LGBT+

When Maritza, a 36-year-old trans woman living in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood, began hormone replacement therapy, she described feeling like a teenager again—navigating crushes, experimenting with fashion, questioning friendships, and even negotiating curfews with herself. “I feel like I’m 15 and 35 at the same time,” she joked. But beneath the humor was something deeply real….

If you’ve ever opened your phone, stared at that grey “delivered” checkmark, and wondered if your phone spontaneously combusted and deleted your last five texts, you’re in good (albeit ghosted) company. Ghosting has become the unspeakable third act in far too many queer dating and friendship stories. In my therapy practice here in Chicago’s Lakeview…

Let’s start with a familiar scene: a gay man in Chicago, age 34, VP at a consulting firm, wears fitted blazers and carries a cold brew like it’s a personality trait. From the outside, he’s thriving. Internally? He’s gripped by a chronic sense of fraudulence—convinced someone will one day “figure him out.” He’s accomplished, articulate,…

Imagine chasing a high. The kind that hits quickly and fades faster. One minute you’re soaring on compliments, likes, or flirtatious glances—and the next, you’re flatlining, swiping for the next fix. Welcome to validation dysphoria, an unspoken emotional struggle especially common among gay men. Despite how polished someone may appear on Instagram or how confidently…

In an increasingly polarized society, the ways in which we emotionally engage with others profoundly impact interpersonal relationships and community dynamics. This is particularly true when discussing LGBTQ+ inclusion, where the subtleties of emotional response—sympathy, empathy, and compassion—determine whether individuals feel alienated or genuinely supported. By distinguishing these constructs, we can better foster a culture…