Black and Queer Relationships
Being seen matters.
As a Black, Queer woman, I understand the challenge of finding a therapist who sees and understands all of you. You may be looking to focus on your identities directly. Sometimes that looks like needing to talk about the ways who you are in the world shapes who you are in your relationship. Other times, that looks like naming and exploring how race and racism has come between you and your partner(s), especially for interracial relationships.
Your race and sexual orientation may not be the focus of our work at all. You may be desperate to learn how to communicate better, or find a pathway to repair past harm, and want to do that work with someone who looks like you. I get it.
Whether you’re Black, Queer, both, or neither, if you’re struggling to hear each other or can’t quite reach your partner(s) no matter how hard you try, I can help.
You might be feeling:
Skeptical about therapy
Disconnected and lonely
Like you’ve tried everything, but just can’t make any progress
Desperate to be able to talk through the hard things and stay calm
Tired of saying the same thing again, and again
I center marginalized relationships.
Work with a therapist that talks about identities early and often:
Whether your identities are bringing you to therapy, part of the background context, or not at all what you want to work on together, I open the door and welcome the conversation early and often. Not all therapists understand the importance of our social identities. As a Black, Queer woman, I intimantly know the power of being seen. As a therapist, I use a multicultural framework, which means I’m trained to make therapy fit your unique story.
The ways we will work together in therapy
Not all therapists are trained in couples therapy. I am an evidenced-based therapist which means I use approaches that work. Here are a few of the interventions we may use in our work together:
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EFT helps you heal attachment wounds. Grounded in the science of emotions and attachment theory, EFT helps you understand what sets you and your partner(s) off, why. and how to change.
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IBCT gives you a roadmap to understand you and your partner(s). It teaches how to make some change to bring you closer and how to accept and appreciate the traits that make you different from each other.
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PREP is a toolbox of tools and skills to keep relationships happy and healthy. From communication skills to having more fun, PREP provides exercises, worksheets, and homework to make your relationship stronger.
After therapy with me, clients report:
Being on the same team again
Confidence in talking without fighting, even for the hard stuff
Feeling like they found their way back to the how things used to be in the beginning
A new found trust in therapy
Relationships transitioning from dating to marriage
Testimonials
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Dr. Parsons changed my life. I have struggled with therapy in the past, but found that Dr. Parsons was able to guide me through the experience in a way that felt meaningful and fulfilling.
—Client hesitant to start therapy.
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I can’t even begin to explain how incredible of an experience this has been. Every session my partner and I left with our minds blown by what we had worked through!! I’m so grateful!
—Previous client.
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I had a lot of fear that things would not get better, but Dr. Parsons helped me learn new things about myself and my partner that better prepared me to tackle difficult moments.
—Partners who started therapy fighting all the time.
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This truly changed my relationship with my partner and myself for the better. It also helped me on an individual scale, which I did not expect going into it!!
—Previous client
About Me
Hi, I’m Dr. Parsons.
I’ve helped hundreds of couples go from divorce’s door to a strong, healthy, loving relationship. I started my career as a researcher at NYU, where I sat at tables with the leaders of the field and learned interventions directly from their founders. After 10+ years, I know what works.
I now spend most of my time working directly with clients in my small private practice where therapy is collaborative, goal focused, and inclusive. Reach out for a free consultation. It’s the first step on the road back to each other.
Education & Credentials
Training:
PhD Clinical Psychology, University of Denver
EFT Externship, Ackerman Institute
Psychology Predoctoral Internship Training Program, Washington DC VA Medical Center
Family Program Psychology Practicum, Department of Veterans Affairs Eastern Colorado Health Care System Denver Medical Center
Professional Appointments:
Adjunct Instructor, The Family Institute at Northwestern University
Assistant Professor, New York University
Clinical Supervisor, Golden Psychology