ONLINE THERAPY FOR KALAMAZOO & ACROSS MICHIGAN
LGBTQ+ Affirming Therapy, Trauma, and Neurodivergent Support in Kalamazoo
Progressive, specialilzed virtual therapy for Kalamazoo adults seeking healing from trauma, anxiety, and relational strain.
Serving clients across Michigan. BCBS in-network.
Do any of these sound like you?
Unseen
Guarded
Exposed
Depleted
Living in a vibrant and connected community like Kalamazoo is wonderful, but it does not make trauma or burnout easier to live with.
You might be carrying the exhaustion of masking your ADHD or Autism, or feeling completely drained from navigating a world that does not always make room for who you are. It can be incredibly heavy to hold all of that on your own. We offer a welcoming, deeply affirming environment where you do not have to educate your therapist about being queer or neurodivergent. Therapy with us is a place where you can just show up and begin the work of healing.
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Who We Work With
We support adults seeking meaningful trauma recovery, managing chronic burnout, or navigating major life transitions. Within this work, we provide specialized, affirming care for transgender, nonbinary, and queer clients, as well as individuals with ADHD or Autism. Whether you need general trauma support or a therapist who truly grasps the intersection of queer identity and neurodivergence, we offer a collaborative space to focus entirely on your healing.
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Why Virtual Care
In a mid-sized city where you might run into your therapist at the same local events, virtual care provides an essential layer of privacy. No waiting room, no small-scene overlap, just support from wherever you actually have privacy.
“We talk about what has been making life hard and work with you to find the best options to make things feel more manageable.”
—Steven Gilpin, LMSW
HOW WE CAN HELP
Our Specialties
Real life rarely fits into neat categories, and neither do the lives of people we work with. Below are some of the areas we specialize in. Don’t worry if what you're carrying doesn't map perfectly onto any of these.
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Anxiety, Stress & Burnout
When anxiety, stress and overwhelm have become your default, something needs to change. Therapy is a place to start figuring out what's actually driving it, and work toward handling life with a little more room to breathe.
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Trauma & The Past
Past trauma has a way of showing up in daily life in ways we might not expect, including interactions with others and how you think about yourself. We can help you make sense of your history so it stops running the show.
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Neurodivergent Support
We tailor sessions for therapy for how your brain is actually wired, not against it. Whether you're navigating ADHD, Autism, or a late diagnosis, you don't have to mask, overexplain, justify, or perform. Just show up as you are.
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LGBTQ+ Affirming Care
Connecting Heals is a space where you never have to spend a session educating your therapist or defending who you are. Just grounded, skilled support for the life you want to build.
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Relationships & Boundaries
If your relationships leave you more drained than fulfilled, often there is a reason. We’ll help you understand the patterns behind people-pleasing, codependency, and conflict avoidance.
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Life Transitions & Parenting
Becoming a parent, losing a partner, navigating divorce, or starting over after a major life change. Transitions are harder than they look.. We’ll work to help you find your footing.
Additional areas of clinical expertise
Chronic Stress
Depression
Identity & Cultural Stress
Transgender Support
Self-Esteem & Self-Trust
POC-Affirming Care
Coping Skills
OCD
Suicidal Ideation & Crisis Support
You’ve tried therapy before. This is different.
We skip the part where you have to educate us first, and get straight to the clinical depth you're actually looking for.
Start with a free 15-minute consultation. No commitment, no pressure, just a real conversation to see if we're the right fit.
WHY CONNECTING HEALS
What We Actually Do Differently
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We pace the work carefully, and prioritize your stability throughout.
Our team has trained across hospital and partial hospitalization settings. We build the safety net before we start digging, and we know how to support you while the hard work is happening.
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We respect your story.
We specialize in the intersections of neurodivergence, trauma, and LGBTQ+ identity. Your story deserves to be heard without explanation or judgment, and that's exactly what you'll find here.
