Looking for a psychotherapist can feel vulnerable at the best of times. If you belong to a marginalized identity, that search can come with extra layers: Will I have to explain myself? Will my experiences be minimized? Will this person understand how systems of power and oppression affect my mental health and experiences?
Those concerns are valid. Therapy should be a space where your full identity is respected, not something you have to defend or translate.
A helpful first step is getting clear on what you need support with right now. Are you seeking help for trauma, anxiety, identity exploration, burnout, relationships, or navigating discrimination? From there, think about what would help you feel safest: a psychotherapist who shares aspects of your identity, speaks your language, one who explicitly practices from an anti-oppressive or culturally responsive framework, or someone who names and works with systemic factors in therapy. There’s no “correct” choice, only what feels right for you.
Many people start their search using directories or group practices that highlight therapist identities, values, and areas of specialization. At ICA Counselling & Supervision, for example, we’re proud to have a diverse team of therapists with varied lived experiences, cultural backgrounds, languages,and clinical approaches. Our clinicians work with a wide range of identities and concerns, and many are intentional about creating affirming, inclusive spaces for clients who have historically felt underserved in mental health care.
One of the most important (and often overlooked) steps is using the free 10–15 minute consultation that many psychotherapists offer. This is your chance to interview them, not the other way around. You don’t need to share your whole story; you’re simply getting a feel for the connection.
Some questions you might ask include:
· “What experience do you have working with clients who share my identity?”
· “How do conversations about race, gender, sexuality, disability, or power show up in your work?”
· “How do you continue learning about identities or experiences you don’t personally hold?”
· “What do you do if you get something wrong or a client gives you feedback?”
· “What would therapy with you actually look like week to week?”
As you listen to their answers, notice how you feel. Do you feel respected? Rushed? Curious? At ease? Often, fit is less about having the “perfect” response and more about whether the therapist shows openness, humility, and care.
Finally, remember this: you don’t owe any psychotherapist your vulnerability. It’s okay to keep looking, to ask for a referral, or to change psychotherapists if something doesn’t feel right. You
deserve mental health care that honors your full humanity, and the right fit is worth taking the time to find.
Zoha Salam
Contact Me
