“I know therapy is going well when clients bring more and more of their authentic selves.”
- Eric Geweniger
About Eric
My name is Eric Geweniger (he/they) and I am a Chicago-based queer psychotherapist and Advanced Fellow at Bespoke Healing. I work within a trauma-informed, relational style of therapy and work closely in-community with queer and other minoritized folks. Much of my work centers on navigating challenges in relationships, exploring and processing traumatic experience, and managing life stress. I chose this fellowship at Bespoke Healing because I share the practice’s values of providing a space for authenticity, safety, and empowerment.
As a first-generation college and graduate student, I hold a deep understanding of the challenges of navigating new, unfamiliar, and daunting systems on your own. I grew up in suburban and rural, religious, and low- and middle-income communities and was among the first to live openly as a queer person in my family system. In my life, I have learned first-hand the far-reaching impact of the political on the personal, particularly for those of us who learn to withdraw or guard ourselves. I have also learned and continue to learn the power in living authentically and reclaiming one’s sense of self.
My style in therapy is reflective, warm, and attentive. I approach therapy with curiosity and openness to the unique shape our relationship may take and seek to cultivate greater insight and groundedness based on the dynamic that forms between us. I work with individuals and couples/relationships of all identities with specialization in survivors of trauma, queer/LGBTQ+ folks, men and masculinity, kinksters and leather folks, and young adults.
I obtained my B.A. in Psychology and B.A. in Music from Augustana College in Rock Island, IL and my M.A. in Counseling Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Prior to my work at Bespoke, I worked at Howard Brown Health’s Counseling Center in Uptown-Buena Park. This experience in community mental health focused on substance use and addiction treatment through Howard Brown’s former Recovering with Pride program, which approached healing and recovery from harm-reduction and trauma-informed perspectives that continue to inform my work today.
Outside of my professional life, I am a professional vocal musician and a member of common pulse, a vocal music ensemble dedicated to community collaboration, social justice, and innovative artistic performance. I’m also a fantasy/horror geek and an avid player of narrative ttrpgs and video games!