Before “BIPOC” or “Black Lives Matter”, my professional practice has been committed to serving clients from diverse backgrounds. That’s because my life has included a lot of relationships with (not just training about) people from a wide range of cultural, religious, and sexual diversities. I am well-versed in current clinical theory and practice related to diversity work. Ultimately, though, book learning won’t tell me about you and your life. Because of these life exerperiences and this professional training, I am aware that:
- It can be important to have a therapist who is educated about the history, values, and experience of your community.
- Your experience of your diversity is unique. No amount of book learning about a group, or experience with a group, will tell me who you are.
- Your diverse identities may or may not be related to your treatment needs.
- My experience working with people from diverse backgrounds may or may not be applicable to my work with you.
- A lot of what it takes to serve clients with different identities from mine is to be aware of my own cultural lenses and biases (i.e., it’s about me getting out of an insulated world-view so I can see where I’m coming from)
If you would like to discuss my experience working with clients who identify with your identity or combinations of identities, please give me a call. If you find that I’m not the best therapist to meet your needs, I’d be happy to make a referral for you.
