Alternative Lifestyles & Spirituality

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Are your lifestyles or beliefs different from other people’s?

Maybe your life or your family look a little different than others would expect. You may be polyamorous and co-parenting with a network of partners. You might have close ties with family members who are related to you more by heart than blood. Maybe you're into kink or BDSM. You might be living cooperatively with others, or just looking into the ways in which the social messages about how life is "supposed to be" just aren't what you're looking for.

Or maybe the way you relate to religion or spirituality is different than others expect. Perhaps you're an atheist, or you feel spiritual but not really religious. You might feel a spiritual connection in nature, or maybe you practice a type of religion that most people have never heard. Your beliefs and practices may come from the cultural, spiritual, or religious traditions of your ancestors. Maybe you're trying to blend the traditions of your ancestors to make them right for you. Maybe it has a name, or maybe not--maybe you don’t need one.  Or perhaps you just feel tapped into something larger than yourself.

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People don’t always understand.

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You might worry that, if other people knew about these differences, they would think there was something wrong with you--that they might judge you for your beliefs. 

Or maybe you openly identify as pagan, polyamorous, or another identity, wearing your beliefs and practices on your sleeve for anyone to know about, but still hope that you'll find a Counselor that really gets you and where you're coming from.

Whatever your circumstances, it can feel risky and vulnerable to trust a stranger, even a counselor. It's hard to know who will really understand.

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It can be hard to find people who “get it.”

You may wish that you had someone to talk to about the unique experiences that have brought you to where they are now.  But how do you explain your traditions and beliefs to someone who doesn’t understand? 

Often, the best option is to start from a place of mutual understanding. Working with a Counselor who is familiar with a variety of alternative lifestyles and beliefs can give you a more solid basis from which to build something better, because you'll be able to spend less time trying to educate and more time doing the work you're there to do.

​​But you're not alone.

It can be hard to open up to someone new about the unique ways that you experience the world, especially when it seems different from the ways other people view their worlds.  But really, history has many  examples of people who experienced the world differently than everyone else. 

Your path is unique to you.

It can be hard to express your thoughts and beliefs when you’re worried that people will judge you for them. But there is a way for you to work through whatever is troubling you  without having to worry if you'll be believed. Counseling can provide a safe place, free of judgement, where you can explore and discover the possibilities that exist in your world. My role as the therapist is to provide a space that feels safe enough to bring all of those things that make you who you are into the counseling process.

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Visit my Services page to learn more about how we can work together to create wellness and happiness in your life. You can also feel free to visit my Common Questions page for answers to some questions or concerns you may have.

To discover if Counseling is right for you, or to request more information about my qualifications, competencies, and services, please Contact me to set up a free consultation.