Meg McDuffie, MSW (she/her)
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Illinois
Meg McDuffie is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker based in Chicago, IL who is dedicated to honoring and celebrating the unique life experiences, stories, and identities of clients. She earned her MSW at UIC Jane Addams in 2020 and her BSW at Northeastern Illinois University in 2019. Specializing in serving the queer population, individuals aged 60 and above, parents, people with HIV/AIDS, and creatives. She brings a wealth of expertise in anxiety and mood disorders, pregnancy, prenatal, and postpartum care. Guiding individuals through life's transitions, Meg addresses issues such as job burnout, substance use concerns, relationship dynamics, and family conflicts with a compassionate and tailored approach.
Grounded in empathy, kindness, humor, and curiosity, her therapeutic practices include decolonized mental healthcare, queer-affirming care, narrative therapy, mindfulness, breath work, harm reduction, and client-centered approaches. She believes in the potential for growth in every person and is committed to providing compassionate care, love, and understanding to support positive change. Meg invites individuals to embark on their healing journey together.
Dixon Irene, M.A. (they/them)
Licensed Professional Counselor, Illinois
Dixon has a Master’s Degree in Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness from NYU Steinhardt and is in the process of obtaining an LPC in Illinois. Dixon has worked in private practice since 2022 and has volunteered in community-led mental health and social justice work since 2011. They have experience working with LGBTQ adults across the lifespan from emerging adults to queer elders. Dixon follows a particular focus on working with queer people who want to process complex trauma, explore identities, and take accountability in their lives.
Dixon's approach to therapy incorporates many theoretical frameworks including narrative therapy, psychodynamic theories, transfeminism, art therapy, relational-cultural therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, and Mad studies. They believe no one type of therapy can work for every single client, so this eclectic approach allows them to build flexible, client-directed treatment. Dixon works with individuals as well as those seeking relationship therapy. They are queer and trans-affirming, kink and sex work affirming, and committed to the practice of interrupting white supremacy culture.
Dixon specializes in working with neurodivergent populations including people who resonate with diagnoses like ADHD, autism, psychosis, and other altered states of experience. They have a particular appreciation for the intersections of neurodivergence and systemic oppression, including but not limited to racism, ableism, and transmisogyny. Dixon is committed to hearing their clients' lived experiences and helping them leverage their strengths to make change. They practice from the position that therapy can be a collaborative, creative meeting of the minds and that the therapeutic relationship can be a place where people are supported in challenges, not pressured.
Kat McNall, M.A. (they/them)
Pre-Licensed Counselor, Illinois
Kat McNall is an alumnus of the Chicago School of Professional Psychology with a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology. Their therapeutic focus is on LGBTQIA+ issues, specifically identity development, systemic oppression, intersectionality, career, work and burnout, non-traditional relationship structures including polyamory and blended family structures, and working with artists. They are versed in these areas as well as anxiety, depression, AD/HD, and complex trauma. Kat's primary approaches include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Humanistic/Existential therapy, and Narrative therapy from a client-focused, intersectional, anti-racist, non-incarceration lens.
Kat brings insight, compassion, authenticity, and a grounded presence into the room, and believes that empathy and curiosity open the most doors in a person’s mind. With trauma-responsive interventions and a culturally humble approach, individuals are met where they are at in their lives and encouraged to collaborate throughout the treatment process.
With a background in theater, Kat embraces creative self-expression as a tool for meeting life’s challenges, especially in the cases of mindfulness and the processing of traumatic events. By reflecting on internal discoveries, clients are able to see the wide effects of their actions and reactions and acknowledge the historical origins of challenging circumstances. They believe that self-discovery is some of the hardest and most rewarding work a person can do, and is dedicated to maintaining a safe and open space to process emotions, track patterns, and behaviors, and develop goals in a collaborative, safe, and affirming atmosphere.
Jim Hayes, MSW (he/him)
Licensed Clinical Social Worker/Clinical Supervisor, Illinois
Jim has an MSW from Columbia University’s School of Social Work with over 10 years of clinical experience. He has practiced in many settings including community health/mental health, private practice, a psychoanalytic institute, and criminal justice diversion programs. Jim is the Clinical Director and Founder of Affirming Mental Health. He holds full licensure in Illinois and New York, and can provide talk therapy and clinical supervision in both states.
Jim specializes in working with members of the LGBTQ community, people living with HIV/AIDS, and those struggling with anxiety/depression, trauma, life transitions, family conflict, and/or stress management. His approach is strengths-based with a focus on helping people learn more about their underlying motives for behaviors and thought patterns, while also assisting with the implementation of present-day coping mechanisms.