Low Cost and Free Therapy in Chicago + All Illinois
Does Modern Intimacy Offer Free Therapy Services in Chicago?
Yes, Modern Intimacy offers free therapy and affordable mental health services to residents of Chicago and throughout the state of Illinois. Free mental health services are offered with our student externs who are in their training stage of becoming a licensed therapist.
As a therapy practice that is not paneled with health insurance providers, it’s important that we have avenues we can offer in order to make behavioral health care more accessible. We understand the financial investment that comes with therapy and even though some therapists and mental health centers offer sliding scale rates, even those rates can be outside of one’s budget.
It’s our goal to give back any chance we can and are passionate about training competent future therapist which is one of the major reasons we launched our Externship Program in Chicago, IL.
What is Modern Intimacy’s Extern Program?
In addition to being a therapy practice, Modern Intimacy is also a training site for graduate students who are at the practicum stage, or clinical training stage, of their education. The graduate students undergo practicum right before graduating so they can start gaining real clinical experience with clients.
We specifically are passionate about training our externs to help clients navigate mental health and sexual health concerns. At Modern Intimacy, our externs are gaining specialized training in the sector of human sexuality and many of our externs are on a track to become a sex therapist once they graduate and pass their licensing exam.
Throughout their training with Modern Intimacy, student externs are diligently supervised by our founder, Dr. Kate Balestrieri who is a Psychologist, Certified Sex Therapist, and Certified Sex Addiction Therapist. Through weekly supervision with Dr. Balestrieri, externs are given guidance and feedback on their cases to ensure all services provided is up to Modern Intimacy’s high standards of care.
What if I Don’t Live in Chicago, but Live Somewhere Else in Illinois?
It’s okay if you don’t live in the city limits of Chicago. Thanks to Telehealth, we are able to offer free therapy services to anyone within the state via video-based therapy. Even if you live in Chicago, Telehealth can be a much more convenient form of therapy as you don’t need to leave your house and commute across town.
We do recommend for all virtual sessions to ensure you’re in a place that is quiet, private, and comfortable. We care about your safety and privacy and want you to be able to talk honestly and openly with your therapist.
Free 30-Minute Consultation
Teletherapy Service Available
Judgement-Free Counseling
Everyone has the right to empowered, healthy, and thriving relationships. That includes you.
mental health | relationships | sexuality | healing + recovery
What Mental and Sexual Health Issues Can Externs Help With?
Externs are trained in a variety of mental health and sexual health issues clients often come to therapy looking for help with. Some common issues externs are trained to help with include, but are not limited to:
- Mood disorders (depression and anxiety)
- Healing from trauma
- Navigating relationship issues
- Exploring sexuality/relationship to sex
- LGBTQ+ affirming therapy
- Sexual dysfunction
- Struggles with body image
- Improving self-esteem and confidence
- Managing work and life stress
- Managing anger issues
Do Your Externs Provide Free Therapy for Couples?
Yes, our externs provide free therapy for couples. We know how important the health and happiness of relationships are and want to provide an accessible space for couples to work on their goals together with an extern. Our externs are trained in providing mental health support and treating many of the common mental health and sexual health issues couples often face. These areas can include, but are not limited to:
- Mismatched libidos
- Strengthening communication
- Healing infidelity and betrayal
- Improving couples’ sex lives
- Exploring relationship dynamics such as polyamory/ENM
- Practicing kink/BDSM safety
- Processing trauma impacting the relationship/sex
- Presence of substance abuse
- Couples with mental health struggles
- Working through complicated family dynamics
- Establishing co-parenting options
- Gracefully navigating breakups/divorce
This is not an exhaustive list of areas our externs can help with, but some of the most common concerns couples reach out about.
How Can I Know if the Extern is Qualified to Help with my Particular Goals?
If you are unsure whether one of our externs are able to help with your specific goals, we’re happy to speak with you and provide suggestions for the best options. Since our externs are new to clinical work, there will be some areas that are too complex and out of their scope of competence. If that’s the case, we’re happy to discuss alternative options with you, whether it’s working with one of our other providers or offering referrals outside of our practice.
If our extern is qualified and a good match for you and/or your partner, we can help coordinate a first session.
To learn more about our available externs and discuss any questions you might have about our available externs or practice, please schedule a free 30 minute consultation on our contact page. There, you can book a complimentary phone call with our Intake Specialist who will walk you through the booking process and answer any questions you might have.