Our Therapists

Alex Tatum, PhD, CST

he/him/his

I believe connection to ourselves and others sits at the core of our distress. Whether we are grieving, (barely) managing difficult relationships, or feeling lonely, we tend to fall back on coping strategies that we learned early in life. Oftentimes, these coping strategies served a beneficial purpose, but they may now be causing more harm than good. My role is to help you identify new patterns of thought and behavior to help you achieve your goals and live a satisfying life. In order to accomplish this, I strive to establish an honest and authentic relationship that entails facing difficult emotions in order to develop deeper, intimate relationships with those we care about. As such, I invite prospective clients to first consider whether they feel ready to embrace vulnerability with a sense of curiosity and openness. I integrate attachment, humanistic, and feminist approaches to integrate intersecting identities (e.g., LGBTQ, BIPOC, polyamorous, kinky) and I thoroughly enjoy building collaborative relationships that empower clients to enact the change they would like to see in their lives.

I completed my postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Minnesota Medical School where I acquired specialized training in sex and gender issues including erectile dysfunction, compulsive sexual behavior, relationship distress, and transgender identity and transition concerns. I am a Certified Sex Therapist (CST) through the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT), a licensed clinical psychologist (LCP) in Illinois, and a licensed health service provider in psychology (HSPP) in Indiana. I am also an assistant professor of counseling psychology at Ball State University, where I direct a graduate sex therapy minor and supervise doctoral students’ clinical work.

Clinical Specialities:

  • Compulsive sexual behavior (e.g., distress associated with pornography use, multiple sex partners, infidelity)

  • Consensual non-monogamy (e.g., collaborative negotiation of relationship agreements, jealousy and compersion, unpacking insecurities that arise when shifting a relationship from monogamy to an open relationship or polyamory)

  • Kink and BDSM (e.g., building curiosity about new and exciting activities, challenging internalized shame, coping with body esteem)

  • LGBTQ+ identities (e.g., coming out, dating, socially and medically transitioning genders)

  • Relationship distress (e.g., discrepant or absent sexual desire, communication difficulties, resentment, diverging long-term goals)

  • Sexual dysfunctions (e.g., erectile difficulties, distress from low or high libido, genito-pelvic pain during receptive anal or vaginal penetration)

  • Depression and anxiety (e.g., lack of interest in activities previously associated with joy, hypervigilance of one’s surrounding environment)

  • Complex trauma (e.g., pattern of insecure attachments going back to childhood, repeated engagement with intense and high-conflict relationships)

Therapist Identity Disclosures: cisgender, queer, polyamorous, neurodivergent

Alex Whitman, MA

she/her/hers

You deserve an honest and authentic relationship with yourself and those around you. I can help you build greater insight, self-awareness, and a renewed sense of empowerment to navigate life's challenges with confidence and authenticity.

I work with adults of all identities and with diverse romantic and emotional relationship structures. I have a particular passion for working with and affirming folks in the queer community. I help folks looking to address anxiety, burnout, multicultural stressors, sexuality and gender exploration, relationship distress, and those wanting to explore their relationships with themselves and their bodies.

I work from an anti-oppressive lens and I am dedicated to fostering liberation and empowerment in the lives of my clients. My therapeutic approach is centered on creating a safe and affirming space where vulnerability is welcomed. I draw from queer theory, narrative, emotions-focused, and family systems frameworks to offer tailored care rooted in compassion and understanding. In our work, I center you as a whole person, honoring your intersecting identities and lived experiences. All of you is enthusiastically welcome with me.

My background is in sexuality education with specialized trainings in sex education, sexual wellness, body exploration, and intimacy. I completed my M.A. in clinical mental health counseling and social psychology at Ball State University, where I am currently a doctoral student in counseling psychology specializing in sex therapy.

Clinical Specialties:

  • Relationships & interpersonal concerns (e.g. couples & diverse relationship structures, intimate relationships, social identity exploration, relationship and attachment history, boundary setting, family of origin concerns, interpersonal and generational trauma)

  • Sexuality (e.g. sex, sensuality, self-pleasure, porn literacy, enhancing sexual intimacy & communication, desire concerns)

  • Anxiety (e.g. fear, panic, social anxiety, test anxiety, worry)

  • Academic and workplace adjustment (e.g. college and graduate students, academics, burnout)

  • Racial identity exploration & trauma (BIPOC, multiracial and mixed identities)

  • Queer, gender-expansive, and LGBTQIA2S+ identities

Therapist Identity Disclosures: cisgender, multiracial, queer, neurodivergent