​
Theoretical Orientation
Feminist/Social Justice
Therapy
Feminist Social Justice Therapy integrates principles of feminism and social justice to explore how systemic oppression and societal power dynamics impact mental health. While the term "feminist" can be a turn-off for some due to misconceptions about its meaning, the principles it represents equity, empowerment, and awareness of systemic influences are highly effective in therapy. As someone who identifies as masculine, I have come to appreciate the feminist perspective for its ability to challenge harmful societal norms that affect people of all genders. This approach empowers individuals to recognize their strengths, examine how intersecting identities (e.g., gender, race, class) influence their experiences, and address structures that contribute to distress. By connecting personal struggles to larger systemic issues, this therapy promotes healing and advocates for social change, recognizing the significant connection between mental health and societal conditions.
Narrative Therapy
Narrative Therapy is a collaborative approach that helps individuals examine and transform the stories they tell about their lives. It views problems as separate from the person, encouraging clients to externalize these issues, seeing them as challenges to address rather than inherent flaws. By deconstructing problem-saturated stories, clients can identify how societal, cultural, or personal influences have shaped limiting narratives about themselves. This process allows clients to reauthor their life stories in ways that reflect their strengths, values, and preferred outcomes. Narrative therapy emphasizes empowerment, enabling individuals to reclaim their identities and perspectives while fostering a sense of agency and possibility.
Existential Therapy
Existential Therapy is a philosophical approach that helps individuals explore the fundamental questions of existence, such as freedom, responsibility, meaning, and mortality. It encourages clients to confront how they may be blocking themselves or deceiving themselves by avoiding uncomfortable truths about their lives. This process involves facing existential anxieties, such as the inevitability of death or the responsibility of creating one’s purpose, to build a worthy existence. Clients are guided to reclaim and reown their lives, recognizing their freedom to make choices while taking responsibility for designing their present and future. The therapy also emphasizes acknowledging a client’s preexisting wisdom and helping them become more aware of themselves and their relationships with others. Through this expanded awareness, clients can choose more authentic and fulfilling ways of being.