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The goal is a life worth living, not just fewer bad days
We can't promise a cure. What we can do is work to help you build the capacity to handle hard things, trust yourself, and actually enjoy your life again. Realistic, and worth it.
who we are
The People Behind Our Practice
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Steven Gilpin, LMSW
CLINICAL DIRECTOR & THERAPIST
Practical, direct, and genuinely warm. Steve built this practice around the belief that therapy should feel like a conversation, not a procedure. They bring a deep clinical range (from crisis-level care to everyday burnout) and a firm conviction that much in life can be figured out, with the right support. -
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Liz Davila-Ferrall, LMSW
Trusted by Our Peers
IS THERAPY RIGHT FOR YOU?
Things You Might Already Be Thinking
"I'm already so exhausted and I don't have the bandwidth to start therapy right now."
That's actually one of the most common reasons people do start. You don't need to show up with energy to spare. You just need to show up. We'll figure out the pace & path together.
Therapy outcomes depend on fit and the therapeutic approach. If the style felt off or the method wasn't matched to what you were actually dealing with, it makes sense that nothing changed. That said, therapy works best when you're able to show up, be open and honest, and be willing to do the work. The more you bring to it, the more you get out of it.
"I've tried therapy before and it didn't really work."
"Is what I'm going through bad enough to actually warrant therapy?"
You don't need to be in crisis to deserve support. Chronic exhaustion, ongoing relational stress, and feeling stuck all count. You don't have to earn the right to ask for help.
"I'm worried I'll have to spend sessions explaining my identity before we get to the actual work."
We're not going to ask you to translate yourself. Whether you're queer, neurodivergent, a trauma survivor, some combination of those, or none of them at all, you don't have to earn your place here before the work starts.
in-network for online therapy
BCBS In-Network Therapy for Kalamazoo
Connecting Heals is in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and its affiliate companies. That means if you have BCBS coverage, your online therapy sessions are billed directly through your insurance at your in-network rate — the same way you'd use insurance for any other healthcare appointment.
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What does in-network mean?
It means you pay your copay or work toward your deductible rather than the full session fee. Most BCBS mental health benefits cover outpatient therapy, including online therapy.
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What about online therapy?
Blue Cross Blue Shield covers online therapy the same way it covers in-person therapy. You don't need to be in an office for your insurance to apply. As long as you're located in Michigan during your sessions, your BCBS benefits work.
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What if I don't have BCBS?
Our standard session fee is $170. We offer a sliding scale on a case by case basis for clients who need it, and we provide superbills for out-of-network reimbursement if your plan allows for it.
Ready when you are.
No pressure, no commitment. Just a free 15-minute conversation to see if we're the right fit, on your schedule, wherever you are in the Kalamazoo area.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Common Questions, Real Answers.
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Where do sessions happen?
100% online sessions over video. We serve clients anywhere in Michigan. Wear your pajamas. Bring your dog. Seriously.
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Who do you work with?
Preteens, teens, adults, and older adults — depending on the provider, generally 12 and up. We're licensed in Michigan and serve clients statewide.
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How do I get started?
Request a free 15-minute consult and we'll handle the rest. No paperwork before you say hello, no maze to navigate — just a conversation to see if it feels right.
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Can you help me process past trauma without using overly clinical or cold methods?
Definitely. Processing trauma is heavy work, but we do not rely on rigid formulas. Instead, we collaborate with you to try and find a pace and an approach that might work well for your nervous system. Our goal is to keep you supported and grounded as we navigate your history.
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What does therapy look like for transgender and nonbinary adults at your practice?
We provide affirming care that centers you as a whole person. Many of our clients are not coming to therapy to focus on their gender identity at all. Instead, they want to process trauma, navigate relationship boundaries, or manage daily burnout. Your identity is seamlessly respected as a baseline, allowing us to focus entirely on the goals that matter most to you.
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I am neurodivergent and queer. Is this intersection something you have experience with?
Yes, absolutely. Masking your ADHD or Autism while also navigating social dynamics can lead to exhaustion. We can help you look directly at how your neurodivergence impacts your life. We focus on practical and emotional support, exploring things like sensory overwhelm, executive functioning, and how to build routines that help reduce burnout.
Articles and Resources
For Kalamazoo
Michigan Proud.
We're a virtual practice rooted in Ann Arbor and serving clients across Michigan. Whether you're in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Kalamazoo, Traverse City, or anywhere in between, online therapy through Connecting Heals is available to you.
