I am Benjamin Ramos Anderson (any/all), a fully bilingual, neurodivergent Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over a decade of dedicated experience providing culturally affirming and LGBTQ+ specific mental health services. As a clinician who personally navigates life with ADHD, my practice is built upon a foundation of lived empathy, profound respect, and non-judgmental collaboration. I reject the rigid “all-knowing expert” model of therapy. Instead, I choose to walk right alongside individuals, couples, and families as a collaborative partner, developing creative, real-world solutions that embrace your unique identities rather than trying to fit them into a textbook mold.
My perspective is deeply intersectional. I recognize that our mental wellness is inextricably tied to our cultural backgrounds, minority status, geographic locations, family structures, and how our brains process the world. I specialize in telehealth care across Illinois and Minnesota, serving urban LGBTQ+ communities in Chicago and the Twin Cities, as well as historically under-served queer populations living in rural regions.

Throughout my ten-year career, I have intentionally embedded my practice within queer-affirming spaces across schools, federal programs, community health centers, and private telehealth. My clinical offerings are tailored to celebrate the full spectrum of LGBTQIA+, bicultural, and neurodivergent lived experiences:

Howard Brown Health: My foundational training includes clinical social work inside Howard Brown Health in Chicago, one of the nation’s premier LGBTQ+ healthcare organizations. During my time there, I provided comprehensive, queer-affirming care management and co-facilitated specialized group therapy for older LGBTQ+ adults navigating complex life, health, and aging transitions.
School-Based Queer & Neurodivergent Advocacy: Serving as a school-based social worker at Christopher House in Chicago, I actively supported queer, trans, and questioning youth within the educational system. I specialize in helping neurodivergent youth (ADHD/Autism spectrum) manage school anxiety, process systemic rejection, and build confidence while assisting their families in creating neuro-affirming, positive parenting structures at home.
Rural Queer Teletherapy Access: Drawing from my work with Rural Psychiatry Associates, I am highly skilled at delivering teletherapy tailored to the distinct stressors of LGBTQ+ individuals living in rural or isolated areas across North Dakota, Montana, and greater Minnesota. As someone who grew up in a rural religious community, I understand the isolation, safety concerns, and lack of local affirming resources that rural queer people face, and I provide a secure, lifeline connection to top-tier care.
Intergenerational LGBTQ+ Research: My clinical practice is backed by quantitative and qualitative research that I conducted during my graduate studies. My primary research project focused explicitly on Supportive Intergenerational Relationships within the LGBTQ+ Community. This academic research revealed the vital, yet historically rare, nature of deep connections between older LGBTQ+ adults and younger LGBTQIA+ generations. I actively apply these insights into my family and individual therapy to help clients heal intergenerational trauma, build chosen family networks, and bridge generational divides within the queer community.

Master of Social Work (MSW) – Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, IL
Honors & Accolades: Graduate Assistantship Scholarship Recipient, Merit Tuition Scholarship Recipient, and Merit Award for Outstanding Academic Research.
* Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Latinx Children & Families with Complex Trauma – Specialized Clinical Certification
* Trauma-Informed CBT (TF-CBT) & Play Therapy – Extensive post-graduate training focused on helping child and adolescent populations heal from systemic, displacement, and familial trauma.
CPI Non-Violent Crisis Intervention Certification – Specialized training in safely de-escalating acute behavioral and emotional crises.
* Systems & Policy Leadership: Extensive background managing regional compliance, child welfare, Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) policies, and educational IEP/school enrollment support through leadership roles at organizations like Global Refuge.

Working With Me: What to Expect
Whether we are addressing academic hurdles, household conflicts, complex trauma, or major life transitions, our sessions will feel conversational, collaborative, and entirely affirming. I provide an online space where you do not have to waste your precious emotional energy defending or explaining who you are.
I purposely reserve highly flexible early morning and late evening session slots to accommodate busy corporate professionals in Chicago, active families in Minneapolis, and rural clients needing off-hours care. I am a fully private-pay provider and gladly provide itemized monthly Superbills to help you secure out-of-network insurance reimbursements through your PPO or HSA plans.