What affirming means here
A promise you can check
Plenty of practices say they're affirming. Here is what it means at this one, in specific things you can expect, and what you can tell me if I get it wrong.
Names and pronouns
I use the name and pronouns you give me in sessions, in emails, in receipts and in letters. If your plan prints something else, I tell you who to ask, and I don't repeat it.
No debate about who you are
Your orientation or gender is not a symptom. I don't ask you to justify it, and I don't ask what caused it.
No attempts to change it
I don't offer or support efforts to change anyone's orientation or gender identity.
Privacy, at your pace
I ask before I contact anyone. I send nothing to your home unless you ask, and the quick exit button is on every page.
What I will ask of you, and of myself
- 01
Tell me when I get it wrong
I'll make mistakes. Say so, and I'll fix it and move on without making it your job to comfort me.
- 02
Tell me what you want kept private
Some things you may not want written down, shared or even said yet. We'll talk about what I record, and what I don't.
- 03
Tell me if this isn't the right fit
If another therapist would suit you better, I will help you find one. That is not a rejection.
Questions
Questions about affirming care
Do I need to be out to see you?
No. You don't need to be out to anyone. I don't contact anyone, and I send nothing to your home unless you ask.
What if I'm not sure what to call myself?
You don't have to pick a word. We can use the ones that fit today and change them later.
Do you work with people of faith, or who are not out at work or home?
Yes. You can bring all of it. I don't ask you to choose between parts of your life.
Questions about how this works in practice?
Write to me. I'd rather answer you plainly than leave you guessing.