Maddix Vickers

My name is Maddix Vickers (they/she). I am a storyteller, social worker, and activist. For the past 15 years, I have supported unhoused individuals, LGBTQIA+ youth, people living with HIV, refugees, folks living with severe mental health conditions, and substance use. My work does not stop there, I have participated in many protests, lobby days, rallies, volunteered with many organizations, and have knocked on doors to make a change in Chicago.

As a pre licensed therapist, it is critical that my work does not stop when you leave our sessions because therapy is political.

Before I dive into who I am, and what you can expect out of therapy, it is entirely important to acknowledge that trauma is much larger than individual experiences. Trauma is political - it shows up as racism, transphobia, fat phobia, ableism, misogyny, inter-generational, colonialism, anti semitism, white supremacy, capitalism, etc. There is not one way to experience trauma - it is complex and can be difficult to fully understand. I know this first hand.

As a Queer, Transgender, HIV positive, ADHD, and Autistic person - I truly understand how complex it can be when we carry many identities. My hope is that we can work together to explore your identities, how they fit into the world around you, and begin the process of healing.

In my practice, healing is not an individualistic problem nor something that can be worked on alone. Healing will take place when we are held in a space where we feel heard, seen, validated, and when we can show up as our most authentic selves without judgement. Healing is not linear nor is it an end goal. Together, we will use your inherent wisdom and resilience to explore ways to build grounding and safety—not just through individual practices, but by fostering meaningful connections and resilience in community.

In our work together, you can expect me to see your diagnoses and struggles as a response to something much larger. My focus is on the symptoms rather than a diagnosis. In session you can expect a culmination of modalities including harm reduction, trauma informed care, relational therapy, client centered therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, and my hope is to eventually be certified in somatic therapy.

I am an anti-racist, intersectional, anti-oppressive, and liberation based therapist.