Therapists in Illinois

The decision to seek therapy can be difficult; however, you are here, and that's your first step. Do you struggle with sexual issues, gender identity, depression, or anxiety? I want to be able to help you go through that. My job is to provide a safe environment where we may learn and grow while promoting empowerment. I work with individuals and couples. I am sex worker-affirming and kink/BDSM aware. I am a Black-Cuban/Dominican male-identified therapist working with the BIPOC transgender and LGBTQ community, helping with racial trauma, religious trauma, sex therapy, and LGBTQ Couples. My goal is to provide a healing space.

Sometimes we may be giving our all to something, hoping for a different result. When it doesn’t happen, these feelings can make us feel stuck and even overwhelmed. My role as a therapist is to give my clients the tools to achieve different ways of feeling and to start living in congruence with their authentic self.

Eroticism is adult play: ideally it is expansive, vibrant, joyful, and stress-free. Living in a sex-shaming society damages our ability to have a loving, easy relationship to our erotic, sensual, and sexual identities. That damage can lead to conflict and disconnection with ourselves and our intimate others. Our relational health is a necessary ingredient in our overall life satisfaction. We long for our intimate relationships to be a safe haven from the stress, overwhelm, and chaos of our lives. When that isn’t the case, it can lead us to feel lost, uneasy, and wondering how to find our way back to a feeling of security.

I am a therapist that enjoys working with individual, couples, families, adolescents, and Veterans. I have over thrity years of experience in the field of mental health and substance abuse. I seek to provide a safe and collaborative therapy environment that facilitates growth and healing for the unique needs of each client. I provide guidance to those seeking self-empowerment and inner healing. I am fluent in English and Spanish and can offer bilingual counseling as well. I enjoy working with men and women seeking a holistic experience through therapy.

Do you feel as though you are seen and understood in relationships? Or have you at times felt like you are "too much" or "not enough"? You are not alone. Many of us struggle to feel "normal" in a culture that pathologizes so much about who we are. This can leave us feeling disconnected from ourselves and the world around us. Our therapeutic relationship will offer a warm and accepting space to explore yourself and your needs. Through mindfulness and somatic attunement, I will support you in strengthening the connections between your heart, body and mind so you can feel more grounded, regulated, connected, and whole.

My therapeutic approach is rooted in humanistic theory. Humanistic theory places you and your experience at the center when considering treatment plans and diagnoses. I believe that every aspect of your experience is an important piece to the colorful puzzle that is you, and we get the clearest picture with all the pieces. Sometimes that can mean bringing our favorite parts to session, other times that means bringing some of the uncomfortable pieces. While therapy can be a vulnerable process in this way, I am committed to providing a non-judgmental, safe space to explore who you are and where you’d like to go.

As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Sex Therapist, I provide clients with a supportive, safe space for free self-expression. Through active listening, empathy, and evidence-based techniques, I establish trust and explore behavioral patterns. I facilitate reflection, challenge negative thoughts, and offer resources for personal growth. Together, we embark on a transformative journey towards healing, self-discovery, and a fulfilling life.

I am a trauma-informed, social justice-based Relationship and Family Therapist specializing in sex therapy. I have contributed to the sexual health field for a decade through research, advocacy, and education. This culminated in a sex therapy certificate at Adler University which allows me to systemically work with a variety of sexual identities. I have experience working with BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and TGNC individuals and partnerships, including kink, polyamory, or CNM. Rekindling sexual intimacy, pre-orgasmic individuals, those healing through trauma, and those redefining their relationship outlook are also passions.

Taking the first step to begin therapy can be a challenging one, and finding the right therapist is an important piece. I take a supportive, non-judgmental approach to therapy and start off by creating a safe space to allow a strong therapeutic relationship to form. I give my clients the space to describe their challenges and hardships. Along the way, I help clients develop coping skills as well as awareness into their patterns and behaviors, and systemic factors, in order to create positive changes in their lives. I support all parts of clients’ histories, inviting honest exploration into the complexities of their experiences.

In our sessions, I hope to create a brave space allowing us to welcome all emotions and versions of you in our time together while inspiring curiosity, accountability and agency. My particular interests are working with neurodivergent couples, BIPOC couples with sexual concerns, and the Latin/Hispanic community to address sexual concerns and identity.

I have a passion for helping individuals establish more satisfying, authentic relationships with others and with themselves. My goal is to create a safe, supportive, therapeutic environment that fosters well-being, healing, and growth. I strive to establish a collaborative, empowering atmosphere that strikes the balance between support and challenge. My style is generally warm, direct, and transparent. I am an empathetic listener and actively participate in sessions by sharing my observations, fostering insight, and sharing practical feedback to help my clients find relief and to effectively address the challenges of life.

-Individual, Couple, & Family Therapy. Trained at the University of Rochester School of Medicine, Kansas State University's School of Family Studies, and The University of Chicago School of Medicine, Clinic Founder Rob Gellman has been a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist for 14 years, and was a professor at Adler University from 2008-2011. He is a regularly invited speaker with local mental health agencies and national conferences. A recognized expert on families coping with chronic illness, infidelity, and the training of therapists and physicians, Rob's clinical practice is diverse, helping adults, children, couples and families on the path to wellness. ***Specializing in Anxiety Disorders, Relationship Distress, Infidelity, Sex Therapy, Young Couples, Depression, Chronic Illness, Grief and Loss, Family Conflict, and Lifecycle Transitions.

I believe you are the expert on your life. I will work with you to reach your goals, whatever they may be. I meet you where you are and work with you. The motto of my office is "We can cry and we can swear, we don't judge, but we care."

I am a Bilingual (Spanish) Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor, and Certified Sex Therapist who is committed to working with individuals, couples, and families. As part of my specialties and professional interests, I work with adults and couples experiencing relationship and intimacy issues, sexual difficulties/dysfunctions, pre-marital counseling, infidelity, anxiety, depression, trauma, anger management, and compulsive and addictive disorders.

Growing up, my kitchen counter was an innovative space for the love, joy, pain, community, reimagining, grief, & messiness that life can be. This is what my therapeutic space feels like: a sit at the kitchen counter where you can find release, ease, and home. I see myself as a container by which folks can meet the most aligned version of themselves and cultivate a life that is truly their own. It would be such an honor to hold space for you on your journey back home to yourself. I am dedicated to holding space for all BIPOC folks, but especially women, femmes, and nonbinary folks through their healing journeys

I view therapy as a safe and sacred space for processing life experiences, emotions, thoughts, and trauma in order to achieve one’s goals and necessary growth. My goal as a therapist is to collaborate with clients to understand their thought processes, address barriers to wellness, and identify ways in which they can achieve their goals. I believe that clients are the experts of their own lives: however, sometimes we need an outside perspective to help re-frame our thinking. I’m here to work with you to increase self-awareness and empower you to approach life in a way that enhances health and well-being.

Beginning your therapeutic journey can be both intimidating and empowering. My goal is to empower you to harness your own capacity to heal from trauma and hardship, and to cultivate insight and growth. I will provide you with a safe, non-judgmental, and supportive space and effective strategies to help you find your best self, within yourself. I believe in the unique power of connection - with oneself, with others, and with the world - and I want to help you lean into it. With unconditional compassion and empathy, I will walk alongside you in your journey to reclaim your confidence, joy and most authentic life.

Do you often ask yourself "Why did I react that way?" or "Why am I attracted to that?" Well, regardless if it's anger issues, being “too sensitive”, or exploring sex/your sexuality, I can help you figure you out and get you where you want to go. I look forward to talking with you.

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.