LGBT therapists in Arlington Heights, IL

For more than 20 years, I’ve had the privilege of walking alongside individuals, couples, and families as they work toward healing, growth, and change. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Licensed Clinical Addiction Counselor, and Substance Abuse Professional, I bring both deep clinical knowledge and a compassionate, down-to-earth approach to therapy.

I specialize in helping clients navigate life’s most personal challenges—including relationship and intimacy concerns, life transitions, grief and loss, trauma, and mental health struggles. I also provide substance abuse treatment, DOT/SAP evaluations, and recovery support using evidence-based approaches such as CBT, DBT, Motivational Interviewing, Reality Therapy, Trauma-Focused CBT, the Duluth Model, and the Matrix Model.

I have a special commitment to serving Black communities, LGBTQIA+ individuals, people living with HIV, re-entry populations, sex workers, and youth facing challenges. I understand how personal, cultural, and systemic factors shape each person’s story, and I create a safe, affirming space where clients feel truly seen and heard.

In our sessions, you can expect a respectful, judgment-free environment where your voice matters. I believe therapy works best as a partnership—we’ll set goals together, explore what’s holding you back, and develop practical strategies you can use in daily life a more fulfilling life. Whether you’re seeking support for a specific issue or simply want to invest in your personal growth, I’m here to help you take that next step.

Hi there! I’m Edith, but please, call me Edie. As an out and proud transgender woman, I am excited to work with the LGBT community through sexuality- and gender-affirming treatment. Are you struggling with your gender and/or sexuality? I would love to walk with you as we collaboratively work to find answers, solutions, and resilience.

My style is eclectic and strength based. I see human nature as intrinsically good. Sigmund Freud said we are bio-social animals. I believe a great deal in listening to one’s self talk. The more positive our dialogue with ourselves is, the more positive our dialogues with others and our lives are. I’m also experienced in CBT, DBT, MI, Solution Focused, ACT, Gestalt, Interpersonal, and person-centered counseling.

My training includes lots of wonderful supervision and workshops, a three-year certificate from the Gestalt Institute of Chicago, and two one month intensives with Virginia Satir, the founder of family therapy. Virginia taught that exploring the self is like mining gold. We all have gold inside of us. That is our basic goodness. A lot of emotional suffering is the result of being detoured from that basic goodness.

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family therapist working since 2017 in community mental health and private practice. I have a masters degree specializing in couples and family therapy. I work to offer a space where clients can be seen and heard.

Dr. Opelt earned his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology at New Mexico State University after completing his Master’s of Science in Educational Psychology: Community Counseling from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. During his graduate training, he earned certifications in Trauma Counseling and Multicultural Knowledge Basis in Mental Health Practices, and a graduate minor in Integrated Behavioral Health. Dr. Opelt has completed postdoctoral fellowships in research in Rehabilitation Psychology, with an emphasis on Multiple Sclerosis, at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and in clinical Rehabilitation and Pain Psychology at MedStar Health National Rehabilitation Hospital. He has focused his clinical work on adults who have concerns about insomnia, cognitive impairment, addiction, LGBT+ concerns, caregiver support, transplants, burn survivors, cancer, musculoskeletal diseases like MS and Parkinson’s disease, and those who have amputations. He is a licensed psychologist in Maryland and Illinois.

I am a solution focused therapist with 39 years of experience. My therapy style is cognitive, interactive, compassionate, and, if need be, challenging. I believe effective therapy should produce change, not just insight. I will listen to you deeply, help conceptualize the problems, patterns, and dynamics which are causing you trouble, and give you feedback. Together, we will develop a strategy for more effective functioning and a better quality of life. therapy.

I do not do phone consultations.

Ariel has a direct yet supportive therapeutic style with her clients and prides herself on using authenticity and openness to strengthen relationships. Ariel has a direct yet nurturing and supportive therapeutic style with her clients and prides herself on using authenticity and openness to develop strong relationships.

Hi, I’m Hannah, a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with a diverse background in critical care, trauma, and outpatient mental health. I’ve spent more than a decade working with individuals across the lifespan—from complex medical settings to telepsychiatry—helping people navigate mood disorders, anxiety, trauma-related symptoms, ADHD, and the stressors that come with major life transitions.

My clinical approach blends evidence-based medication management with supportive, collaborative care. I believe treatment works best when we tailor it to your unique goals, experiences, and strengths. Many of my clients are young parents, students, or adults balancing work, relationships, and emotional challenges, and I strive to create a space where you feel understood, empowered, and supported.

Hi, and welcome! I’m Jamie, and I’m really glad you’ve taken this step to prioritize yourself. The next, and most important part, is finding a therapist who feels like the right fit for you.

I am experienced and educated in multiple approaches of therapy, integrating the mind and body to address insecurities with emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. My approach is informed by your unique personality, history, values, and goals to weave together a treatment map that feels meaningful and relevant.

As a therapist who has overcome personal trauma and hurdles to becoming a more secure and healthy person, I know what it’s like to be on the other side. I offer a completely nonjudgmental, non-pressured, but structured approach.