BIPOC Online Therapy Group

In California and Oregon

Therapy. Consulting. Healing.

The Kinship Counseling Collective is a BIPOC online therapy group committed to working closely with our clients at every stage.

Kinship therapists are culturally responsive and approach their work with vulnerability. We use creative interventions tailored to each client's unique needs, providing them with tools to live a more liberated life.

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Kinship.

Therapy, Consuting Healing.

A Founder’s Hope

When I was early in my career and moving through grad school, I was often left feeling not seen for all of me or too visible due to my differences, and this impacted my learning and sense of safety. I questioned whether I could bring my whole self and be safe to learn what was required. The class materials were Eurocentric and reinforced feelings of isolation and othering. Everything about these experiences mirrored my journey in a society where I was othered and never enough - this continued centering of dominant culture only pushed me further into the margins.

I am so glad your path found ours.
We welcome you.

-Raquel

The centering of the dominant culture in every aspect of my learning - deeply impacted my ability to reach my full potential because so much of my energy was used to attend to the harm of the many micro assaults experienced on a daily basis and to translate the class materials or theories in a way that felt culturally appropriate and resonated. It is exhausting to exist in the margins, and often, this gets experienced as imposter syndrome, anxiety, worry, depression, and feelings of overwhelm and brokenness. Nothing reflects your total value to you because all the parts of you don't get to come in. Only the perfect and assimilated parts get to see the light.

I never could see myself as a therapist because I saw it as a role that was for people not like me. In navigating the extensive hoops of getting licensure and exposing myself to more white spaces, somehow, I would become complicit in reinforcing dominant cultural narratives and the systems that governed this work. Licensing boards, higher education organizations, the medicalization of the work, and the role of insurance companies further pushed me away from more holistic, cultural, and broader notions of what it means to be well in a society that is marginalizing you and is hostile to your very existence.

As I reflect on this, I also recall the small glimmers of hope every time my path crossed with another student or therapist of color or someone different from the majority, and in those moments, I felt less alone. Perhaps there was a way to have spaces that centered those of us in the margins or saw us as critical to this work of healing and that wellness and health did not need to be defined by Eurocentric notions or theories of practice. Perhaps the rage, depression, and anxiety I and those in my communities felt were natural and healthy responses to the systemic oppression and less a failing at the individual level. I began to see that perhaps providing healing and wellness space was, in its very nature, a protest movement if done to honor the rage, normalize the fear and stuckness, and witness the pain that oppression and a sick society causes its members. In the therapeutic relationship, I can decenter white supremacy dominant cultural narratives and experience another form of liberation in the work.

As I free myself and sit with others, we collectively create another way of being in this world that honors and witnesses all parts of us, where every part finds a home and is loved and supported to move in ways that liberate, encourage, or help us to be whole and to be all of who we are and meant to be. This call to create a healing and wellness space is my ancestral assignment, and I humbly accept to walk this path and learn and grow as I go…

This is the origin of Kinship Counseling Collective.

“We think that by protecting ourselves from suffering, we are being kind to ourselves. The truth is we only become more fearful, more hardened and more alienated. We experience ourselves as being separate from the whole. This separateness becomes like a prison for us - a prison that restricts us to our personal hopes and fears, and to caring only for the people nearest to us. Curiously enough, if we primarily try to shield ourselves from discomfort, we suffer. Yet, when we don’t close off, when we let our hearts break, we discover our kinship with all beings.”

— Pema Chodron

Our Collective’s Core Values

Culturally Responsive & Anti-Oppression

As therapists, we deeply respect and appreciate the significance of cultural diversity in the lives of our clients. We understand that each individual has a unique cultural identity and background that shapes their experiences and perspectives. We aim to create a safe and supportive environment where our clients feel not just heard but truly understood and valued. We strive to understand and respect our clients' cultural needs and work to tailor our approach to meet those needs. Anti-oppression therapy is a powerful tool that empowers individuals to challenge and resist oppressive systems and work toward social justice. We can help our clients achieve greater well-being and fulfillment by embracing cultural diversity and promoting social justice. We are committed to supporting our clients on their journey toward healing and growth, and we are honored to be a part of that journey.

