Xio Cervantes-Gómez, PhD

(she/they/ella/ellx)

Languages: English

* Welcome*

Therapy with me is a space where you don’t have to translate yourself. You can bring the parts of you that feel messy, uncertain, or “too much,” and I’ll meet you there with care, curiosity, and respect. Your story doesn’t need to follow someone else’s script to be valid or worth tending. Whether you’re exploring your gender or sexuality, untangling the impact of trauma, navigating the harm of academic or institutional systems, or trying to reconnect with yourself after years in survival mode—this is a place where all of you is welcome.

* My Focus *

My work centers people whose lives are shaped by complexity—whether that’s identity, history, relationships, or the systems they’re moving through. I offer therapy that is grounded in affirming queer, trans, and BIPOC experiences, with attention to how race, gender, sexuality, and power shape our inner and outer worlds. From that foundation, I often work with survivors of trauma, including those living with PTSD, recovering from domestic abuse, or navigating relationships marked by narcissistic harm. My clients include students, academics, professionals, couples, and polyamorous constellations—who are navigating the intersections of identity, intimacy, and life transitions. I hold space for people exploring their sexuality in ways that are expansive and self-defined, whether that means reclaiming intimacy, embracing non-monogamy, or honoring a hookup-positive life without shame. Whatever brings you in, therapy with me is about holding the full truth of your experience while making room for what’s possible next.

* My Approach *

I practice from a relational, trauma-informed foundation that integrates psychodynamic therapy, narrative work, and somatic awareness. I also draw from Internal Family Systems (IFS), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and incorporate evidence-based trauma treatments such as Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Prolonged Exposure (PE) when they support a client’s goals. My work is deeply informed by queer theory and trans of color critique, shaped by a background in continental philosophy and psychoanalysis. I understand that for many queer and trans people, intellectualizing our experiences is both a survival strategy and a form of meaning-making. In therapy, we’ll honor that part of you while also exploring what exists beyond analysis—your embodied experiences, your relationships, your longing, and your capacity for change. Together, we’ll hold complexity, name systems that shape your life, and work toward grounded shifts that are both practical and deeply felt.

* My Philosophy on Therapy *

I believe therapy should be a space where no part of you has to be left at the door. It is a space where your survival strategies are met with respect, your boundaries are honored, and your complexity is welcomed. My work is guided by intersectionality, abolitionist ethics, and decolonizing approaches to care. Healing, for me, is not about erasing the past or striving for some fixed version of “better,” but about expanding your capacity to live in alignment with your values, even when the world is hostile to who you are. Good therapy creates space for grief and joy to coexist, for contradictions to be named, and for the stories you’ve been told about yourself to be reimagined. As a trans Latina queer theorist, I see therapy as both deeply personal and inherently political—because our healing is bound up with the liberation of our communities.

* Credentials & EXPERIENCE *

I am currently completing my MA in Social Work, Social Policy, and Social Administration at The University of Chicago, building on nearly two decades of advocacy, teaching, and community work. I also hold a PhD in Comparative Studies in Literature and Culture from the University of Southern California and a Master’s degree in Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School. My professional background includes years as a tenure-track professor, mentoring students and conducting research in gender studies, performance studies, and Latinx studies, alongside policy and advocacy work focused on LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities.

* MORE ABOUT ME *

Trans woman of color • Chicana • Mexican-American • California-born • First-generation college graduate • Former tenure-track professor • Survivor and advocate • Drag queen • Performance artist