Isaac Samuelson, LPC, is a Chicago-based NARM Therapist, primarily working with people who are discovering and maintaining their queer identity or struggling with it. Isaac identifies as queer themselves and sees their identity as a strength: together with their clients, Isaac collaborates to discover the challenges and joys in the lifelong journey of connecting with oneself.

Having worked as an actor, performer, and clown, Isaac learned to empathize with the characters they played. This practice of empathy gave them a relational roadmap for supporting their later therapeutic development: "I was able to do my own thinking about those parts of myself that I was not as thrilled about and to say, actually, this is a part of who you are and it can be charming."

Isaac reflects on their experience of being queer in America, emphasizes the dramatic impact a positive adult can have on a queer child's mental health, and discusses what genuine support can look like. The intersection of cultural trauma and one's own agency is where clients can do transformative work. While it is important to acknowledge ongoing real-world limiting factors, it is equally important to acknowledge the great possibility for self-activation and transformation.

About Isaac Samuelson:

Isaac Samuelson is a Licensed Professional Counselor based in Chicago who specializes in counseling LGBTQIA adolescents and adults. Isaac is working at Chicago Institute for Change and was a group therapist for the Second City's "Improv for Anxiety" group. Isaac completed a Postgraduate Fellowship at Live Oak and a clinical internship at Hartgrove Hospital.

To read the full show notes and discover more resources visit https://www.narmtraining.com/podcast

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