Somatic Trauma Therapy for ADHD & Queer Adults in Chicago

Specialized neurodivergent-affirming Somatic + EMDR therapy for queer, trans, & nonbinary adults with ADHD burnout and complex trauma in Chicago and online throughout Illinois.

Specialized Trauma Treatment in Chicago


A stack of smooth, rounded stones balanced on a piece of driftwood near the water with a blurred background of a water body and sunset sky.

You know something feels off

but can’t figure out what

Together, we’ll uncover what your nervous system has been signaling all along — with compassion, not criticism.

You Don’t Need More Coping Skills.

You Need Trauma Resolution.

If you live with ADHD, chronic overwhelm, or the lingering effects of relational or developmental trauma, you may be stuck in survival mode.

You might look like you have it all together on the outside, but inside you feel exhausted, anxious, or disconnected.

My name is Kate (she, they)

I am a licensed therapist in Chicago, trained in evidence-based modalities for treating ADHD burnout and CPTSD.

My approach integrates body-based therapy, EMDR, and expressive therapy to support deep, sustainable healing.

This is structured, depth-oriented trauma work — not surface-level symptom management.

A small tree with pink leaves stands alone in an open field, with larger trees with darker leaves in the background.

Who This Is For

  • Adults with ADHD experiencing chronic burnout

  • Adults with complex trauma (CPTSD)

  • Queer adults navigating identity and relational trauma

  • Adults with busy minds who tend to “carry it all alone.”

  • Individuals who feel stuck despite years of talk therapy

  • Adults who want deeper trauma processing, not coping skills

  • Adults carrying trauma stored in the body, manifesting as chronic illness or pain conditions.

You need more than validation.

You need change that feels tangible and sustainable.

Specialized Somatic Trauma Therapy in Chicago

As a specialized somatic trauma therapist in Chicago, I focus on how trauma and ADHD live in the body — not just in thoughts.

Somatic trauma therapy helps you:

  • Regulate an overwhelmed nervous system

  • Reduce chronic anxiety and hypervigilance

  • Address freeze, shutdown, and dissociation

  • Reconnect with safety in your body

  • Identify (and treat) connection between ADHD, trauma and chronic illness & pain conditions

Rather than relying solely on cognitive insight, we work directly with nervous system patterns shaped by trauma and chronic stress.

This is especially powerful for adults with ADHD, where executive dysfunction and emotional intensity are often connected to unresolved trauma physiology.

Somatic + EMDR Therapy for ADHD Burnout

Through integrative Somatic Therapy and EMDR, we address both the body-based exhaustion and the underlying trauma patterns contributing to burnout.

ADHD burnout is more than stress. It often includes:

  • Cycles of over-functioning and collapse

  • Masking and people-pleasing

  • Sensory overwhelm

  • Shame from years of feeling “behind”

EMDR allows us to process earlier experiences of rejection, criticism, or relational trauma that amplify ADHD symptoms. Somatic work builds capacity so your nervous system can sustain change.

This combined approach supports long-term ADHD burnout recovery rather than short-term coping.

Complex Trauma & CPTSD Treatment

I specialize in complex trauma therapy that integrates somatic healing with EMDR trauma reprocessing. This layered approach allows us to gently unwind survival strategies without overwhelming your system.

Many ADHD and queer adults carry complex trauma rooted in:

  • Childhood emotional neglect

  • Developmental trauma

  • Relational trauma

  • Chronic invalidation

  • Identity-based stress

Complex PTSD (CPTSD) often shows up as:

  • Persistent self-doubt

  • Hyper-independence or fear of closeness

  • Emotional flashbacks

  • Chronic dysregulation

If you’ve tried traditional talk therapy and still feel stuck, body-based trauma therapy may offer the missing piece.

Neurodivergent-Affirming Therapy for Identity & Gender Exploration

My practice is explicitly neurodivergent-affirming and LGBTQIA2S+ affirming.

Queer adults with ADHD often navigate:

  • Minority stress

  • Masking in professional or family systems

  • Religious or relational trauma

  • Identity invalidation

Therapy here is collaborative, affirming, and grounded in nervous system safety. You will not feel like you have to over explain yourself here. Your lived experience is honored as context — not pathology.

Work With a Specialized Somatic Trauma Therapist in Chicago

If you're ready to move from survival mode into embodied stability, schedule a consultation to explore whether we’re a good fit.

A woman with long, wavy, two-tone hair that is dark purple at the roots and fades into vibrant purple at the ends. She has a septum piercing, wears a black choker, and a black top. She is smiling slightly and standing against a plain, light-colored wall.

Hi, I’m Kate (she, they)

I know what it’s like to sit in a therapy room and not feel fully understood. As a neurodivergent therapist, I’ve experienced firsthand how certain approaches can miss the nuances of how our minds and nervous systems work.

I’ve built my practice to reflect the kind of space I needed. A place where you can show up fully, without masking, and be met with honesty, attunement, and real understanding.

Understanding your wiring. Supporting your healing.

I am an integrative trauma specialist committed to ongoing professional development and advanced clinical training.

My work blends:

  • Somatic trauma therapy

  • EMDR therapy

  • Complex trauma treatment models

  • Neurodivergent-affirming care

Learn more about what sets Dragonfly Alchemy apart

Frequently Asked Questions About Somatic Trauma Therapy in Chicago

  • Somatic trauma therapy is a body-based approach that focuses on how trauma is stored in the nervous system. Rather than working only with thoughts, somatic therapy helps regulate fight, flight, and freeze responses so healing feels sustainable and embodied.

  • ADHD burnout is often rooted in nervous system exhaustion. Somatic therapy helps reduce chronic stress patterns, increase emotional regulation, and restore energy capacity rather than relying solely on productivity tools.

  • Yes. I offer EMDR therapy in Chicago and online throughout Illinois. EMDR is integrated with somatic therapy to support safe trauma processing for complex PTSD and ADHD-related trauma.

  • Yes. My practice is explicitly neurodivergent-affirming and LGBTQ+ affirming. Therapy is identity-aware and grounded in nervous system safety.

In-Person in Chicago & Online Throughout Illinois

If you’re ready to move beyond survival patterns and toward lasting nervous system recovery, I invite you to schedule a consultation to explore next steps.

Begin Somatic Trauma Therapy in Chicago

You don’t need to keep pushing through exhaustion alone.

Schedule a consultation to explore whether somatic trauma therapy for ADHD burnout and complex trauma is the right next step for you.