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EMDR Therapy for LGBTQ+ Trauma in Chicago

Queer and trans individuals often carry trauma that goes beyond a single event—it’s woven into everyday experiences of marginalization, rejection, shame, and fear. From family rejection and religious trauma to discrimination in healthcare or public spaces, these moments accumulate in the nervous system. EMDR therapy offers a way to safely process those experiences and reclaim a sense of safety, self-trust, and connection.

EMDR
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What is EMDR and Why It’s Powerful for LGBTQ+ Healing

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) helps the brain and body reprocess distressing memories so they no longer hold the same emotional charge. It’s especially useful for:

  • Identity-based trauma

  • Internalized shame or homophobia/transphobia

  • Family rejection or estrangement

  • Bullying, violence, or harassment

  • Medical or gender-related trauma

  • Complex trauma and attachment wounds

For LGBTQ+ individuals, trauma often intertwines with identity. EMDR allows these wounds to be processed not through rehashing, but through integration—helping people feel more whole, grounded, and alive in their bodies.

 

A Therapy Space That Sees and Supports You

At Chris Peters Psychotherapy, EMDR therapy is offered in a space that affirms the fullness of who you are. No need to educate your therapist about your identity. The therapeutic relationship is built on trust, safety, and deep respect for lived experience. This is a place to be seen, heard, and believed.

 

A Somatic, Attachment-Aware Lens

Trauma lives in the body—and often, so does the feeling of being “too much” or “not enough.” Using a somatically grounded and attachment-informed approach, EMDR sessions gently track bodily sensations, emotions, and beliefs that formed in response to past harm. Healing means more than symptom relief; it means coming home to yourself.

 

Begin Your Healing Journey

Whether you’re seeking relief from a specific event or a lifetime of microaggressions and disconnection, EMDR offers a path forward. Chris Peters Psychotherapy is here to support you in feeling safe, whole, and empowered as your full self.

Reach out today to learn more about LGBTQ+ EMDR therapy in Chicago or to schedule a consultation.

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🏳️‍🌈 LGBTQ+ Affirming | Trauma-Informed | EMDR & IFS-Based | Somatically Informed

📍 Based in Chicago  | 💻 Online sessions available across Illinois and California

4043 N Ravenswood Ave, STE 306B Chicago, IL 60613

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