Sex Therapists in Chicago, IL

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.

IL & MI licensed! I believe it takes great courage, self-insight, and strength to reach out for support. Whether you are seeking services to process painful experiences from the past, resolve specific challenges that you are facing day-to-day, or gain skills to prepare you for the future, I am here and ready to help you. I believe that you are the expert of your lived experience. In our work together, I will support you in listening to your internal wisdom so that you can honor and actualize your values and goals. Cultural responsiveness and humility are core tenets of my practice. My approach to therapy is non-judgmental and warm.

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.

I work with couples and individuals coping with anxiety, relationship issues, parenthood challenges, life transitions and sexuality-related concerns. I have extensive clinical experience treating sexual pain/discomfort, loss of intimacy, changes in sexual desire/arousal, and performance anxiety. I am passionate about helping individuals and couples deepen their understanding of their own intimate needs as they strive to reconnect, cultivate love and ignite passion within their relationships. I aim to foster an environment where insight, curiosity, creativity and psychological safety are present throughout treatment.

Healthy relationships are an essential ingredient to living your best life possible. No matter your relationship status, it’s important to have support as you navigate relational stressors within different life stages. I respect the vulnerability in reaching out for help. Perhaps you’re feeling stuck and disconnected from your partner. Or having a hard time understanding your relationship patterns. Maybe it’s difficult to express or manage your emotions. Learning who you are in relationships is a lifelong process! My therapeutic approach is direct, emotion-focused, and client-centered so we can walk through that process together.

As a therapist, my hope is to give people a space to feel safe, heard, understood, and affirmed while navigating their concerns surrounding sex, relationships, and sexuality. I am a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor who received my Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from DePaul University. I completed my post graduate training in sexual health at the University of Michigan's Sex Therapy and Sexuality Education program to become a certified sex therapist and sexuality educator.

I believe that you are the expert of what it is like to be YOU. Because of this, I aim to understand and treat the whole individual, incorporating one’s mental health, physical health/somatic practices, sexuality, sleep habits, spirituality and more into my time with clients. For a star to be born there is one thing that must happen: a gaseous nebula must collapse. So collapse. Crumble. This is not your destruction, This is your birth.

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 specialize in working with clients around trauma, mood disorders, relationships, identity development, and queerness. I help people tap into their potential and existing strengths to build confidence for tackling the problems that are unrelentingly thrown at them by the world. I also enjoy helping clients improve communication skills and connect with themselves through their emotional experiences. Partners who want to deepen their connection and improve communication are also an integral part of my clinical work. If you're interested in working with me, please email intake at the address provided below.

Nicole’s clinical interests include relationships, intimacy, sexuality, attachment styles, and holistic & alternative health. She helps clients work on boundary issues, consent, codependency, feeling comfortable in their skin, and exploring desires. She also works with relationship partners (couples, thruples, polycules, etc.) on communicating needs, building emotional intimacy, exploring sexuality, and generally improving relationship health. Nicole can help guide you and provide tools to navigate challenging situations.

Your relationship with yourself is your most valuable asset when building relationships with others. This relationship with self also serves as a compass when exploring different parts of yourself such as sexuality, attachment, and experiences of harm. Many of us struggle with this primary relationship, which complicates concerns we may have around our sexual and relational lives. Exploring sex and relationships can be a disorienting and overwhelming experience. It is important to find spaces that feel comfortable and empowering while sifting through the many layers that impact sexual and relational health and functioning.

As a black, mixed-race, pansexual, cisgender woman and part of other pleasure-focused communities, I know from experience how important it is to create a safe, empowering and affirming therapy space that will foster trust and allow us to acknowledge the nuances and beauties of your intersecting identities and unique inner self. I enjoy working with adults from diverse backgrounds and am committed to understanding your unique experience.

I am a Licensed Social Worker, a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor, and a Sex Therapist. My clinical experience is focused on working with individuals, couples, adolescents, and families on issues including addiction, alcoholism, substance abuse, relationship/marital conflicts, codependency, divorce, infidelity, PTSD, childhood trauma, emotional abuse, anxiety, social anxiety, depression, life transition, LGBTQ+ issues, sexual health concerns, non-monogamy/polyamory, kink/BDSM, and intimacy injuries.

Ready to get into it? Taking the first step into a therapeutic setting requires enormous vulnerability, as well as a great deal of strength, and I strive to make every client feel warm and welcomed. Therapy is an opportunity to create the change in your life that has always been possible – even if it may not feel that way to you right now. My therapeutic style is straightforward, honest, and goal-oriented, and more often than not, there is room for humor and laughter in a therapy session.

Your decision to seek therapy is a sign of strength, courage, and respect for your personal well-being. I welcome people facing a variety of challenges including depression, anxiety, trauma, substance use challenges, LBGTQ+ identities, relationship issues, and the general "stuck" feeling. My therapeutic style is caring, encouraging and individualized in order to help each person learn skills to work with their emotions, see situations without judgment and recognize solutions that fit personal values. I also have a strong emphasis on diversity and social justice and incorporate it into my practice.

Relationships can be difficult. Whether it is familial, romantic or platonic, each of us is the sum of all the experiences, communities, and cultures we have been involved in and around our entire lives. We often struggle to understand how to effectively communicate, as well as making and keeping connections.

Sometimes our brain can be a scary place to live in. Sometimes our bodies feel disconnected from us, or we just feel a bit ‘off.’ And sometimes the life around us is too hard, too much, too painful. These thoughts, feelings, and sensations can be isolating, and that’s where therapy comes in. My hope is for you to feel a little less alone as you unpack the complexities of your life and move towards healing. Through our work together, your thoughts and feelings will be centered and we will learn alongside one another about how to best work through the issues you're facing. Welcome!

Do you and your partner love each other, but you're not lining up when it comes to sex and intimacy? If sex has become one more thing to cross off the To Do List . . . if one of you has a way lower drive than the other . . . or just wants more passion in your love life . . . reach out and let's talk! When left unchecked, sexual issues can become the elephant in the room and can even lead to the end of the relationship. I know this from personal experience! But, there is so much you can do to diagnose the real issues and get you back on the right track. Sometimes you just need a guide who has been down that road before.

There are a range of reasons why intimacy might feel out of reach or we feel disconnected from ourselves (or our partner.) Perhaps it’s all of the “stuff” you were taught about who you “should” be as a sexual being, or what intimacy is supposed to look like in a relationship. Maybe it’s because unrealistic body standards have invited themselves into the bedroom and are getting in the way of feeling present and pleasure. Or perhaps you and your partner have been at odds with your differing levels of sexual desire and needs, and are feeling defeated in finding a system that “works" for both of you.