Our Team

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Matthew, a cisgender male, light complected Latine with short dark hair and a beard of medium length. They are wearing a dark button up shirt with contrasting tailored elements. Their sleeves are rolled up exposing a forearm tattoo. They are kindly smiling at the camera.
  • Supervisor
  • Therapist

Matthew Amador

He/Him

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Staff Psychotherapist, Clinical Supervisor, Trainee Group Supervisor

mamador@liveoakchicago.com

773.880.1310 ext. (7298)

English

Values & Philosophy

Our lives are made up of innumerable choices. From the big and tough decisions to the smaller ones in our day to day experiences, these options make life complex and rich. The truth is, though, that sometimes our hearts and minds do not let us in on all of the available opportunities. We find ourselves stuck in familiar patterns, caught like an ice skate sliding into a pre-existing groove — and sometimes it feels easier to just glide along rather than finding the energy to forge a new path. My work with you is about reclaiming agency in your life so that you can move forward courageously and confidently in your own decisions.

I believe your personal experiences and intersecting identities should have space to influence the therapeutic journey we have together. If you find peace by escaping into books, movies, or music, let’s examine how these elements can inspire transformative processes. If your cultural upbringing instilled values or practices that seem to be at odds with what’s around you, we can attempt to broker a peace. If kink headspace provides you with stress relief, let’s look at building a bridge for that energy into your non-kink life, or at least give that headspace a tourist visa into your daily experience. Whether meeting individually, or as a part of a relationship or polycule, I value us working together towards opportunities for new growth and a better sense of self-awareness.

Psychodynamic, feminist, and cognitive-behavioral theories may all influence my work, but it’s you as the human being sitting across from me who ultimately guides it.

Education & Training

Licensure

LCSW, 149.022197
Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, 2020

Degrees

MSW
DePaul University, 2018

BS
Northwestern University, 2002

Certifications

KPACT
Kink & Poly Aware Counselors and Therapists, 2018

Areas of Focus & Specialization

  • Depression, Anxiety, & Stress
  • Developmental Trauma
  • Complex Family Dynamics
  • Identity Exploration, Development, & Intersectionality
  • Autism Spectrum-Informed Practice
  • Poly & Non-Monogamy Affirmative Practice
  • BDSM, Kink & Fetish-Aware Practice
  • Sexual Desire Imbalances in Life and Relationships

I Work With

  • Individuals (Adults)
  • Relationships (couples, triads, polycules, constellations
  • Groups: Gay, Bisexual, & Queer Men’s Group

Modalities

  • LGBTQ Affirmative Practice
  • Feminist Approaches
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
  • Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
  • Narrative Therapy
  • Body-based Approaches
  • Psychodynamic Approaches