For more than 30 years, Center on Halsted has helped Chicago's LGBTQ community and caring allies meet their behavioral health needs. Our Behavioral Health phone line, 773.472.6469 EXT 460, and Behavioral Health email,
operate as a bank of information about our services, community resources, and possible referrals.
Our team of therapists offers a number of different services and opportunities for community members, including Psychotherapy, Therapy Groups, Psychotherapy for Survivors of Violence, and Letters of Support for Gender Affirming Surgeries. Below you will find information about our services, how to schedule an appointment, and fee structures.
Our skilled team of behavioral health professionals include licensed clinical psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, licensed clinical professional counselors, graduate students, and volunteer and contractual therapists. Our team offers affirming and strengths-based services in a safe and supportive environment. We provide the following modalities of psychotherapy: individual (youth, adults, and seniors), relationships, family, and group. Most of our services are offered at Center on Halsted, but at times we provide some of our services away from Center on Halsted at specific off-site locations.
We treat symptoms such as:
We offer support during situations such as:
We can help you explore important issues such as:
Inability to cope with daily problems or stress
Grief and loss
Building healthy relationships
Sadness or depression
Relationship difficulties
Sexual orientation
Low self-esteem
End of a relationship
Gender identity and gender expression
Lack of motivation
Intimate partner violence
Personal growth and identity development
Anxiety, excessive worrying, or panic attacks
Coming out
Living with HIV or other chronic health conditions
Alcohol or drug use
Problems at school or work
Improving family relationships
Withdrawal from friends and activities
Harrasment or discrimination
Excessive anger, hostility, or violence
Parenting
Negative body image or difficulties with eating
Worries or difficulties about sex
We are particularly competent in addressing important issues facing today’s LGBTQ community members and caring allies. These services are offered both in English and Spanish. If you are interested in our psychotherapy services, please contact us at 773.472.6469 EXT 460 or
Center on Halsted provides a variety of therapy groups. These services are meant to connect and unite LGBTQ individuals and allies who share similar challenges and are working on making changes in their lives. Participation is fee-based for most groups. The usual fee is $15 per session. Fee negotiation may be available for those who cannot afford the full fee. Space in each group is limited. To participate in any of our groups, interested parties will need to complete an in-person initial interview prior to the group’s start.
Our therapy groups aim to be inclusive to all members of the community. Current group offerings include: HIV Positive Support; Coming Out; LGBTQ People of Color; Bi+; Anxiety and Depression Skill Building; Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT); Trauma Recovery; Trans and Gender Non-Conforming; Understanding Self and Others; Men/Masculinity; Women’s; Relapse Prevention, and Grief and Loss. Our group topics may change throughout the year in an effort to meet the changing needs of the community.
For more information on current and upcoming groups, click here.
If you have questions about or would like to register for any of our groups, please contact us at
at 773.472.6469 EXT 460 or
Survivors of violence can include those who are direct victims as well as witnesses and significant others impacted by the effects of abuse and violence. Our behavioral health team provides LGBTQ-affirming and trauma-focused psychotherapy. Therapy can provide support and stability during what can feel like challenging times for survivors. If you or someone you know is a survivor of anti-LGBTQ or HIV discrimination, hate violence, domestic abuse, sexual violence/assault, or police abuse/violence, please call our LGBTQ Violence Resource Line at 773.871.CARE (2273) Monday–Friday from 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. or email our Anti-Violence Department, at
Single visit appointments are available for those needing letters to support their gender affirming surgeries. This appointment is typically one hour. We will complete our standard initial screening assessment then we will write an informed decision letter collaboratively based on the assessment. The fee for this service is $50 and sliding scale can apply for those individuals who are unable to afford this price (please see scale below). If you have BCBS PPO insurance, most likely this is a covered service. We would need your insurance card approximately one week prior to your appointment to confirm coverage. For access to hormone treatment, please visit one of our collaborating partners who have informed consent access programs http://howardbrown.org/ or http://www.chicagowomenshealthcenter.org/.
Scheduling an Appointment
The first step in starting with our services is to schedule a no-cost initial screening session with one of our clinicians. To schedule an initial screening appointment, please call our resource line at 773.472.6469 EXT 460. We will ask you a few brief questions and then find the best time for your initial screening. This one-hour appointment is an opportunity for us to better understand what your needs are and how we can best help you. It is also a chance for you to ask any questions about our services or the process of psychotherapy.
Following the initial screening appointment, your initial screening clinician will work with the rest of the behavioral health team to match you up with one of our therapists based on your needs and preferences. This process typically takes about two to three weeks; once your therapist is assigned, that person will contact you to schedule your first appointment.
Fee Structure and Payment Information
The following are four possible means to cover cost of psychotherapy with us:
1. We accept Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO insurance plans. If you are covered by Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO health insurance with behavioral health benefits, we will first verify coverage so that we can bill your insurance. In the process we will provide you with information about your specific deductibles and co-pay/co-insurance. Given the various health plans available, deductibles and copays vary greatly among clients. Authorization from your insurance must be obtained prior to treatment and we will assist you with this. Any co-pay, coinsurance, or other payments (e.g., deductibles, late fees, etc.) is due at the time of treatment.
2. Out-of-Network Insurance, including Medicare and/or Medicaid: Although we are contracted with Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO, our services may not be covered by other insurance plans. If you have another health insurance plan, we highly recommend that you contact your insurance carrier and check the possibility of being reimbursed for behavioral health services. For those with out-of-network insurance, the assigned psychotherapy fee will be paid in full at the time of service. You will be required to file the claims information necessary to receive reimbursement through your insurance.
3. No Insurance Sliding Scale: If you do not have a health insurance, the cost of psychotherapy will be based on your current income, number of dependents, and ability to pay. Fee per session ranges from $20 to $120 depending on your income. For specific details, please refer to “Sliding Scale Fee Structure” below. The assigned psychotherapy fee must be paid in full at the time of treatment.
4. Grant Funding: Center on Halsted receives grant funding for specific populations including individuals living with HIV, survivors of domestic violence, survivors of sexual abuse, and survivors of harassment or other forms of violence. Some of these individuals may fit criteria and qualify to receive services through these grants. However, applying for grant funding does not guarantee that services will be covered. More information about this can be provided during the initial intake.
More specific questions about any of these options will be addressed during the initial screening.
Center on Halsted provides clinical training opportunities for Masters and Doctoral-level students who are interested in a diverse and rigorous clinical practicum with a strong focus on LGBTQ clinical competence. Click here for more information about our Clinical Training Program.
Center on Halsted’s Behavioral Health team utilizes the services of seasoned behavioral health professionals by having them on our team of volunteer therapists. Therapists who volunteer with Center on Halsted enjoy a number of benefits including:
Giving back to the LGBTQ community.
Regular clinical consultation groups with other experienced professionals.
In-service trainings on current trends and issues in mental health care.
Networking at the Midwest’s largest LGBTQ Community Center.
Please contact Ing Swenson, Associate Director of Behavioral Health, at 773.472.6469 EXT 267 or
to discuss becoming a volunteer psychotherapist.
The Sexual Orientation and Gender Institute (SOGI) is part of the Behavioral Health Department at Center on Halsted. SOGI has two primary foci:
To provide high level training on a variety of LGBTQ clinical topics for both clinicians and students. To be added to our mailing list so that you can be notified about future trainings for professionals, please email
To engage in advocacy by raising interest in and increasing the quality of LGBTQ related research. To submit an application to conduct research in collaboration with Center on Halsted, explore the possibility of promoting your research study in our facilities, or learn about current research projects, click here.
