Accessibility and Inclusion | Dr. Sheila Addison Therapy | Oakland, CA 98609

Disability Access and Inclusivity

Access needs

The move to telehealth services via streaming video has helped to make therapy more accessible for many, though not all, clients with disabilities. Zoom offers a live captioning service as an option for those who are Deaf or hard-of-hearing. I can provide individual sessions over the phone at least some of the time as part of individual therapy if you have difficulty with screen fatigue, but Zoom allows you to turn off your view of yourself which provides visual and cognitive relief for many people. Couple therapy cannot be conducted by phone sessions.

I do not provide therapy via texting, chat, or email.

If you have access needs and want to work together, I encourage you to let me know what your needs are.

Inclusive and affirming services

I strive to provide affirming services to clients of all genders, gender identities, and sexual orientations. I will not offer therapy that is aimed at changing a client’s gender identity or sexual orientation, as the evidence so far suggests that such therapy does not exist and efforts are often harmful to the client.

I affirm the principles of Health at Every Size(tm) or HAES(tm), and provide therapy from a weight neutral perspective. I will not offer therapy that claims to assist with weight loss efforts, as the evidence so far suggests that such therapy does not exist and efforts are often harmful to the client, resulting in weight cycling instead.

I provide affirming therapy to clients with a wide variety of relationship types. I do not take a stance on whether any particular relationship style is better than another, or correct for any individual or set of partners.

I strive to provide therapy that affirms and supports BIPOC clients navigating the legacy of white supremacy in North America and the world.