LENA ELKHATIB, LMFT, CST

(She/Her)


Founder of AVID Intimacy, LLC
Licensed Couple and Family Therapist
AASECT-Certified Sex Therapist
AAMFT-Approved Supervisor
AASECT Supervisor-in-Training


Specialties:

  • Relationship conflict

  • Sex & Intimacy issues

  • Mismatched desire

  • Sexual shame/Religious Sexual Shame

  • Non-monogamous lifestyles

  • Kink & BDSM


INSURANCES ACCEPTED:

  • BCBS PPO

  • United Healthcare

  • Cigna

  • Aetna

  • Self-Pay ($185/hour)


I work with people craving intimacy. People yearning for, looking for, and ready to reconnect with themselves, their partners, and their sexuality in a deeper, more authentic, more vibrant way. I work with people that simply won’t settle for a life that is anything short of turned on.

My practice is all about intimacy, whether it’s emotional or physical, between ourselves or with our partners. Why intimacy? Because it’s powerful like nothing else. It has the ability to allow us to feel safe, secure, seen and loved at times, while also allowing us to feel energized, turned on… alive.

As a relational therapist, specifically trained and licensed in Marriage and Family Therapy and AASECT-certified in Sex Therapy, my mission is to help people tear down the barriers to intimacy and tap into pleasure, authenticity and connection. With curiosity, compassion and creativity, we will work together to discover, unpack and explore the stories guiding your life or relationships. We’ll dig into where they come from and take a cold hard look at whether or not they line up with your values and desires. And, for those stories that are leaving you feeling stuck, we’ll challenge them and rewrite new ones that feel right for you, opening up space for a life, love and sexuality that is rooted in authenticity, clarity and self-compassion.

Clinically, I use a combination of Narrative Therapy, Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) and Internal Family Systems (IFS) to work with individuals and people in relationships on navigating a myriad of personal and interpersonal challenges such as relationship issues such as emotional disconnect, mismatched desire, trust repair, sexual concerns across various life stages and transitions, sexual identity development, healing from sexual shame, opening up relationships and kink/BDSM exploration.

In addition to clinical work and training future sex therapists, I am an Adjunct Faculty at Adler University, teaching Sex Therapy to Master’s level students, and conduct workshops for other clinicians looking to enhance their Sex Therapy skills and competence working with Muslim clients around sex & sexuality. I have also served as the Subject Matter Expert and Curriculum Designer for Adler University’s Sex Therapy Certification Program.   

Our work together won’t always be easy, but change never is. If you’re willing to lean in, you’ll leave with a stronger connection to yourself, your partner and your sexuality, new scripts to live by and a slew of strategies to stay on track.

AFFILIATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS:

  • Clinical Member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT)

  • Clinical Member of the American Association for Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT)

  • Clinical Member of the Illinois Affiliation of Marriage and Family Therapists (IAMFT)

  • Clinical Member of The Sexual Health Alliance

  • Member of KPACT- Kink & Poly Aware Chicago Therapists

  • Member of Postpartum Support International (PSI)

  • Pre-Marital Counseling Facilitator through PREPARE/ENRICH