What It Means to Be a Progressive Mental Health Practice
Photo by Suzanne D. Williams on Unsplash
At Valid Love, we have always believed that therapy is more than a clinical exchange of questions and answers. It is not just a quiet room with a couch, or a Zoom link and a time slot. Therapy should be a living, breathing space where you feel fully seen, respected, and safe to share your most authentic self.
Every therapist on our team is part of the queer community. Our lived experiences shape the way we approach our work. We know firsthand what it is like to navigate systems that were not built with us in mind, and we know the value of a space where you do not have to explain the basics of who you are. That perspective influences how we show up for our clients, and it is a core part of why we started Valid Love.
However, it is important to share that while we have deep cultural competence in serving LGBTQIA+ clients, not all of our clients are part of the queer community. While this is our focus, our work is for anyone who shares our values and is seeking therapy in a space that actively supports safety, inclusion, and respect for all people.
We are, at our heart, a progressive practice.
What Progressive Means to Us
When we say “progressive,” we do not mean just a political stance. We mean a way of seeing the world and the people in it. We mean approaching every client with an openness to understand their lived experience, rather than expecting them to fit into pre-written narratives.
Progressive to us means that we do not settle for neutrality when it comes to justice, equity, and safety. We take an active role in affirming marginalized communities, whether that is people of color, people with disabilities, neuro-divergent individuals, survivors of trauma, immigrants, queer and trans people, or anyone who has been told that their voice does not matter.
It also means that we continuously examine our own biases and assumptions as therapists and as humans. A progressive practice does not assume it has “arrived” at perfection. It commits to learning, unlearning, and evolving. We listen to feedback. We seek out training that challenges us. We hold each other accountable in our staff meetings and in our everyday work.
Why Safety Matters
In many therapy spaces, clients are told they are safe, but the actual environment may not feel that way. Safety is not a decorative word for a brochure. It is something you experience in subtle, powerful ways. It is knowing you will not be asked to educate your therapist about your identity. It is knowing you can share your story without worrying that you will be judged or misunderstood.
We work to make safety tangible. For us, that can mean adjusting our intake forms so they do not assume a gender or family structure. It can mean using clients’ pronouns correctly and consistently. It can mean being willing to have a hard conversation about micro-aggressions or systems of oppression, and not shying away from those realities in therapy. It can also mean holding space for joy and celebration, not only focusing on struggle.
Safety is also about intersectionality. A queer client who is also a person of color may have different needs and experiences than a queer client who is white. A child with a disability will experience the world differently than a neuro-typical child. We want every person who walks through our doors, or logs into a session, to feel that they do not have to hide or minimize any part of who they are.
Serving All Clients Who Share Our Values
Some people have asked if our focus on progressive values means that only certain clients will feel welcome. The truth is that our client base is wonderfully diverse. We see queer and trans clients, straight and cisgender clients, couples and polycules, families with children, individuals seeking therapy for depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, relationship challenges, and more.
What unites our clients is not their demographic box but their belief in shared humanity. They believe that therapy should be free of judgment, rooted in respect, and inclusive of all identities. They value honesty and compassion. They want to work with therapists who not only understand mental health but also the cultural context that shapes it.
If that sounds like you, then you belong here.
Growing Our Mission with Playworks
We are also thrilled to share some exciting news. Valid Love is growing in a new direction that has been on our hearts for a long time. We are launching PlayWorks, a sibling practice dedicated to kids and families.
PlayWorks will carry the same values that define Valid Love: safety, inclusion, cultural humility, and progressive care. However, it will focus specifically on the needs of children, parents, and caregivers. We know that childhood can be full of big emotions, complex changes, and moments when a family could use extra support. We also know that many parents want a therapist for their child who understands how to affirm diversity and identity from the very start of life.
PlayWorks will offer play therapy, parenting support, and interventions for children who are navigating anxiety, depression, grief, identity questions, or transitions such as divorce or moving to a new school.
The “play” in PlayWorks is not just about toys and games, though those will be part of it. It is about creating an environment where children feel free to explore, express, and experiment without fear of getting it wrong. Through creative expression, we can help kids process feelings that they do not yet have words for. Through guided sessions with parents, we can strengthen family bonds and improve communication.
Why Values Matter for Kids Too
Children absorb the messages they hear and see in the world around them. When a therapy space models acceptance, respect, and curiosity, those values can become part of a child’s own worldview. That is why the principles we uphold at Valid Love will be the foundation for PlayWorks as well.
For example, if a child is questioning their gender identity, we want them to feel supported and affirmed without pressure to have everything figured out right away. If a child comes from a multicultural family, we want them to see that their heritage is valued. If a child has a disability or is neuro-divergent, we want them to know their differences are part of what makes them unique, not something to be “fixed.”
By supporting children and families with this approach, we hope to help raise a generation that feels confident in who they are and empathetic toward others.
Our Commitment Moving Forward
Being a progressive mental health practice is not a marketing strategy for us. It is a daily choice to create spaces that actively counteract the harm many people have experienced in other settings. It means showing up for our clients, not only with clinical expertise, but also with authenticity, humility, and care.
As we expand our work with the launch of PlayWorks, our commitment remains the same: to provide therapy that meets each client where they are, honors their lived experience, and supports them in moving toward the life they want.
Whether you are seeking care for yourself, your child, or your whole family, we invite you to connect with us. You do not have to filter your story here. You do not have to explain your worth. You already have it.