Marcel Byrd

Graduate-Level Therapy Intern | MSW Candidate

Pronouns: He/They

Therapy for Big Life Changes, Identity, and the Dream You Keep Putting Off

A playful, movement-friendly space to try on a braver version of your life before you live it.

LET'S START HERE

There's a version of your life you can almost picture — a different job, a different city, people who really get you — and a louder voice listing every reason it isn't for you. Maybe you've rewritten the plan a dozen times in your notes app. Maybe you've stopped mentioning it out loud.

You might be queer, trans, a person of color, an artist, or someone who has spent years shrinking to fit rooms that weren't built for you. Somewhere along the way, the beliefs that kept you safe started keeping you small. Part of you is restless, part of you is scared, and both parts deserve a seat in the room.

What would you say to someone who’s nervous or unsure about starting therapy?

What would you do if the fear got a little quieter? I'm Marcel, a social work intern at Tides Mental Health, and that's the question I love sitting with. I work with adults, especially queer and trans folks of color and creative people, who feel the pull toward a big change but can't find the first step. We can talk it through, act it out, or move it out. Bring the restless part of you — that's where we'll start.

What It’s Like to Work Together

Our sessions can look like a conversation, and sometimes they look like a rehearsal. If a hard talk is coming up, you might practice it out loud with me playing the other person, then switch seats. If words feel stuck, we might stand up, notice where a feeling lives in your body, and let it move.

Together, we'll trace the beliefs you've picked up about yourself — who handed them to you, and what they've cost. Then you'll try on a new script and notice how it feels to say it. The goal isn't to erase your history; it's to stop letting it make every decision.

Laughter is welcome here, and so is plain talk therapy. If you'd rather have a clear plan and something to work on between sessions, say so and we'll build one. You're the expert on your own life, and you'll have a partner who brings curiosity, tools, and plenty of room to experiment.

What does a session feel like?

A session with me can feel more like a studio than an office. Some days we sit and talk. Other days we get up — role-play a conversation you've been dreading, or let your body show us what words can't. It's okay to laugh, and it's okay to say "that exercise isn't for me." You choose what we try, and nothing is graded.

Why I’m passionate about this work

Before starting my social work training, I spent years in public health and community education, and I've been a dancer and performer along the way. On stages, in dance studios, and in drag, I've seen people come alive when they feel free to be fully themselves. I've watched too many queer and trans people of color, and too many artists, talk themselves out of their dreams. I want to help you talk yourself back in.

Clinical Specialties

Confusion — Feeling lost or stuck before a big change — a new career, a new city, a new chapter
Direction — Finding your direction and purpose again, and mapping a realistic path toward it
Self-worth and self-esteem — especially beliefs you absorbed long before you could question them
Anxiety — and perfectionism that keep you rehearsing failure instead of trying
Identity — authenticity, and self-expression for LGBTQIA+ people and people of color
Healing — from past hurts that still shape how you show up today
Loneliness — , building chosen community, and grieving relationships that have ended

Treatment Modalities

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) — befriend the fear that's been steering, so it can ride along while you move toward the life you want.
Narrative approaches — trace where your beliefs about yourself came from, then draft a new script and practice saying it out loud.
Psychodynamic approaches —notice how early lessons and old relationships still echo in the choices you make today.
Psychodrama-informed role-play — rehearse a hard conversation or a braver version of yourself, with room to switch roles and try again.
Movement-based, somatic-informed work — use breath, posture, and movement to work through what's hard to put into words.
Creative expression — writing, music, media, or whatever medium helps you get unstuck.

Populations Served

Adults of all ages, especially young adults in a season of change
LGBTQIA+ clients, with particular care for queer and trans people of color
Artists and creative people
People weighing a big shift in career, location, relationships, or community
People who want therapy that includes movement, role-play, or creative expression — and people who prefer straightforward talk therapy

Training & Credentials

Education : Master of Social Work (MSW) candidate, University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work (anticipated June 2027)
B.S. in Social Policy and Gender Studies, Northwestern University
Experience: Graduate-Level Therapy Intern, practicing under clinical supervision at Tides Mental Health.
Nearly a decade of public health, community education, and workshop facilitation experience, including Peace Corps service as a public health specialist in Ecuador
Certification: Certified yoga teacher (RYT-200) and dance instructor
Languages Spoken: Sessions in English
Availability: Offering in-person sessions in Chicago and telehealth for clients in Illinois

Maybe the dream is a career change. Maybe it's a new city, or simply being more fully yourself in the life you already have.

Whatever you're circling, therapy here is a place to practice — out loud, on your feet, with someone in your corner. Schedule a free 15-minute consultation, and let's find your first step together.

Insurance We Accept

We accept most major insurance providers and offer several convenient payment methods to ensure accessibility for your care. We also offer various payment methods, including credit cards, bank transfers, and electronic payments.