Therapists in Chicago, IL

I work with individuals and couples with a variety of emotional and interpersonal concerns. I have a particular interest in working with issues around intimacy, sexuality, and identity. Sexual difficulties and dissatisfaction are surprisingly common. In fact, most of us will experience some sexual difficulties even in the best of relationships and at the best of times. However, misunderstood and unaddressed sexual difficulties can have a domino effect, negatively impacting how you view yourself, your partner, and your relationship. The result often entails unnecessary feelings of disconnection, frustration, anxiety, and shame, not to mention the loss of your sex life!

Shame and stigma can permeate every aspect of our lives and make pleasure, love and work challenging, painful and sometimes impossible. Shame and stigma often mask something special and remarkable about a person; talents, identities, ways of living or loving that are unappreciated, misunderstood and even repudiated. Deviance and difference should not be requisites for pain and failure; those qualities can be empowering and liberating. Often, it is a dominant culture that pulls the veil of shame over our eyes and hearts. Our stories and ourselves are worthy of dignity and care, regardless of what we learn from the dominant discourse.

Sex, relationships, sexual connection, and intimacy are all topics that can feel isolating, and scary. But, with the right supportive partner, it can feel freeing. As a culturally sensitive Couple and Family Therapist, I can help you navigate these struggles, and support you through the process. I understand that embarking on a journey of therapy can seem daunting, which is why I am here to take the drive with you. During your therapy journey, you will have control of the steering wheel but will have the full support of myself in the passenger seat beside you. Together we can embark on a journey that can create a healthier you.

My ideal in therapy is to be able to set a comfortable environment in which growth can be achieved. I truly believe that a person can overcome and achieve anything that they set their mind to. I like to set an environment in which working together with the client goals can be turned into reality. I do not believe that there is a problem that is too big or small that cannot be tackled with the help of a supportive and motivating environment. Originally I am from Lithuanian that leads me to having a special interest in immigration/assimilation concerns. I have experience working with children, adolescence, and adults.

I actively work to make the process relevant and helpful for you. I have been a therapist for 30+ years so I have had thousands of conversations with clients and extensive advanced training. I know change can be challenging so I try to make the process as efficient and painless as possible. I am motivated to help you meet YOUR goals. I always offer you the insights gained from my years of experience as well as my knowledge about what helps us lead a good life. I am practical and down to earth in my approach.

I'm a multicultural, LGBTQIA+ affirming, sex-positive therapist. I have worked with clients to address issues of desire discrepancy, lack of emotional and physical intimacy, difficulties with orgasm, erectile dysfunction, anxiety, mood dysregulation, substance use disorder, chronic pain, somatic symptoms, and trauma-related disorders.

You may be experiencing a period of mental unrest and uncertainty. When you have the space and willingness to reflect on past traumas and experiences to understand their impact on your current circumstances, you gain a new awareness that often leads to powerful insights. As a licensed clinical psychologist who understands the need for inner healing first, it is my goal to support you in identifying core sources of pain, confusion, fear, and stress in order to get to the root cause of the issue. By working with you to form a deeper sense of clarity, I am able to guide you in taking the next steps along your journey of healing.

I have a deep passion for working with individuals seeking support for issues related to sex, sexual dysfunction, and substance abuse. I believe in the transformative power of addressing these challenges head-on and creating a space where healing can flourish. With empathy and expertise, I am here to guide you on your unique path toward reclaiming your sexual well-being and overcoming substance abuse, empowering you to live a fulfilling and vibrant life. I am dedicated to guiding individuals toward a path of healing, empowerment, and personal growth.

Finding balance is often hard. I specialize in individual and couples therapy with a focus on marital and couples, sex therapy, and alternative lifestyle issues, such as non-monogamy. I have over 16 years of experience with LGBTQIA+ concerns, ethical non monogamy, and marital and couples work with communication and conflict issues. I bring a warm, honest, and open approach to therapy while helping you feel and find hope. I truly work to meet you where you are and create a space where you are not only safe but with a friend. This step is hard and I have been in your shoes so I will never judge.

