Transgender Therapists in Chicago, IL

As a therapist I believe the most important thing I can emphasize in the relationship is autonomy. Addressing the shortcomings of the profession in the past I seek to create a collaborative environment where you as the client understand where our work is going and that it can be addressed at any time. I have an interest working with clients dealing with trauma, clients from the LGBTQ population (in particular the transgender and transgender non-binary experience) and couples. I hope to provide clarity and a greater understanding of your emotional world and what options you have to become the person you wish to be.

You want to feel calm, confident and powerful in your own, unique skin in a world that doesn't always celebrate your various, intersecting identities. You want to do more than just survive and you need ideas and tools to help you get there. You want to feel free and happy without feeling like you have to hide parts of yourself. You want to feel like you have room to breathe. As a Gender and Certified Sex Therapist, I work with folks like you feeling anxious and lost about a transition you're experiencing in sex, gender, sexual identity, or relationships. I'm here to help folks move from surviving to thriving.

It is my honor to walk with you during this pivotal time in your journey. I work directly with individuals who are ready to get unstuck and work toward living their best life. As a 2Spirited, Black man of trans experience, I understand the multiple layers of oppression and the intersection of multicultural and spiritual backgrounds. It is my intention that you have a safe space to celebrate yourself and your own unique journey. I am intentional about supporting you as we create a pathway to a greater awareness of self. Join me in the journey towards deconstructing thought patterns that no longer serve you. Your best life awaits!

Are you looking to make changes in your life but are unsure of where to start? It can be especially challenging to navigate life right now with the pandemic, economic uncertainty, and the unveiling of the multitude of intertwined systems of oppression we find ourselves in at this time. You are not alone in experiencing concerns, outrage, and fear. I am here to accompany you in navigating these challenges and also acknowledging the joy in life. You are deserving of support and a space to talk openly. I am someone you can trust to process your fears and anxieties with as well as cultivate hope for your future.

Oftentimes, we develop patterns of behaving and relating to others as a way of coping with and protecting ourselves from our early environments. As we expand out past those early experiences and relationships, we may find that these old ways of thinking, behaving, and relating no longer work for us. Together in therapy, we will explore the origins and functions of those patterns, gaining an awareness of how they show up and how we might develop a new path.

Truer than ever before, the world is full of suffering. Though it is also true that the world is full of healing and overcoming. I see the hope that brought you to this page. The hope in finding healing and growth through therapy. It can be challenging to find a safe, culturally-sensitive, therapeutic space especially for those identifying as queer, transgender , and non-binary. You deserve to feel understood and supported. I am committed to creating and maintaining a safe and nonjudgmental space for people to explore their life experiences and strengths as well as cultivate a sense of self-compassion, self-trust, and empowerment.

I specialize in helping people work through gender dysphoria in a supportive and affirming space. From HRT to gender affirming surgeries, your goals for transition will be honored in the assessment and letter. Questions in the assessment are intended to capture your progress so far and clarify your goals, without pathologizing your gender.

I believe every person has the ability to effect change in their life. Sometimes, though, we need someone to walk along side us to help navigate through difficult and trying times. My view of therapy is just that—a helpful and compassionate person who provides a safe and stigma-free space to explore, reflect, mourn, and grow. My hope is to provide you with the highest quality mental health services to help you achieve your goals and live a healthy, productive life of your design.

Our authentic connections to one another sustain us as human beings. Often past harm or invalidation make us further disconnected from ourselves and each other. By moving beyond binaries created and sustained by capitalism and other constructs of oppression, I pathologize systems and not people. I work to create an environment that affirms a person’s complete and complex humanity with a sense of compassion free from judgments or imposed expectations. When we establish secure and affirming relationships, we have the ability to embrace our authentic selves and the numerous possibilities of transformation.

Hello, I'm Dr. Patrick Gunderson. I specialize in working with adolescents and young adults, specifically in the treatment of anxiety disorders (e.g., Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), depression, and sexual trauma and abuse. I utilize exposure-based interventions, which are used to help my clients confront fears, expand their comfort zones, and extinguish avoidance behaviors. I help clients achieve trauma resolution by processing traumatic incidents, reducing the associated anxiety and anger, and assisting in therapeutic corrective experiences.

It is my goal to provide you with a safe, therapeutic space to unload and explore your needs, worries, and fears whatever they may be. The path to healing is unique for each of us. We will work collaboratively towards meeting your goals and needs, and in doing so, make your life more comfortable and satisfying. It is my hope that each person who meets with me feels accepted, as I respect each individual's culture, gender, race, religion, and sexual identity.

Waiting List in Iowa. Openings in Illinois. I am an attachment and trauma-informed therapist. This informs everything that I do with clients. Our first priority will be to establish trust, mutual respect, consistency, and predictability so that you begin to feel safe. We will help you discover your strengths and will create goals to help you become your "best self". I prefer to utilize a variety of approaches in therapy, including teaching about attachment and neuroscience, as well as mindfulness, coping skills, and how the body and brain work together to process our emotions.

Do you feel stuck, unmotivated, or not like "yourself"? I'm here to help you find peace of mind, freedom, & personal relief to take charge of your life. I'm an Internal Family Systems counselor & Adlerian art therapist with more than a decade of experience who excels in addressing mood shifts, anxiety, work-life balance, grief, & trauma. I listen with an insightful, patient disposition and an engaging, compassionate heart when we talk about difficult or sensitive topics. Together, I will help you overcome personal obstacles to discover new solutions & intuitive skill sets, as well as gain a newfound sense of confidence & wholeness.