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Hi, I'm Haley (she/her)~ I'm a 32yo, white, queer, neurodivergent fiber artist, yoga teacher, abolitionist, and care worker. I live on Muscogee land (Decatur, Georgia).
Hi, I'm Haley (she/her)~ I'm a 32yo, white, queer, neurodivergent fiber artist, yoga teacher, abolitionist, and care worker. I live on Muscogee land (Decatur, Georgia).
I'm a person who likes connecting with people and my life has always steered me in this direction one way or another. I grew up a quiet midwest town where no one really talked about emotions. I was raised in catholic schools and have the guilt to prove it. I studied psychology at Indiana University, then got my masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from Saint Louis University in 2016.
I'm a person who likes connecting with people and my life has always steered me in this direction one way or another. I grew up a quiet midwest town where no one really talked about emotions. I was raised in catholic schools and have the guilt to prove it. I studied psychology at Indiana University, then got my masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from Saint Louis University in 2016.
I pursued a therapy license for many years, gathering all my required hours and supervision. Then the covid pandemic shifted a lot of things for me, especially the way I thought about care work, disability justice, capitalism, the prison industrial complex, the medical industrial complex, mutual aid, and just everything really. The idea of being a licensed therapist felt more and more ~ick~ and misaligned with my values.
I pursued a therapy license for many years, gathering all my required hours and supervision. Then the covid pandemic shifted a lot of things for me, especially the way I thought about care work, disability justice, capitalism, the prison industrial complex, the medical industrial complex, mutual aid, and just everything really. The idea of being a licensed therapist felt more and more ~ick~ and misaligned with my values.
I found myself desperate for support and community, realizing it's not very accessible in our individualistic society. Peer support showed up for me at a time when I didn't have any spoons left to give, and helped me reconnect with my worth in a system that only cares about the top 1%. I realized that if I'm doing "the work" to decolonize by mind and my relationships, I have to decolonize my idea of support.
I found myself desperate for support and community, realizing it's not very accessible in our individualistic society. Peer support showed up for me at a time when I didn't have any spoons left to give, and helped me reconnect with my worth in a system that only cares about the top 1%. I realized that if I'm doing "the work" to decolonize by mind and my relationships, I have to decolonize my idea of support.
practices:
practices:
Peer support is different in many ways from my past therapy practice. Rejecting the "all-knowing therapist" trope has allowed me to vulnerably meet others where they're at. This practice can transform and adapt in ways that may defy societal norms, binaries, or assumptions. I am not a licensed therapist and this is not therapy. I am intentionally not a mandated reporter and I never call the cops. I admire the Hindu principle of ahimsa, meaning "non-harm". For me, ahimsa means rejecting harmful systems that criminalize and dehumanize, and instead nourishing inclusive systems of care.
Peer support is different in many ways from my past therapy practice. Rejecting the "all-knowing therapist" trope has allowed me to vulnerably meet others where they're at. This practice can transform and adapt in ways that may defy societal norms, binaries, or assumptions. I am not a licensed therapist and this is not therapy. I am intentionally not a mandated reporter and I never call the cops. I admire the Hindu principle of ahimsa, meaning "non-harm". For me, ahimsa means rejecting harmful systems that criminalize and dehumanize, and instead nourishing inclusive systems of care.
Peer support does not have to be "deep", but it can if you want it to be. Like everything, it's a spectrum. It can be basic everyday life stuff, comradery and chit-chats, problem-solving, venting, interpersonal struggles, processing emotions, moving through grief, managing survival mode/burnout, exploring different parts of yourself, and so much more.
Peer support does not have to be "deep", but it can if you want it to be. Like everything, it's a spectrum. It can be basic everyday life stuff, comradery and chit-chats, problem-solving, venting, interpersonal struggles, processing emotions, moving through grief, managing survival mode/burnout, exploring different parts of yourself, and so much more.
theory:
In my efforts to decolonize my practice, I have gone to therapy and also taken notes from many queer black femmes on social media in processing my privilege, acknowledging my colonial roots, abolishing the cop in my head, and practicing resistance to racial capitalism. I hope to always approach this practice as a learner.
I believe that you are the expert on you, AND believe in exploring the shadows of ourselves we can't always see. I'm a big advocate of "interviewing" your care worker and asking questions to know if the space is safe. All parts of you are welcome and all parts are good, but they need to feel safe in order to feel seen. I like to incorporate the body and breath into practice as well, addressing sensations, emotions, and experiences living in the body. However, any movement or somatic work is completely optional.
Beyond an individual level, I understand the disconnection and collective grief that capitalism creates. I believe interconnectedness is the balm. I can support in fostering connection with loved ones, friends, and community. Being able to repair conflict, hold yourself and others accountable, and communicate effectively are super important in community relationships.
therapy experience:
I have experience working with the following populations in a therapeutic setting:
families separating/divorcing; kids group therapy; treatment centers for eating disorders, substance use, and psychosis; group private practice seeing couples and individuals; and virtual group therapy for LGBTQ+ young adults (feel free to ask me about any of these)
lived experience:
divorce/separation anxiety, religious trauma, general anxiety/social anxiety, anxious attachment/codependency, non-monogamy/solo-poly, ADD/ADHD/neurodivergence, body image/disordered eating, autoimmune disorders, toxic mold syndrome, food sensitivities, substance use/sobriety, queerness/pansexuality/demi-sexuality, perfectionism/people pleasing, white privilege, consent/pleasure/kink, abolition, resistance work, burnout, credit card debt, depression/dysthymia...... (also feel free to ask)
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