As a trans and queer online therapist in BC, my aim is to provide evidence-based mental health counselling to support those who identify as LGBTQ2SIA+. You’re not alone. And it gets better.
I’m Clayre Sessoms and my pronouns are she/her. I’m a white settler who lives and works on the land of Coast Salish communities, namely Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh, and Musqueam Nations. I received my master’s level education as a counsellor and art therapist from Adler University. My practicum sites included Qmunity, Vancouver Women’s Health Collective, and Adler University. Today I work as a sexual assault counsellor at a local rape crisis centre and I provide clinical counselling in my body-inclusive, queer informed, trauma-aware, and client-centred private practice, centred on providing mental health counselling to trans*, Two Spirit, and gender diverse individuals who may suffer from anxiety, depression, dissociation, C/PTSD, or other concerns.
For more than twenty years I have provided one-on-one mental health support, led workshops, and consulted individuals that wanted to get to the heart of the matter, working primarily in the areas of clinical counselling, therapeutic massage and bodywork, yoga, community wellness, disability advocacy, and LGBTQ2SIA+ activism.
I believe that as we begin to heal ourselves, we gain the capacity and strength necessary to help others. My eclectic approach isn’t just about addressing mental health issues, it’s about helping you to consider new ways to heal your life so that you may be more present with yourself, your family, and your community.
Currently, I’m studying Dr. Pat Ogden’s Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, which is a trauma-informed body-centred approach to working with dissociation, attachment harm, and traumatic injury. An integral part of my training has been consulting with Dr. Janina Fisher, trauma expert and creator of Trauma-Informed Stabilization Treatment.
I’ve completed requirements to become a certified Focusing Oriented Psychotherapist, which involves working with the felt sense. I’m also an experienced practitioner of Trauma-informed Art Therapy, EMDR (Level 2), and Narrative Therapy. Committed to anti-racism, I regularly seek opportunities to become a more vocal anti-racist.
As your psychotherapist, I bring a warm, caring, and good-humoured presence to my work. I aim to facilitate an experience that’s grounded in feminism, queerness, neuroscience, and social justice. As someone with lived experiences of disability-based discrimination and marginalization by gender, I feel it’s appropriate to share that I’m trans, queer, and partially blind with the sole aim of reaching clients who may be troubled by ableism or gender-based harm.
Body-centred is an approach that integrates the felt sense there in your body and values the connection of mind and body in your healing process.
A queer-inclusive client-centred approach that rejects therapist as expert and values self-exploration, holistic integration, and validation of all clients’ potential.
A trauma-informed approach seeks to know the present impact of past experiences and considers how that may influence your efforts to cope.
Online therapy sessions are powered by Jane App. Each telehealth session lasts 50 minutes.
I do not bill your insurer. Upon payment I issue a receipt for you to submit for reimbursement.
Failure to give 24-hours notice for cancelling or rescheduling will require the full session fee.
I require payment by e-transfer or credit card at the beginning of your online therapy session.
$150 per 50-minute session for individuals and $200 per 50-minute session for families.
CVAP clients pay a reduced fee of $70 CAD. FNHA-eligible clients receive free counselling.