Life has probably provided many challenges this past year, and has produced far more questions than you can find answers for. My goal in our work together will be to help you search for the solutions that can increase your self-esteem, decrease your anxieties as well as develop a better insight into your life. In our work together, your strengths will be our focus, and in a non-judgmental environment we will address the most intimate or overwhelming issues impacting you and/or your relationships through a mind/body approach. I am LGBTQIA+-affirming, sex-positive, kink and poly-friendly.

Modern relationships are HARD. It’s a struggle to find the right person OR to wonder if your current partner is possibly the wrong person. It’s tough when you feel burned by or totally confused about your path. Maybe you’ve even made choices or overlooked things you now regret. Or, maybe it’s a relationship with a boss or coworkers who undervalue you or play favorites with others. Your work ethic and good ideas have long taken a backseat to putting out fires or just avoiding things way more than you should. You’re past thinking that life’s fair. But, you never thought that things could go THIS wrong or get under your skin THIS much.

I am a genderqueer human being providing supportive counseling services to people who are neurodivergent, queer, nerdy, and live alternative lifestyles. My sessions are held online 100 percent to make it convenient for my clients in their busy life to receive support. I've supported clients in role-playing therapy through the use of Dungeons & Dragons, led queer support groups, and am currently CSTIP (Certified Sex Therapy Informed Professional) certified so I may expand to couples work in the future. I've taught BDSM/Kink affirming seminars and have a background in understanding nutrition and body neutrality.

I believe therapy is a journey of healing, understanding one’s self and creating ways to overcome challenges together. My clinical approach includes being supportive, collaborative, understanding each individual’s unique experience and creating a warm, safe and non-judgmental space. I embrace diversity, authenticity and am committed to being culturally sensitive and sex and gender affirming. I approach therapy from a variety of perspectives to accommodate needs of each individual using psychodynamic, process oriented, feminist, decolonizing therapy, social justice and multicultural models.

I am a queer, sex positive, trauma-informed therapist who supports individuals (18+) and couples (monogamous/non-monogamous/poly) at Move Therapy and Wellness. I believe therapy to be a collaborative experience in which the therapeutic relationship plays an invaluable role in your healing. I specialize in working with sex and intimacy challenges, sexual trauma, relationship challenges, LGBTQIA+ folks, anxiety, depression, and adult children of narcissistic/borderline parents. As a queer-identified therapist I have a particular passion for supporting my community in this current political climate.

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.

An inclusive team of experts working - in tandem with you - to understand and celebrate all of who you are! Trained and faculty affiliated at Harvard, Johns Hopkins, University of Chicago, Northwestern, and the University of Virginia, we are ready to support you. Our staff believe that relationships are at the core of effective therapy. We work to create an affirming, open, and empathic environment that values partnership with you to explore fresh understandings and underlying feelings. Using research-tested approaches and synchronized collaboration, we facilitate enhanced self-awareness, skill building, and effective coping that empower you to change the patterns that keep you stuck. We specialize in LGBT+ affirming therapy, anxiety, trauma, depression, low self esteem, grief, and relationships issues for people of all ages and across the spectrum of gender, sexuality, class, and race.

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.

We all deserve a safe space to be our authentic selves, where we can find support during the most intimate and vulnerable moments. I view our therapeutic relationship as a partnership and am here to work with you and honor your unique experience. As we work together, I aim to foster a judgment-free, safe space and empower you with the tools and skills to help you thrive. There is no problem too big or too small, and my role is to connect you with the answers, break relational patterns, and reacquaint you with your most authentic self.

Do you struggle with your inner critic? Have you felt lonely or rejected? Maybe you've tried to avoid anxiety, depression, or traumatic memories, seeking a way out of a rollercoaster of emotions. Have you experienced difficulty with life transitions; career/school stress; relationship issues including polyamory and CNM; bigotry; grief; addiction; sex/drug linked behavior; sexual assault/abuse; self-harm, or suicidal thoughts? Are you somewhere on the LGBTQ+ spectrum and feel like no one in your life understands you? If you answered yes to any of these issues, when was the last time you had a space to talk that was just for you?