Meet Colin

Expert Care Rooted in Trauma-Informed and LGBTQIA+ Affirming Practices

Colin Graham, LSW


  • Modalities: Psychodynamic, Attachment, Mindfulness Based/MBCT, and CBT
  • Pronouns: he/him/his
  • State Practicing In: IL

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Navigating life's challenges can be difficult on our own. As a therapist, I see my role as accompanying you on a journey of discovery and healing. I believe that clients are the experts in their own lives and my role is to meet you where you are at and use this knowledge as a therapeutic tool. I am a queer identified therapist and am passionate about working with members of the queer community. My clinical interests are gender and sexuality, identity, substance use and harm reduction, and relationships. I am particularly interested in working with folks who engage in party and play and are struggling with their relationship with substances and intimacy.


My approach to therapeutic work is relational and I believe the relationship between the client and therapist is a powerful tool for the healing journey. I utilize a contextual behavioral approach, meaning I seek to understand behaviors and the contexts they show up. I incorporate elements of Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Mindfulness to support clients in understanding their values and making decisions that align with their values. I practice kink, poly, and queer affirming work.

Colin’s focus areas:

  • LGBTQIA2S+ | As a gay male therapist, I am passionate and dedicated to providing behavioral health services to LGBTQIA+ identifying folks. My previous experience in graduate school and in case management were predominantly with members of the queer community. I strive to create an open and non-judgmental space for client's to explore their unique experiences regarding gender, sexuality, identity, and more. I welcome clients to bring any and all struggles regarding identity, sexuality, intimacy, kink, relationships, etc into the therapeutic space as they feel comfortable.

  •  Substance Use & Addiction: | Most of my therapeutic experience so far has been working with clients struggling with substance use. I believe substance use exists on a spectrum and each person can have different relationships with substances. As a harm reductionist, I strive to meet each individual where they are regarding their relationship to substance use and seek to support you in whatever your goals may be. Stigma is often attached to substance use and my goal is to create a non-judgmental space for clients to explore their substance use and their self-defined goals.

  •  Chemsex: | Uncoupling sexual intimacy and substance use can be incredibly challenging. I am dedicated to supporting queer folks struggling with their relationship with party and play. Substances can be a way to create and sustain community, causing struggles in recovery when choosing to abstain from use. As a therapist, my goal is for clients to feel comfortable discussing any struggles with their relationship with party and play. Whether that be safer ways to engage, struggles regarding intimacy and sex, or building new relationships, I welcome folks to bring anything to the space they wish to explore.

  • Depression & Trauma | Anxiety and depression can impact us in many different ways and forms. My goal is to create a space to explore and process how anxiety and depression are showing up and strategize on a path towards healing. My approach to working with anxiety and depression is rooted in Acceptance & Commitment Therapy and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. I seek to provide support around acknowledging current thoughts and feelings, and identifying ways we are getting stuck in these thoughts. Acknowledging the thoughts and choosing to move around them can create the opportunity to make choices that are aligned with our values.

Colin’s ideal client

My ideal client is someone who is open, curious, and willing to engage in the process of healing. This person will be open to trying new skills and approaches while also incorporating the knowledge they already have to create a life with a new sense of meaning and purpose.

Practice Locations

Illinois: Colin is currently providing tele-health appointments in the state of Illinois, available throughout the state.

Who is Colin in-network with?

Colin accepts Private Pay and insurance networks including:

  • Aetna/ Meritian Health

  • BCBS 

  • Cigna

  • United/UMR/Optum/Oxford

Reach out to verify up to date information!

Colin’s Qualifications

I am a Licensed Social Worker and Certified Alcohol & Other Drug Counselor (CADC) in Illinois. During graduate school, I interned at Howard Brown Health Center in their behavioral health department, where I gained first hand experience providing individual and group therapeutic services through a queer lens. I participated in a variety of different trainings during my internship year, including gender affirming care, consensual non-monogamy, harm reduction, chemsex, kink, etc. In addition to Spoken Balance, I also work in substance use treatment where I provide group and individual services to folks in recovery for substance use.

Licensure

Licensed in the state of Illinois 150.114963

Ready to book an appointment with Colin?

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