Social Justice & Equity Statement

As part of my personal and professional practice, I name my identities with clients and invite them to do the same. Our identities impact one another whether or not we name them; thus, it’s better to bring them into the open and discuss identities as they shape our work together.

• I am a cisgender, gay/queer man.

• I was raised middle-class in an European-American family who’s lived in the States for many generations.

• I grew up in an evangelical Christian church and home and now identify as an ex-evangelical person of faith.

• I am currently able-bodied, neurotypical, and have a smaller body.

You might be wondering, What do “social justice and equity” look like in practice? In our work together, we will:

• Consider systemic and societal factors that contribute to mental health issues as well as wellness.

• Locate problems in systems and society rather than you, which is important for everyone, but especially those with multiple marginalized identities.

• Identify and build upon your strengths, values, relationships, and communities.

• Seek to minimize the power differential between us as counselor and client.

• Collaboratively seek resources and engage in advocacy work to address other needs as necessary.