Transgender Therapists in Chicago, IL

Are you yearning for clarity, balance, and a deeper connection with your authentic self? Navigating uncertainties about who we are and what we want in life can be challenging and isolating. I offer a judgment-free space where you can explore your core values and life purpose. My expertise extends to couples counseling, where we can work on fostering effective communication, understanding, and intimacy in your relationships.

My life’s work is strengthening the LGBTQ community from the inside out. I do this by working with gay and queer men to live the lives they desire. What often holds us back are layers of expectations and belief systems that we take on from society, our families, and others. When these systemic messages conflict with our authentic selves, this creates a dissonance that often results in anxiety, depression, and relationship issues. This isn’t something that is broken or bad in us. Quite the opposite, it’s our authentic selves yearning to be expressed!

Are you feeling trapped or overwhelmed by life's challenges? Does something feel "off," but you don't yet have words for it? A strong therapeutic relationship can empower us to live the lives we want by challenging the stories we tell about ourselves and the world. Asking for help can be daunting, so I work to create a safe environment that supports my clients in being fully themselves. Since each person comes to my practice with their own vision of what a fulfilling life looks like, I use a collaborative approach to meet each person's unique needs.

Whether you desire to make changes, heal wounds or develop a more genuine and authentic life, Aimee invites you to partner with her in creating a safe, supportive space for reflection and growth. Examine, explore and discover how maintain a more gratifying and joyful lifestyle. As your story unfolds, she tailors a wholistic approach that meets your personal needs, goals and aspirations.

Are you feeling stressed, nervous, or down? Not happy in your relationship? Unsure about making a decision in your life? Looking to start living a more fulfilling and happier life? Psychotherapy can help you to discover your inner strengths and gain insights about yourself that can lead you towards achieving your goals in therapy and beyond.

Jonah’s approach to therapy is founded on the principle of self-compassion. He firmly believes that building a foundation of self-love and understanding is the first step toward healing and growth. Jonah uses humanistic, cognitive behavioral, and dialectical behavioral therapies to help individuals in fostering self-acceptance, developing coping skills, and building resilience. Jonah helps people to identify their unique strengths to address the ongoing challenges they face.

Welcome! I have a background in community organizing, a master's degree in couple and family therapy, and am currently pursuing a PhD in couple and family therapy, along with a certificate in sex therapy. I work with individuals, families, couples, and other relationship structures. I believe you are the expert of your own story and experiences, and we'll work together to understand how the many parts of your story play a role in your life now. When working with relationships, we'll work towards creating clearer and more positive communication, understanding, and insight for each partner and/or family member.

I have a broad range of experience with individual therapy, with personal and professional experience addressing the needs of those who are queer, trans, polyamorous, or kinky. I offer knowledgeable and affirming practice to a spectrum of folks who may struggle to find the “right fit” with their therapist. I’m committed to working with individuals within LGBTQ+ communities, particularly those who are gender expansive; other areas of focus include depression and anxiety, mood disorders, life transitions, intergenerational and complex trauma, mental health in the workplace, sexuality and health, and identity development.

I strive to cultivate a culturally-informed, sex and kink-positive space for clients to process thoughts, feelings, and experiences. I’m affirming of all expressions of gender identity and sexual orientation, as well as non-traditional relationship structures. My background includes specific work with those who have experienced traumatic injuries, the sudden loss of a loved one, and interpersonal violence, as well as understanding and coping with complex medical diagnoses. I also work with folks experiencing distress related to anxiety, relationship concerns, and life transitions.

I utilize a supportive and warm approach that is integrative of mindfulness and dialectical-behavioral principles. I work from the perspective that the client-therapist relationship is paramount to progress, and believe that it is the stepping stone to growth and change. Clients set their own pace and can process each step of their journey. I believe in gentle challenging to move through patterns that are not serving anymore and provide practical skill-use in and out of the office.

How we relate to people, ideas, and emotions reflects our ability to live our most authentic and genuine lives. Using empathy and compassion, my clients and I create a space to share freely, build insight, and craft and solidify mechanisms to heal, connect with ourselves, and develop the type of relationships that matter the most. We will work together on identifying and implementing your strengths and values while we craft new skills to experience the healing that will contribute to moving forward.

Our life's work is helping clients achieve a better sense of self and happiness...more recently we've recognized that without good mental health providers, finding this balance in life can be more difficult and stressful. As a result, we tend toward an Integrative approach and help our clients transform into the people they want to be. We see each client as an individual with many parts to their identity. Utilizing a holistic and systemic approach we help clients reintegrate the parts of themselves to function better as individuals and within their systems. Our focus tends toward a systems based approach using behavior methods.

I work frequently with clients on commonly occurring, challenging life issues, including peripartum mental health, parenting, relationship conflict, separation and divorce, blending families, school transitions, career transitions, sexual orientation, gender identity, medical diagnoses, aging, death and loss. Clinical issues I often encounter in my practice include depression, anxiety, trauma (PTSD), and inattention/impulsivity (ADHD). In therapy, I will work with you to better understand your emotional experiences and to develop more adaptive and healthy coping strategies. I look forward to connecting with you!

Therapy is a place to sort through big feelings and tough calls, all while laughing at ourselves when we can. We like to form connections with folks that feel supportive, brave, and most of all, REAL. At Bespoke Healing, we know therapy is going well when we see folks begin to step out in new ways and take risks to develop deeper bonds. We find it fruitful to explore how past traumas show up in current relationships, and our therapists are active in session as part of our relational style. We also help folks befriend their bodies as an important resource.

Barbara Duran is a Licensed Master Social Worker with over 5 years of experience as a master's level clinician working with older adults and their families. Barbara has experience with motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy and psychotherapy. Barbara's experience includes facilitation of leading support groups for caregivers, grief support, risk assessment, and care planning. Barbara values person-centered and strength-based care.

Therapy is a chance for us to come together and collaborate so that we can help you build the life you want to live. I am particularly interested in helping adolescents and young adults navigate depression, anxiety, LGBTQ identity, school and work-related challenges, and the challenges of making major life transitions.

Life can be a maze of decisions, but sometimes our emotions leave us overwhelmed and paralyzed, unable to take steps towards the life we want. Feeling anxious or stressed? Operating like you are on auto-pilot? Struggling w/Performance Issues? Confidence Issues? Relationship/dating struggles? Work Issues? Going through a divorce? Emotional Trauma? I work with clients to challenge their inner critic, gain control over their lives, and get emotionally healthy. Your self-care is important! I work with Veterans & Athletes! Ask me about ADHD Screenings, Clinical Hypnotherapy, Emotional Freedom Techniques, Yoga, & Meditation sessions!

I like to work with people to address problems that are causing them distress and to help them understand what is keeping them stuck in certain patterns in their lives. I tailor my approach to each unique individual by attending to their identities, experiences, and environment. Therapy can be such a meaningful opportunity to increase insight and to explore and implement change in our lives, and I look forward to joining you in that process.

I collaborate with participants to plan creative solutions and positive coping behaviors in order to address a wide variety of experiences, including: anxiety, depression, life transitions, relationships, self-esteem and self-worth, stress, symptoms related to post-traumatic stress, vicarious trauma, being in relationship with a trauma survivor, substance use/ abuse, self-care, and addressing negative coping behaviors. I have worked extensively with survivors of sexual violence, people who have experienced domestic violence, combat Veterans, and other survivors of complex trauma.