Creative & Versatile

Our therapists are trained in various therapeutic modalities, including brain spotting, expressive arts, trauma-informed care, cognitive-behavioral therapy, psychodynamic therapy, and mindfulness-based therapy. We believe in the importance of flexibility and adaptability in therapy and encourage therapists to use various techniques and interventions to meet the needs of their clients.

Collaborative & Authentic

We understand that seeking therapy can be a vulnerable and challenging experience. However, Kinship Counseling Collective strives to create a safe and supportive environment that empowers our clients. Therapy is a collaborative process where the therapist and the client work together to identify and address the client's concerns. Our therapists are committed to building strong and authentic relationships with their clients, creating a space where clients feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings. We also understand that therapy is not a one-size-fits-all approach, and our therapists work to tailor their approach to meet the unique needs of each client. We believe in staying current with the latest research and best practices in the field, and we are committed to ongoing training and education to ensure we provide the best possible care to our clients.

Professionalism & Continuous Learning

Your consent and confidentiality are critical to our work together. As a therapy group practice, it is crucial to maintain professionalism in all aspects of operations. Our work with clients includes adhering to ethical guidelines and standards of practice and maintaining appropriate boundaries with them. Kinship Therapists must stay current with the latest research and best practices and engage in ongoing training and education to ensure they provide their clients with the best possible care.

Why A Collective ?

We are wired for connection. Systems of oppression in all its forms seek to isolate and break our connections to one another. Kinship is the way that many cultures survived and navigated the impacts of oppression. These unique bonds transcend blood ties and family of origin and stretch across various identities and ways of being. Forming a collective is counter to the isolation & competition that results from oppression/our dominant culture; the action of building trust and being trustworthy, connected, supported & accountable.

The Kinship Counseling Collective is committed to building an intentional community dedicated to wellness in all its forms, anti-oppression practices, liberation work, creativity, and providing healing spaces based on cultural wisdom rooted in the invisible ways in which we are all “Kin.”

At Kinship Counseling Collective, we understand that seeking therapy can be a vulnerable and challenging experience. That's why we strive to create a safe and supportive environment for our clients, where they feel heard, understood, and valued.

Kinship Counseling Collective believes each individual has a unique cultural identity and background that shapes their experiences and perspectives. Kinship is driven by our commitment to offer our clients culturally responsive and anti-oppressive therapy, empowering all of us to challenge and resist oppressive systems and work toward social justice.

At Kinship, we value access and ease of finding excellent therapists of color. We wanted to support an increase in access to therapy and healing spaces. We intentionally created an online therapy group so everyone can arrive comfortably and with ease. We know that the increase in screens and technology may burn out some, and we find that when our clients and therapists are present, we can be authentic in different ways. It is not that we do not value face-to-face interactions, but rather we have prioritized accessibility and come as you are so that we can all get down to work before us without commutes, worrying about what we are wearing, and we can access all that we need to be comfortable - some tea, a blanket, our pet, or sofa or outside spaces. We value authentic spaces, access, and flexibility.

At Kinship, we view therapy as a collaborative and creative process. Our therapists work hand in hand with their clients to identify the best approach for their needs. We encourage our therapists to use a variety of therapeutic modalities, tailoring their approach to meet each client's unique needs.

At Kinship Counseling Collective, we recognize that therapy is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Our therapists work to create a space where clients feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings. Kinship therapists are committed to building strong and authentic relationships with their clients. They provide a supportive and non-judgmental environment where clients can explore their concerns and work towards healing and growth.

As an online therapy group practice, Kinship upholds the highest standards of professionalism in all aspects of our operations. We adhere to ethical guidelines, HIPPA, and technology safety/security standards and maintain appropriate boundaries with our clients. We believe in continuous learning and development, and we encourage our therapists to engage in ongoing training and education to ensure they provide their clients with the best possible care.