Affirmative LGBTQ and Neurodivergent Therapy Chicago and Online

Affirming LGBT and Neurodivergent Therapy for Marginalized Adults and Young Adults in Chicago and Online

The tension is getting to be too much. You never seem fully at ease or comfortable with yourself. You feel defective or like an imposter; like you live some double life and still don’t really fit anywhere. Making decisions seems impossible because you worry that anything you do will be the wrong thing. It’s hard to feel understood, let alone accepted, even by those closest to you. You end up keeping so much of yourself from others at work, with friends, and even with your own family. Sometimes you feel alone and homeless like you have no real “tribe.” You’re not sure that you even really understand yourself. It’s like somehow the way you are is too different to be okay. You feel shame, and then you get angry.

Marginalization and Masking Can Be Traumatic and Lead to Burnout

You have so many confusing emotions swirling around that it can get overwhelming. You try to shut it all down sometimes, but then you usually end up doing things that you regret. Other times you try to tune out your feelings and spend time numbing out with your social media, video games, or another drink. It’s a lot. You feel like you have gotten so good at pretending to be what you think others want, that you have no idea who you even are anymore.

Help to Understand Yourself Apart from Otherness With Affirming Therapy

You want to be able to explore and discover yourself without distractions and pressure from others. Imagine understanding who you are, apart from how you may have been raised or the messages that surround you; and then using that understanding to boldly create a life that supports you. How different would each day be if you could actually feel at peace within yourself and comfortable at school, work, home, and in your important relationships? You dream of a life filled with people who genuinely know and appreciate you; a life where you do not have to hide, change, or deny pieces of yourself.

Counseling Support to Let Go of Anxiety, Shame, and Trauma from Marginalization and Discrimination

I’m Corrie Goldberg, Ph.D., a licensed clinical psychologist. I specialize in working with LGBTQ folx, immigrants or first-generation Americans, neurodivergence such as ADHD, AuDHD, giftedness, learning disabilities, twice-exceptional (2e), and autistic people, and other marginalized folx who are struggling with identity development amidst inadequate acceptance or inclusion from institutions and individuals important to them and to their lives, and who often experience higher incidents of victimization and internalized shame.

My mission at Shore Therapy aligns with affirming individual identities as an important part of therapy aimed at easing trauma from marginalization, and supporting wellness. I’ll help you to stop accepting or adopting negative messages communicated to you by others past or present so that you can begin to heal from past wounds and trauma; and develop a strong, affirming sense of self.

Together we can work to identify and let go of the pain, fear, and damaging messages from the past, so that they have less control over you today. We can explore what is holding you back from living your life fully, and consider how to help you develop a clearer understanding of the contributing factors; build skills; and make the changes to get you there.

Create an Affirming Life That Works for You as an LGBT, Neurodivergent, or Otherwise Marginalized Adult

Through our work together, you can learn to understand yourself better and have more compassion for yourself and your experiences. I can help you to identify, appreciate, and utilize your strengths; and feel empowered to make courageous decisions that are true to yourself and your values. Many of my clients report that through our work together, they are able to give up harmful vices, develop a more affirming sense of self, improve their relationships, and find greater satisfaction in their interests and pursuits; creating a life that truly fits and feels good.

It is Time to Start Unmasking and Learn to Appreciate All of Who You Are

You have felt wrong for too long. It’s time to take the next step in creating a life that works for who you are. Whether you are near Evanston along the North Shore of Chicago; in Illinois; or across the United States, we can work together in the Shore Therapy Evanston office or via online therapy.

For more information about me and how I use EMDR therapy and other evidence-based therapeutic approaches such as IFS-informed Ego State Parts Work, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT,) and Self-Compassion to treat anxiety, PTSD and trauma, and autistic burnout, contact me for a free 15-minute phone consultation and start moving forward today.

If you are the parent of a neurodivergent, LGBT, or struggling child, teen or adult and would like to be able to understand and support them in more effective and affirming ways to reduce their struggle as well as your own stress, trauma, or burnout, therapy for parents of higher needs kids may be helpful for you. Reading about explaining autism to kids in an affirming way or learning about neurodiversity and identity concepts such as autigender may be useful next steps to parenting your child in an affirming way.