Connor Williams, AM, LCSW, CST

I was drawn to social work and therapeutic practice through both a commitment to collective liberation, and a genuine curiosity for the stories and narratives of others. I grew up listening to my grandparents recount their early lives, often spending hours wondering about the lifetimes that came before me. As I grew older and experienced my own sense of difference as a queer person, I began to recognize how our stories often become defined not only by community or family but also by how we feel “other than” or different from those around us. I became interested in how society teaches us to distort or repress our authentic selves, often leading us to make decisions about our behavior, relationships, and life paths from a disconnected, siloed perspective. 

As such, I believe therapy is a collaborative, evolving process that invites us to rediscover the parts of ourselves we may have set aside. I’ll encourage you to welcome the many facets of your experience—emotional, intellectual, sensory, intimate, creative, spiritual, and playful—as they emerge in our work. Together, we’ll explore how your unique identities can integrate more fully, reducing disconnection and fostering new ways of relating to yourself and others. We’ll also reflect on our shared and differing perspectives as sources of growth and resilience.

I believe that our healing cannot be separated from our relationships. We begin our work by becoming more aware of the relational patterns that are constantly shaping you, your reactions, and your belief systems.  My approach focuses on the relationship we develop together as the primary ground for experimentation. Collaboratively, we will explore what begins to emerge between us, slowing down in the process enough to give you a chance to understand how your patterns are replicated and persist. I’ll often ask you to consider what is coming up between us now, in this moment, making space for you to experiment with the insights you gain and apply them both within and outside the therapy room. When we develop a clearer understanding of our natural strategies for forming, navigating, and maintaining relationships with others, we open opportunities to explore deeper levels of intimacy and connection. Together, I hope to identify ways you can build stronger, more genuine relationships with others in your life.

Areas of Focus & Specialization

• Developmental, Relational, & Complex Trauma

• Relationship Challenges & Concerns

• Identity Exploration, Development, & Intersectionality

• Sexual Pleasure, Function, & Intimacy Concerns

• Sexual Discrepancy Desire/Mismatched Desire in Relationships

• Open, Non-Monogamous, & Polyamorous Relationships

• Exploration of Masculinity & Masculinity-related Concerns

• Perfectionism, Self-worth, & Purpose

• Depression, Anxiety, & Stress

• Helping Professionals (social workers, chaplains, therapists, teachers, medical professionals, lawyers, veterinarians, etc.) & Challenges Related to Burnout

Modalities

• LGBTQ Affirmative Practice

• Psychodynamic Psychotherapy / Relationally-focused Psychotherapy

• Sex Therapy, including work with individuals and relationships*

• Body-based Approaches (somatic experiencing)

• Long-term, Explorative Therapy (may include multiple sessions per week if desired by the client)

• Trauma-informed Practice

*For those seeking couple/relationship counseling, please note that I currently only accept couples and relationships who specifically wish to address issues related to sex and intimacy. If you have any questions about whether I will be a good fit for your particular concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me directly.

Degrees

• AM, Social Work, University of Chicago—School of Social Service Administration, 2014

• BA, Psychology, University of Colorado, 2012

Licensure

• LCSW (IL), 149.018440, Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, 2016

• LISW (IA), 121009, Iowa State Board of Social Work, 2023

• LCSW (ME), LC23347, Maine Board of Social Work Licensure, 2023

• LCSW (CT), 013376, Connecticut Department of Public Health, 2023

Certifications

• Certified Sex Therapist (CST), American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists, 2024

• University of Michigan, Sexual Health Certificate Program (Sex Therapy), 2023

• Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Fellow, Chicago Center for Psychoanalysis, 2017

• Certificate in Primary Care Behavioral Health, University of Massachusetts - Amherst, 2016

• Beginner Level I, II, III, Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute, 2015