Inclusive therapy: what do I get?

Articles

Denmark is one of the most inclusive places in the world, but is our therapy meeting everyone’s needs?

Whoever you are, where-ever you come from, you deserve a good quality of life. And part of having a quality life is enjoying a good balance of body, feelings and thoughts. Therapy is a fantastic tool for improving your sense of self, for growing as a person and for reaching your full potential.

it’s crucial that support is curated on your terms to ensure everyone feels included and has access to appropriate therapy services, regardless of identity.

Mark Colclough, MA

Throughout history and even now, individuals can be ostracized and excluded within society for having a particular characteristic that’s seen as ‘other’. These groups may not feel services reflect their values or characteristics or may not serve them in the same way it does others. This is one of the reasons 50% of LGBTI+ people experience depression, and people with disabilities report feeling more mental distress than able bodied people.

Therefore, it’s crucial that support is curated on your terms to ensure everyone feels included and has access to appropriate therapy services, regardless of identity.

What is ‘identity’?

Everyone is unique and has their own set of characteristics – many of which intertwine. These characteristics include:

Age
Religion
Ethnicity
Cultural background
Sexuality
Gender identity and expression
Physical ability
Socio-economic background
And many more...

When you face challenges in life, these characteristics can impact the way you deal with them – or even, in some cases, become a contributing factor to the issue in hand. For example, if you practise a religion that forbids same-sex relationships, but you also identify as gay, you might find yourself facing internal and external pressures relating to this conundrum. So, not only will therapy with me respect your identity, but also acknowledge its role in whatever problem you are faced with. This is what I mean by ‘inclusive therapy’.

What does inclusivity mean in therapy?

Being an inclusive therapist means I am committed to serving my clients without discrimination or judgement. I work in a client-centric way to ensure that your needs are met, your preferences are respected and any additional support you require is supplied. For example, if you are disabled, appropriate adjustments are made to ensure that you face no barriers to effective therapy. I will, for example, come to you, within reasonable driving distance. If you have a preferred pronoun, then this is the language we will use. If you are in a same-gender relationship, you have full access to couples therapy. If you practise a particular religion, this can be incorporated into our sessions, and our sessions can be timed to respect things like prayer breaks or days of rest.

Whoever you are, where-ever you come from, you deserve a good quality of life.

Mark Colclough, MA

Inclusive therapy is also about acknowledging and working with the characteristics that make up your identity. It is not just about giving everyone access to therapy, but ensuring that everyone finds the therapy useful and meaningful to them. I do so by tailoring my offers and availability to your needs.

No shame

I want to get to know you. But I acknowledge that there may be certain things you feel embarrassed or ashamed to share. To have an authentic and meaningful therapeutic relationship, it’s important that I know who you are. If you carry shame about who you are, and how you came to be, we will address this as part of your therapeutic process. It’s also important to remember that therapy is confidential and your private information is never shared with anyone else. With me, you will have a safe, neutral environment, open to hearing about your lived experiences.