perspective, the key factor in being able to examine your individual reasons is based upon the relationship between yourself and your therapist. I offer a safe, supportive, non-judgmental environment in order to explore your individual needs with a commitment to placing the highest priority on your care. We will work collaboratively to identify and address your concerns in order to foster meaningful change in your life. My clinical experience has included working not only with individuals but couples, families and groups.

I specialize in working with men, especially those who identify as gay, bi or queer. Common issues I work with clients on include relationship/intimacy struggles, isolation, depression, shame, career issues, anger/rage, anxiety, sexual issues, feelings of numbness and addiction. I can assure you a level of comfort and understanding as well as specialized training when dealing with these issues. In addition, I take a sex positive approach and am attuned to the needs of poly, non-monogamous, kink and BDSM clients.

I work with individuals and couples (straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans) who are dealing with a range of issues in their lives. A meaningful, authentic client-therapist relationship is of utmost importance to me, and I strive to create safe and welcoming spaces for all by fostering an environment of empathy, openness and honesty. Clients who see me receive compassionate care without negative judgment, creating opportunities to make meaning of the events of their lives.

It would be ideal for us to be motivated to improve our lives when things are going well. More often than not, we only make changes to our lives during times of darkness. In our work together, we can focus on finding the beauty, joy, and peace in your life. We can step into the darkness together with curiosity.

Clients reach out for help for a variety of reasons: they may feel the loss of a relationship, be struggling with communication with their family or significant other, believe they are under-performing at work, feel depressed, anxious, "down in the dumps," lack self-confidence or may struggle with out of control behaviors. Some clients come to me completely new to therapy, others have explored and worked on themselves for years, but seek a new perspective. I draw on a variety of theoretical approaches to understand a person and explore their perspectives on their life and their issues.

I specialize in working with the queer and neurodivergent populations with a focus on and sexual issues from performance to intimacy, sexual trauma, sexual/gender identity exploration, neurodiversity adjustment (diagnosed or not), executive functioning and sexual/gender identity. My goal is for my clients to gain an understanding of their lived experience and present circumstance and learn to synthesize these two parts of themselves. Healing past trauma wounds will provide my clients with a healthier outlook and framework to their current circumstances.

As a member of the LGBTQ community, I understand how important it is to find a therapist with whom one can identify and feel comfortable sharing the very personal reasons that bring individuals to counseling. As such, I provide a safe, non-judgmental space in which to explore the needs of my clients. For me, finding meaning and purpose is paramount to maintaining one's mental health. As such I work in collaboration with my clients to help find those things that make one feel whole and connected.

I believe in a holistic approach to counseling and therapy and provide full-spectrum and client-specific treatment in a warm and non-judgmental setting. Most of us lead complicated and stressful lives and often find ourselves unable to cope with the many challenges facing us on a daily basis. I utilize an eclectic approach to therapy and draw from various therapeutic approaches to address the unique needs of each client. I also incorporate mindfulness, breathing, and meditation into sessions when it is appropriate for dealing with stress, anxiety, and related issues.

Counseling can strengthen your ability to recognize and make choices in your life that align with the person you want to be. I can help you cope with difficult emotions and develop a strong sense of self-compassion and acceptance. I am most passionate about addressing concerns related to anxiety, depression, trauma, and sexual health. A significant portion of my career has been focused on serving LGBTQ+ people and communities, and I pay close attention to cultural factors and the ways in which they impact a person's vantage point in this world.

Therapy is a rich opportunity for gaining invaluable insights regarding the ways in which fears, disavowed wishes, and injustices from the past can motivate current behavior, and how individuals, often resiliently, continue to live above a rubble of neglected wounds. I believe the success of treatment is dependent upon the establishment of a solid therapeutic relationship and that the therapeutic alliance is a reciprocal "we-relationship" where healing and growth can occur. I also may incorporate more direct mindfulness-based cognitive-behavioral approaches in therapy when effective to promote symptomatic change.

Dr. Fortman serves as clinical faculty at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine and in full-time private practice. A former member of the Sexual Orientation and Gender Institute (SOGI) and staff psychologist at the Center on Halsted, he continues to provide supervision to graduate students. He trained at The Ohio State University, University of Virginia, and Sarah Lawrence College and has worked onsite at Google and Uber. Dr. Fortman is experienced in helping people who are struggling with relationship difficulties, anxiety & depression, low self esteem, LGBT related issues, grief, abuse & neglect, and trauma.

As a therapist I try to keep two sides of me fully present in our conversations. The first is who I am as a person, striving to feel what the concerns you bring to me must be like "on the inside." The other side is my commitment to the science of what is helpful to people. Through these inner conversations I strive very hard to help you find the care you need. What sets therapy apart from other conversations is the knowledge and experience we bring to our time together. I strive to do this in a personal way.