Mentorship Matching Program

To facilitate support and connection across LGBTQ clinicians at different stages in their careers, the Chicagoland Queer Therapist Network is establishing a Mentorship Matching Program.

Having had supervisors and mentors who understood our experiences, we know how important it can be to connect with someone in the field who’s walked the same path and shares our identities. This type of mentorship can offer significant support as you navigate the field of Therapy.

Interested in Providing or Receiving Mentorship?

Click on the link below to be matched with a prospective Mentor or Mentee. A member of our Mentorship & Training Committee will reach out to you about next steps in potential matching!

 FAQs

  • There is no cost. The mentorship program is free to QTN members!

  • Yes. You must be a QTN member to apply. Membership is free. Click here to join the QTN.

  • The program is open to QTN members who live or work in Illinois, with emphasis on the greater Chicago area.  For now, mentees must hold a graduate degree; however, graduate students may be included as mentees in future phases of the program.

  • QTN Mentors must hold a terminal license (LCPC, LCSW, LMFT, or Licensed Clinical Psychologist) and have at least five years of experience in the field.  Mentors must also be QTN members.

Program Basics

  • You will have a trusted, identity-affirming clinician in your corner who sees you and the specific challenges you carry. Expect warm guidance on career choices, practice-building, clinical dilemmas, and/or navigating identity in professional spaces. Beyond concrete skills and advice, a mentor offers encouragement, perspective when things feel lonely, connections into a broader professional community, and a steady ally as you grow into the clinician you want to be.

  • You get to give back in a way that matters, sharing hard-earned wisdom and witnessing someone else’s growth. Mentoring is a chance to strengthen leadership and reflective skills, learn from fresh perspectives, and deepen your own sense of purpose and community. Many mentors say the relationship renews their passion for the work and reminds them why they entered the field, all while building lasting professional and personal connections.

  • If you would like to apply to the mentorship program, please ensure you meet the following requirements, and then apply at this link.

    • Current QTN Member

    • Mentees: Completed your graduate degree

    • Mentors: Terminal licensed for at least 5 years

Program Benefits

  • There is no cost. The mentorship program is free to QTN members!

  • Matches are expected to run for one year, with the option to continue beyond that if both mentor and mentee wish.

  • Matches can be in person, virtual, or hybrid. Matching will take into account each person’s preference for in-person versus virtual meetings.

  • Mentors connect regularly with their mentee (typically monthly or at least every other month) to offer warm, practical guidance to help mentees grow in their work. They share career and clinical experience, offer identity-affirming perspectives, help brainstorm, and point mentees toward useful resources or referrals.  At the start, mentors and mentees should agree on meeting cadence, typical meeting length, mentoring goals, and boundaries.

  • Mentees come to mentorship meetings with clear goals, questions, or clinical challenges, and should be open to feedback. They follow through on agreed actions, respect confidentiality, and treat the relationship as a supportive space for learning, reflection, and professional growth.

Commitment & Expectations

  • Participants are matched based on availability, meeting preference (in person, virtual, or hybrid), geographic area, and mentor/mentee selected elements.  These elements include identity traits and lived experience, clinical interests and specialties, and theoretical orientation.  

    Mentors indicate the identity traits, experiences, and clinical areas they feel qualified to mentor in. Mentees are asked to select 1 to 2 traits or areas that matter most to them to improve the chances of a good match.  Note, the mentoring program works to create thoughtful, identity-affirming pairings but cannot guarantee a perfect fit.  If your match does not meet your needs, email mentorship@queertherapistnetwork.com. 

  • A mentor provides identity-affirming career guidance, professional development, networking help, and lived-experience perspective. This program is explicitly not clinical supervision and does not replace supervision required for licensure or clinical oversight.  Both mentors and mentees are expected to protect client privacy by avoiding sharing identifiable client information, to deidentify any case material, and to follow professional ethical standards and licensing rules when discussing clinical examples.

  • The Mentorship Committee manages the matching process.

  • Matches are made on a rolling basis as applications are received.

  • Mentees are matched with one mentor only. Mentors may take up to three mentees, based on the mentor’s interest and capacity.

Matching Process

Fit & Concerns

  • If the match isn’t a good fit, contact mentorship@queertherapistnetwork.com and the Mentorship Committee will assist.  We recommend you treat the initial match as an introduction rather than a guarantee; matches may not be perfect and re-matching is possible.

  • If conflicts, boundary concerns, or other problems arise, contact mentorship@queertherapistnetwork.com. The Mentorship Committee can offer support or facilitate a re-match when needed.

  • Not at this time. There is no formal check-in or evaluation process, though the program may add one in the future.

  • We strongly recommend avoiding dual relationships such as entering a clinical client relationship with a mentor/mentee.  If you have questions or concerns about boundaries or dual roles, contact mentorship@queertherapistnetwork.com for guidance.

Logistics

  • There are no program fees. Any incidental costs (travel to meet in person) are the responsibility of the individuals who agree to them. Mentors and mentees should coordinate meeting times, locations, and logistics based on what works best for both of them.

  • Mentors and mentees are expected to follow standard ethical guidelines and best practices. This includes maintaining confidentiality about client details, de-identifying any case examples, and respecting each other’s privacy.  Because this is not clinical supervision, participants should not rely on the mentorship relationship for clinical oversight.  Participants must use their own judgment and professional obligations when discussing client material.

    While QTN expects participants to uphold these standards, the Queer Therapist Network cannot guarantee compliance and does not assume responsibility or liability for breaches of confidentiality or other actions by participants; participants remain responsible for their own conduct and for any legal or professional consequences that may result.

  • Email the Mentorship Committee atmentorship@queertherapistnetwork.com .

Still have questions?

Fill out our contact form and a member of our Mentorship & Training Committee will reply to your question!