If you identify as LGBTQIA+, then welcome!
I myself am nonbinary and queer so you are in good company here.
For the rest of this page I will be using the term GSRD. This stands for:
- Gender
- Sexual
- Relationship
- Diversity
This term was coined by 2 queer therapists, Dominic Davies and Meg-John Barker a few years ago. Like them, I feel like these 4 words encompass everything that is a part of LGBTQIA, as well as the ‘+’ part.
People who are GSRD continue to have a different experience of life – being in a minority, being challenged by those who don’t believe or validate their identities, sometimes feeling unsafe, being fetishized and risking loss of relationships with family and friends.
As we live in a world that still, all in all, values cisgenderism and heterosexism, it can feel difficult to know who you can trust as a therapist to validate the person you are and ‘get it’ all. It can be even harder when it comes to sex and/or relationships.
I want to make sure that you know that I competently support and validate all sexualities and gender identities in and outside of the therapy space. I understand the minority stress you might feel as well as support those who question their sexual and gender identities.
Although I am queer and nonbinary I also experience a good amount of privileges. I say this because I don’t want you to think that I’ve been where you have – I will not equate my experience to another’s. Some of you may see my identity as a barrier to seeing me as a therapist, and that’s understandable. You have the autonomy to find a therapist that has a similar identity to you or a different one.
Asexuality & Conversion Therapy
The reason I address asexuality right now is because I think it would be helpful for you to know that I recognise that there are many shades of asexuality so you may come to me to discuss what it means to you or have relationship therapy. I am committed to the Memorandum of Understanding 2 which is to end the practice of conversion therapy. This includes gender and sexuality, but it also includes not ‘converting’ asexual people into sexual people.