Therapy is My Activism

One of the reasons I made the decision to become a therapist was because I recognized the impact of my own healing on the people I surround myself with. When I was in college I spent years stressed and disgusted with myself for reasons I didn’t really understand. I was tired all the time and I didn’t think I could connect with those around me. At some points, I would look in the mirror and not even recognize myself. 

I started my healing journey in grad school. It was there that I realized that my own openness with myself translated to openness with others, and that allowed others to share parts of themselves they didn’t believe could be accepted by others. I watched most stoned faced members of my friend groups and family open up more than I had ever witnessed before. Experiencing and witnessing this shift toward openness is extremely healing! It allows us to work better, earn better, care better, play better!

People in marginalized communities NEED that! We need to thrive instead of just survive. That is why I take my work as a healer very seriously. Therapy is my activism. The more we can grow, the more we can help our communities grow and break these systems of oppression we have so long been harmed by.

For these reasons, I am trained as a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP). For me, understanding systemic and individual instances of oppression and abuse as trauma are key to my work as a therapist.

Making the decision to start therapy is a courageous act. With the understanding of the strength behind your decision, I take my work as a healer very seriously and would be honored to walk with you in your path toward change.  My path in the mental health field has given me the knowledge and experience to work with people who hold many different identities living in various life stages and circumstances.

I have worked with adolescents, college students and older adults—some living in dorm rooms, some in big fancy houses and some living on the streets. I’ve worked with people who work to manage their experience anxiety, depression, intense trauma, anger issues, relationship issues and career confusion on a daily basis.

This diversity in my work experience has led me to an understanding that all people share the universal experience of fear, sadness and worry—and that all people, no matter how impossible it seems, are capable of change.

To facilitate change, I work to create an open and trusting space for clients to share and gain insight into their authentic selves. I work to help client's become more aware of their thoughts, feelings, actions and bodily sensations so that they can better manage their experience of traumatic stress. I look forward to taking this journey with you.

Marlee James

Marlee is a Minneapolis-based therapist, the definition of “the awkward black girl”, and seeker of beauty and connection wherever she goes. Marlee is also a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional and licensed mental health professional.

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