Laura Grimes, LCSW

I started Inclusive Insight because I've been in private practice for almost 20 years and I am a therapist who sees a lot of therapists as clients.  And over and over what I would hear from them is how much they didn't like where they worked; how they felt unappreciated and unsure of why it wasn't better. I'm a firm believer in loving what you do and so I just couldn't see why such good therapists were feeling disconnected and burned out. I also wanted to create a space that was truly inclusive of identities and perspectives that are marginalized.  For many years I couldn't find many therapists like myself or my larger family: queer, multi-racial, kinky, poly, spiritual, gender-diverse, neuro-spicy and, in particular, diverse in age and experience.  And I really craved that, so I built it.  Private practice can be really lonely; I wanted to solve the problems I saw.  That's from a staff perspective.  From a client perspective, I wanted to build a practice that provided diversity and helped clients connect to a therapist who sees all aspects of who they are.

I still love seeing clients the most.  My clinical work is so important to me; I couldn't be good at the rest of my work unless I stayed active clinically.  But, being able to build something that helps other therapists do really solid, connecting work with their clients means more people are helped and our outreach is larger.  

Bearing witness to another person's experience- their internal struggles and accomplishments- is a gift. Being the person that is present for sometimes the worst and the best parts of someone's life- and being able to make a difference in how that person feels or thinks is incredible.  Particularly this is why I became a sex therapist-  demystifying a subject that culturally we do such a poor job with-  is so much FUN.  Helping people learn how to connect intimately, with themselves and others, is so empowering. 

Helping people learn how to connect intimately, with themselves and others, is so empowering. I love teaching about how we communicate and how our culture impacts the ways in which we learn how to communicate.