Matthew K. Phillips, PhD, MEd, LCSW, CST

I'm Matthew K. Phillips (he/him/his), a sex therapist and licensed clinical social worker in Stamford, CT. I work with gay and queer men, both in person and by telehealth across CT, NY, and FL. My focus is the territory where sexual concerns, identity, shame, anxiety, depression, and relationship struggles intersect. Most therapists will affirm who you are. Fewer will actually talk about sex. That's the gap around which I built my practice.

Every client comes to therapy for a different reason, but they all share one thing in common: a desire to disrupt a problem and move toward healing. I empower gay and queer men as they grow in response to sexual concerns, depression, anxiety, trauma, relationship challenges, and oppression.

The coming out process is often lifelong. As a gay man with advanced training and years of experience, I am well-positioned to support that growth and development. Living as your authentic self means having a sense of integrity and pride in all aspects of your identity. Let’s figure out what that looks like for you.

Career History

I spent over fifteen years working as a therapist and manager in a psychiatric hospital and not for profit residential child welfare settings, including three years as the director of a large partial hospitalization program in New York that served children, adolescents, and adults. Throughout this time, issues related to sexuality were always on the edge of my work and far too often were neglected by other treatment providers. I now bring sexuality to the center by providing therapy that emphasizes sexual identity and functioning as critical components of a balanced life. In addition to seeing clients privately, I work on an interdisciplinary treatment team at a men’s sexual and reproductive health practice. I also offer ketamine-assisted psychotherapy through a partnership with Journey Clinical for clients whose depression, anxiety, or trauma needs more depth work than talk therapy alone provides.

My Perspective

I practice from a social justice lens because different forms of cultural oppressions often hinder experience of relationships, sexual and gender identities, and their expression. I provide space to honor all parts of you in a world that doesn’t always offer the same.

I welcome and actively affirm people of diverse identities, including all races, ethnicities, abilities, sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and consensual relationship models.

My approach to therapy is person-centered and integrative, rooted in cognitive behavioral and dialectical behavioral therapies. In addition to providing unconditional support, I teach clients skills that enable growth and change to happen now.

Education, Research, and Associations

I am a licensed clinical social worker in New York (LCSW #084542) and Connecticut (LCSW #008843). I am a certified sex therapist through the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT). I completed a bachelor’s degree in music therapy at Elizabethtown College and masters’ degrees in social work and human sexuality (clinical sex therapy) at Widener University. Also at Widener, I completed my PhD in the Center for Human Sexuality Studies and am an adjunct instructor in the Center for Social Work Education. My dissertation research was on the memorable messages about sexual risk-taking and geosocial networking application use (“hook up apps”) that queer young men receive from their parents. I am a member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT), and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH).