Honoring Your Identity in Therapy
From a Kink-Affirming, Sex-Positive, Narrative Therapist
Essence of Healing was created to help you grow toward better understanding yourself and your partner(s) and embracing your why for living and loving! A big part of doing those things is being able to find a safe space to open up and embrace the vulnerability you crave.
Humility and honor can only happen when we feel secure in our ability to speak freely without judgment. Fear of being judged, excluded, or harmed in some way for the authentic expressions we share are threatening practices and at Essence of Healing, we actively work to advocate against them.
What are the values that set me apart?
Above all else, I value you. I passionately create the space for every single person I meet to exist authentically exactly as they need.
I value the space for you to exist in your shoes however you need to.
I extend a warm welcome to those who have experienced exclusion, bullying, fear, or oppression in their lives and find my own experience empowered when supporting LGBTQIA+ and People of Color.
• SEX-POSITIVE • KINK-AFFIRMING • BODY-INCLUSIVE •
I value cultural humility. Being able to let go of the expectation of expertise allows me to be open to learning from you as I absorb the experiences you’ve had as they are.
I value radical acceptance for the person you are and the hopes you hold. When we embrace the discomfort of accepting things as they come, we can be our realest selves.
I value challenge. Whether you’re challenging a feeling, a belief, or a radical concept within the world, bring it with you.
I value honor and unconditional positive regard for your unique experiences.
Work with someone who gets it
The rules of your relationship are made only by those who are in it.
You are not responsible for making anyone else comfortable with the parameters of your relationship.
Alternative relationships can make therapy feel intimidating, especially if the sexual desires or dynamics that exist within them fall outside the “norm” or have been stigmatized.
You may fear those actions or intentions being villainized, or that your (valid) individual/relationship concerns will be blamed on your alternative lifestyle choices.
NOPE. Not in these walls.
From navigating negotiation to expressing boundaries or exploring limits, your therapist can support the conversations that you’re craving.
Having a safe space to engage in the nuance of alternative relationships without judgment is an incredible gift for those who diverge from the conventional culture of vanilla sex and monogamy.
There’s nothing wrong with your consensual kink! If you’re feeling shame, guilt, or uncertainty, we want to offer you authentic acceptance and a safe space to explore those feelings so you can grant yourself the permission to experience sexual or emotional intimacy in the ways that feel good to and for you.
Kink and poly-friendly therapy will:
Meet you where you are
Make no assumptions about the shape of your relationship
Treat you with respect
Center you as the expert in all aspects of your intimacy
Uphold professional and personal boundaries at all times
Create space for the exploration of new experiences
Advocate for safe and consensual practice
Put your needs at the forefront of your therapy journey
Include, but not force the centering of, your kink practices
Why does inclusivity matter in therapy?
Inclusivity matters because your ability to feel safe and actively valued in the spaces you share your vulnerability is integrally tied.
You should feel like a central part of your therapy experience and if you don’t, you should feel safe enough to speak up or challenge the experiences that don’t work for you.
Inclusivity of your identity, ideas, and actions are a part of the unconditional positive regard woven into the fabric of Essence of Healing. If you ever feel oppressed or unheard in our sessions, I actively encourage you to hold me accountable.
What’s narrative therapy?
Through narrative therapy, you’ll become an expert in your own life. We will work together to empower your ability to take your experiences and turn them into influential meanings that you carry with you. Each facet of your experience is a story, and you can carry many at a time.
The more honoring stories you’re able to recognize in your world, the stronger your relationships within and around yourself will become.
Narrative therapy strips blame of its power and returns it to where it belongs: with you, always.
I’m a big believer in the power of therapy to help folx re-claim their experiences and write their stories from the healing they create in these spaces.
When you feel safe, it’s a whole lot easier to explore the times you didn’t. Narrative therapy puts emphasis on that process.
No matter the sex you like or who you have it with, or how many people you love, I’ve got you.