We are here and ready to work together.
Meet Matthew
Matthew Vail, LCSW (he/him/his, they/them/theirs) | Co-Founder, Psychotherapist
I became a therapist because I’ve always been curious about people’s inner worlds.
Therapy is one of the few places where all parts of a person are welcome. I co-founded
Salix Psychotherapy Collective because I wanted to be part of a group of clinicians who
think critically about how therapy is delivered — with depth, equity, warmth, humor, and
humanity.
I am a relational and psychodynamic therapist working with adults across the lifespan. My approach is collaborative, curious, and gently irreverent. My practice is about helping people turn toward their inner world with curiosity instead of judgment. I also integrate mindfulness and somatic techniques, because sometimes words are not enough. I am trained in “parts work” and deeply committed to helping my clients work through complex trauma. I am also here to help with a variety of other challenges, including depression, anxiety, grief and loss, and substance use.
I have expertise in working with individuals from the LGBTQ community. I am also well- versed in the requirements for surgical letters of readiness. My training as a social worker means that I approach my work from a lens of anti-oppression and I am committed to helping people navigate broken and traumatizing systems.
In addition to my private practice, I have held appointments at the University of Chicago’s Crown School of Social Work and Rush University’s College of Health Sciences, where I have taught graduate-level coursework on mental health and aging. I have written extensively on the integration of social work and traditional health care to promote health equity and reduce health disparities. I am the former Manager of Social Work Services for Affirm: The Rush Center for Gender, Sexuality and Reproductive Health. In this role, I helped to build a one-of-a-kind, integrated health care program for LGBTQ patients. I am an advocate for reduced barriers to care for Trans and Non- Binary people and regularly lead workshops on reducing harm in the process of writing surgical letters of readiness. I am currently co-chair for the Chicago Network for LGBTG Aging.
I am a relational and psychodynamic therapist working with adults across the lifespan. My approach is collaborative, curious, and gently irreverent. My practice is about helping people turn toward their inner world with curiosity instead of judgment. I also integrate mindfulness and somatic techniques, because sometimes words are not enough. I am trained in “parts work” and deeply committed to helping my clients work through complex trauma. I am also here to help with a variety of other challenges, including depression, anxiety, grief and loss, and substance use.
I have expertise in working with individuals from the LGBTQ community. I am also well- versed in the requirements for surgical letters of readiness. My training as a social worker means that I approach my work from a lens of anti-oppression and I am committed to helping people navigate broken and traumatizing systems.
In addition to my private practice, I have held appointments at the University of Chicago’s Crown School of Social Work and Rush University’s College of Health Sciences, where I have taught graduate-level coursework on mental health and aging. I have written extensively on the integration of social work and traditional health care to promote health equity and reduce health disparities. I am the former Manager of Social Work Services for Affirm: The Rush Center for Gender, Sexuality and Reproductive Health. In this role, I helped to build a one-of-a-kind, integrated health care program for LGBTQ patients. I am an advocate for reduced barriers to care for Trans and Non- Binary people and regularly lead workshops on reducing harm in the process of writing surgical letters of readiness. I am currently co-chair for the Chicago Network for LGBTG Aging.