Mel Kohler (she/they)

What You Can Expect

A social justice approach to therapy means an ongoing commitment in creating an anti-oppressive and overtly empowering environment for my clients. Intimacy and sex are often obstructed by gender expectations, religious purity, racism, ableism, secrecy, shame, and other cultural scripts. I offer a space of cultural humility. This also includes discussing how therapy itself can be wielded in capitalistic and disempowering ways. I believe deeply in the innate wisdom of my clients. My job is not to be the expert in the room and tell you how to do/fix your life. Instead, it is to provide a space where you can access this power within your body and within your being.

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Background

I'm a queer and neurodivergent person who has been raised in the Pacific Northwest. I was lucky to be raised by two vibrant communities. My father’s side is a strong family of Irish Catholics originally from the Midwest. My mother’s side is a unified Puerto Rican family originally from the Bronx. They are similar in that they were both boisterous, social, and opinionated in my upbringing, yet neither group dared speak on sex or queerness. Growing up knowing I was both a sexual person and a queer person supplied me with insatiable curiosity and a passionate desire to have these conversations. Simply having the conversation, demystifying and debunking, all in a non-blaming and non-shaming environment, can be the most therapeutic intervention of all. I’m proud of my personal story of gaining self-awareness, deconstructing internalized barriers, and gaining sexual empowerment. My role is to give you awareness and tools to navigate your own liminal space. 

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Interests

Outside of my world of therapy, I love to stay active with going to local shows, watch and play soccer, downhill skiing, and following my partner to find/swim in the nearest body of water. To lay low, I enjoy video games, board games, role/cosplay, creating art, reading, and cooking.