Xochitl Sandoval, LCSW

My name is Xochitl (ze/zir) and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. I was born and raised right here in the Windy City, and graduated from the University of Chicago with a masters in Social Work in 2016 and have been in the field ever since.

I have had the great opportunity to work in a variety of settings, from outpatient mental health to youth shelters, residential centers, transitional living programs for adults with severe and persistent mental illness, to being a volunteer clinician for the Kovler Center for Victims of Torture. I have supported folks with histories of trauma, depression, chronic suicidal ideation and self harm, and high anxiety. I have also supported folks with a wide range of identities and practices including gender, sexual orientation, kink, sex work, non monogamy and polyamory.

My work is based in decolonial, radical, anti-oppressive and eclectic approaches. I believe that everything that we experience has to be understood in context of the systems we live in. I also believe that healing should be integrated-addressing only cognition or emotion leaves out vital information from the process and so often can make healing feel incomplete. The folks I work with often hear me talk about tuning in to the physical body, to art, and to symbolism and metaphor. My ultimate vision is to support people so that they can go and live the lives they deserve.

While not working I'm knitting, hiking with my dog, weaving, dancing, or listening to a psych thriller audiobook.