In addition to my coaching and tutoring, I offer therapy harm consultation for those who have been negatively impacted by a relationship with a therapist or other helping professional. As a coach who primarily works with neurodivergent folkx, I have noticed that many therapists are uninformed about neurodiversity, leading to interventions that are not compatible with clients’ nervous systems.
When harmed by someone in a position of power who was supposed to help you, it is not unusual to experience feelings such as betrayal, shame, anger, and confusion. The confusion can be particularly challenging if you are neurodivergent and have difficulty recognizing or making sense of your emotions.
Why I am Doing this Work
I am a former therapist who is queer, blind and neurodivergent. Starting in childhood, was subjected to compliance-based, behavioral approaches and the vocational rehabilitation systems. I also experienced significant harm as both a therapy client and a supervisee. Up until very recently, I had no language to decipher and unpack my experiences, and so I wish to offer the process of meaning-making and validation to others. I do not claim expertise in therapy harm and recognize that even though I no longer practice as a therapist, my training has inculcated me in the oppressive systems I hope to dismantle. I fully acknowledge that working with me could also be triggering, given my association with the therapy field. My knowledge and lived experience of therapy harm does not mean that you should trust me, or any similarly situated provider. I also recognize that I have white, cis-passing, and class privileges and received therapy in my native language. Because of these privileges, I have experienced some forms of harm while being protected from others. I hope to maintain a stance of curiosity and cultural humility, while recognizing that it is not your responsibility as my consultee to educate me.
What to Expect
Our work can take the form of one-off sessions or multiple meetings. It is intended to be brief and is distinct from therapy. After four sessions, I will check in with you to see how you are doing and how I can best assist you in building long-term support.
Everyone’s consultation will look different, but here are some directions we might go in.
- Clarifying how I can best support you and developing a shared language around continuous consent.
- Processing what happened with the therapist, including labeling the harmful aspects.
- Identifying ways in which oppressive forces, such as ableism, racism, or sanism shaped your experiences with that provider.
- Discussing what, if anything, you need from that provider in terms of closure, and how I can assist you in those efforts.
- Exploring external and internal resources (such as values, passions, special interests, significant people) so you can begin the process of restoring a sense of agency and autonomy.
- Discussions of what forms of support you are looking for in the future, both in and outside of therapy.
Fees and Structure
- In the future, I hope to be able to offer these consultation sessions at no or low cost. For now, I offer a free 15 minute consultation call.
- The first hour of our work together is also free.
- Subsequent sessions are $150 per hour.
- Sessions can be conducted through phone, videoconferencing, or asynchronously over email or voice memos. As a neurodivergent person, sometimes I find that email is the most accessible way to connect with a provider as it accommodates delayed emotional processing and can reduce feelings of being put on the spot.
Writings by Me:
Things I want my Post-Therapy harm Tharepist to Know
Resources and Articles:
Therapy Exploitation Link Line (TELL)
The Hard Truth When We, Sometimes, can do Almost Nothing to Help
Trauma Survivors Speak out Against Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
Please Quit Telling me to Calm Down When I am Providing Urgent Information
The Autistic Survival Guide to Therapy
Therapy Harm Resistance Project
Facebook Groups for Therapy Abuse Survivors: