Lived Experience Therapist
Have you ever sat across from someone and thought; Man, they just really do not get what it’s like to be me. Maybe it was a therapist whose theory or practice just didn’t stick with how you process your emotions. Maybe it was a doctor or nurse who just didn’t understand the severity of your symptoms.
As a late-r blooming Queer and Neurodivergent person (who also lives with chronic illness!) I can absolutely, deeply relate to that experience. Before I found my own therapist, I cycled through a small handful. Some felt like they got me more than others, and some felt like they didn’t get me at all. All of them felt like they were missing an aspect of me that we were both blinded to. And while my job as a therapist is to hold non-judgmental, unconditional, positive regard towards my clients; it sure is helpful when that therapist has some shared lived experiences with their clients.
In my work it helps my clients relate to me, and vice versa. They can express themselves and discuss aspects of their lives without having to pause and explain things, or answer questions that can feel redundant. For my transgender clients, for example, we can easily talk about surgery and medical care without them having to educate me on what medical transition is. For my Autistic clients, we can create a spoon-theory tool and selfcare kit to support their emotional processing and reduce the frequency of meltdowns without, again, having to stop and educate me on what these things are.
It also helps to establish empathy, a core aspect of a strong therapeutic relationship. When a client is discussing the fallout of a meltdown experience, I can relate to them in a unique way that helps them to feel seen, understood, and witnessed. They feel less isolated and alone in their experiences. It can also help normalize experiences for my clients who often feel shame and isolation in their identity discovering processes. It helps them feel at ease when they share an experience that feels “silly” or “dumb” and I say, “Hey that’s not silly at all. I sometimes experience that too, and in fact, a lot of us Neurodivergent folk do.”
Want to work with a therapist who is Queer, Neurodivergent, English-speaking, and an immigrant? Fill out my contact form and let’s schedule a free, 15-minute consultation!
