Feminist Therapy

I utilize feminist therapy in the ways that I support clients in exploring how the broader social-cultural context impacts mental health and overall wellness. This can include gender, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and more. I view this as a crucial part of therapy because our systems and structures directly impact us as individuals, and without including this perspective, I find that it can be more challenging to holistically address what's happening in our lives.

My approach with feminist theory is primarily focused on understanding how the client's identities influence their experience in the world as well as within the therapeutic space.

I received my training in feminist studies from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY.

I am rooted in anti-oppression as the lens through which we can make sense of many of our struggles. I believe in depathologizing mental illness by correctly identifying external sources of distress rather than seeing your pain as a personal problem. I have and continue to educate myself on systemic and interpersonal oppression in order to better understand the experiences of marginalized clients and to prevent harming my clients through my ignorance.

Feminist therapy focuses on the daily challenges that women face. Therapy creates a space to have these difficult discussions with someone who understands what you are going through. You can feel heard and understood while working towards solutions.

I identify as a feminist who views all of my work through a justice-oriented framework, particularly working with women and non-binary individuals. What does this actually look like? I focus on the many societal, cultural, and political causes of issues faced in therapy that feel particularly relevant and pertinent to women and non-binary folks, especially considering most of the therapeutic frameworks we use today were researched and put to use with mostly white men.

As a feminist therapist I strive for therapy relationships that are as egalitarian as possible while still acknowledging power differences inherent in therapy. We will pay attention to your unique identity while working to understand how oppression you have experienced has affected your thoughts, feelings and ideas about yourself. Feminist therapy is for everyone -- people of any gender, race, sexual orientation, age, or religion.

In my work, I focus on reworking gendered power dynamics with individuals and couples and addressing social inequities that keep partners form being collaborative with one another.

I am well-trained in feminist psychotherapeutic practice with members of the queer community, racial/ethnic minority populations, and with women/womxn.

My approach is built on a foundation of feminist, anti-oppression values. I believe therapy is ineffective if the greater social context a person lives in is not examined critically; most of the time, doing so is empowering for all genders.

Examining and embracing our full identities is the most therapeutic practice I've experienced both as a client and as a therapist. So many people have been made to feel invisible, unseen, or merely "tolerated" rather than being fully seen, fully loved, and fully celebrated. All facets of our complex identities, including the parts that have experienced privilege, can teach us something about our path through the world including the past, present, and future.

Empowering women--and men--to understand their experiences to the extent that cultural influences have played a role is a focus of my practice. I explore with my clients the ways in which their lives might be changed by living more true to themselves and finding the strength to do so.

My practice and approach are deeply rooted in Feminist Therapy theory. I believe that transparency, shared power, awareness of oppression, and intersectionality are non-negotiables.

My therapy is feminist in nature because I am always looking through the lens of feminism and anti-oppression when working with clients. For my clients who strongly identify as feminist, having a feminist therapist means you're not starting from scratch in explaining your worldview. For people who are newer to feminism, I can help you see angles to your situation that you might not have noticed.

I highly prioritize the equal value of all people, which means no one is more important or more valuable than anyone else. However, when experience has influenced your sense of self, you may struggle to life out that sense of worth. Therapy with me intentionally makes space to evaluate how you see yourself vs how you want to, so we can navigate a path forward together.

Feminist therapy for me functions as the lens in which I understand client's presenting concerns and then use various interventions from other orientations for treatment. Basically this means that one of the goals in every session with me is to empower the client in front of me and help them find their internal power.