Grace Olivia Dickman, LCSW (she/her)

Owner & Therapist

welcome.

If your trauma has caused you to suppress, avoid, and close yourself off from the world - to deny your needs and make yourself small - I feel you. I tried coping with trauma by turning against myself, but it only increased my shame and isolation. My lived experience and my clinical training has taught me a lot about healing the relationship with myself. It can be hard, scary, and risky - and I believe it's absolutely necessary to live a meaningful life.

I want to help you do the same. I want to help you find whatever you need to create a rich and fulfilling life that lights you up.  We'll start by attuning to your emotions, your body, your needs, and your values - then bolster your existing resources with new skills so you can begin taking unapologetic action towards the life you want. 

I'm a cis, white, able-bodied, financially stable queer woman in an ethically non-monogamous straight-presenting relationship. I'm fiercely passionate about gender justice, trans rights, relationship diversity, and battling queer imposter syndrome. For more on my social location & personal background, keep scrolling.

focus areas

  • Trauma and PTSD

  • LGBTQ+ issues, gender identity & transition

  • OCD, BFRBs, and phobias

  • Anxiety

  • Identity concerns + self esteem

  • Sexual abuse, assault, and gender-based violence

  • Artists & creatives (therapeutic integration, creative blocks, career decisions)

  • ENM/polyamory

  • Grief and loss

  • Life transitions

  • Emotional neglect

 
 

training & qualifications

I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in NY, IL, and CO with 10+ years of experience supporting adults, teens, and communities. I hold a Master’s degree from the University of Chicago.

  • EMDR trained

  • Internal Family Systems, Level 1

  • Exposure & Response Prevention

  • Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)

  • Mindfulness and somatic practices

  • Trauma-focused CBT

  • Habit Reversal Training + ComB Model

  • Certified Dialectical Behavior Therapist (C-DBT)

  • Narrative Therapy

  • Motivational Interviewing in groups

  • Rooted in humanistic, feminist, and relational therapy

Early in my career, I provided direct service and program management in non-profits while also refining my private practice. I’ve served as a consultant, trainer, and advisory board member for community organizations.

My work with youth has focused on empowering young women and those who identify as LGBTQ+, non-binary, and/or gender diverse. I formerly ran three trauma-focused group counseling programs in Chicago high schools.

I’ve also been awarded several fellowships to research and practice social work abroad in India, Egypt, Morocco, and the UK, and have organized international professional exchanges for social workers.

more about my social location

I was born & raised in the US in a single mother household with gender always at the forefront.  My life has been shaped by numerous childhood losses, substance abuse, disordered eating, sexual trauma, financial instability, and religious shame. My life has also been shaped by ruthless love, transformative educational experiences, social mobility, international travel, and creative play. All of this has stretched the bounds of my human experience and required me to live purposefully (or at least try my best to).