Check Out Avery Williams’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Avery Williams.

Hi Avery, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Hi, I’m Avery. I grew up in Berkeley CA and moved to LA around 5 years ago. I lived many places in between but feel that Los Angeles is my home. I think growing up in the East Bay largely shaped who I am today. I credit the city for raising me with values of reciprocity, justice, compassion and integrity. My family is primarily atheist, but from a young age I was drawn to faith and I searched for a connection with God wherever I could find one. As a young person I was taught to question authority and did so adamantly, which led me to getting into a lot of trouble. I was described as a “willful” child, but as a double leo, I would say I was a leader and unwilling to conform. I now work as a Therapist, specifically a Transpersonal Therapist. Transpersonal can be broken down to mean “beyond the self”, this includes various states of being and levels of consciousness. I studied Sociology in college and Mindfulness-Based Transpersonal Counseling in grad school. These two paths definitely inform my work as a therapist. I believe in anti-oppressive, loving care and actively work to decolonize myself as I build my practice in an inherently unjust system. I attempt to hold systems accountable for their mistreatment of and violence against individuals, who are too often blamed for the sickness of this society. I redirect the blame to the system and encourage my clients to do the same.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I would not describe the road as smooth, but it has been interesting for sure. I believe many therapists come to this work as an attempt to heal their own trauma, which is true for me. As someone who struggled with addiction for many years, depression, anxiety, PTSD, and abusive relationships, I feel that these experiences shaped who I am as much as the beautiful, wonderful things. How do we cope with the fact that horrible things happen every day to good people? What is the point? For me, it is healing and sharing that growth and empowerment with others.

I am so deeply grateful for the life I have. I am unapologetically me in every room I enter. I am openly queer and live authentically in my truth. I have wonderful, fulfilling relationships with very special people. I live in a magical city with the love of my life and 3 silly sweet cats. I am healthy. I am in connection with spirit and love. I experience the “point of life” daily… not striving, suffering, masking, hiding, but living and loving. Of course my life is not perfect, but it is so special to me. I think people who have experienced a lot of pain and hardship struggle to believe they can have the life they dream of. For so many the burden of trauma weighs them down and discourages them from believing. I only know it is possible because I did it for myself. The “healing” can be so grueling and elusive and confusing, but I promise there is a point. The point is you don’t have to feel this way forever. There are really loving people out there who want to help you. It just takes trust that it is possible, and knowing you are deserving. Anyway, that is my little moment of motivation for anyone reading this wanting to feel relief.

Part of my deepest struggle is feeling quite skeptical of modern psychotherapy and the inherent racism and bias that exists in the medical model. As a white person I witness the ways that modern healing is co-opted for white wellness. I see accessibility is not equal and the treatment of BIPOC and Queer Trans folks is becoming more and more dangerous. Even in the field of transpersonal psychology there is an active colonization of indigenous practices and beliefs. I feel responsible for mitigating the harm this field can cause and I feel accountable for the appropriation happening. I also see the ways in which our society deeply needs to return to indigenous values because capitalism and white supremacy are harming us all. I am still figuring out my place in all of this. I want to be a part of changing the system for better but I also just want the empire to fall. Until then, I really want to connect with other therapists in Los Angeles who are similarly skeptical of the current medical model and believe in active resistance.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As I mentioned before I work as a therapist in Los Angeles. Being a queer woman, I welcome the opportunity to work with folx in the 2SLGTBQIA+ community. I love working with couples, caring for the intricacies and challenges that queer dynamics hold. I work with young adults (20s-40s) on a wide range of topics, including: neurodivergence, addiction/sobriety, depression/anxiety, loss of faith/meaning, relationship issues, self actualization, sex and sexuality, finding purpose, healing from abuse and more. I also specialize in working with adolescents, usually struggling with identity, anxiety, and transition.

As a Transpersonal Counselor I aim to bridge the values of social justice with spirituality. I orient less to diagnoses and more to each person’s needs in relationship with self, others and higher energy or consciousness. In my counseling work I center inclusivity, anti-oppressive care, and community support. I encourage my clients to slow down, tune into their bodies, and access their intuitive wisdom. My counseling sessions often involve various modalities such as breath-work, meditation, dreamwork, and somatic regulation techniques. I also encourage incorporating creative expressions like dance, music, movement, and art in the healing process. These practices are intended to support healing and foster self-discovery in a non-judgmental and compassionate environment. I work entirely through tele-health, which most people prefer now, especially with LA commuting. I have attached a picture of my virtual “office” 🙂

I host affordable community events and workshops, both in person and virtually, to ensure that healing and support are accessible to all. While individual counseling is valuable, I recognize the importance of community care and the barriers that prevent many from accessing it. I am passionate about creating spaces for folks to come together, express themselves, and witness one another. Especially now, so many people are hurting and afraid and I know the impact that also has on caring professionals. I hope to run some events in the near future centering the needs of therapists and various care givers, to rest, re-set, recharge and return.

What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love so many things about Los Angeles, this city feels truly magical to me. The creativity and expression, the flowers and trees, the history, the people, I love the people, the food, the style, the pace, the sunsets. I love that there is a place for everyone regardless of what they like and want to do. One of my favorite things about LA is the juxtaposition between the natural beauty and the city scape, and one of my favorite things to do is photograph these merging. I have included some here to cherish the magic I witness. Since my work is very private I am unable to include images of my practice, but I have included some pictures that feel like me.

Something I struggle with as someone who doesn’t have any social media is being “in the know” of interesting events happening. Also the city feels predominantly made up of creatives who work in the entertainment industry and I don’t, so finding fellow creatively minded, intuitive, community oriented folks is a challenge I face. I am seeking different forms of connection but navigating such a big city and being “unplugged” makes them hard to find. So please reach out if you want to collaborate on some fun, funky, nourishing events together!

Pricing:

• Insurance I take: Cigna, Carelon (LA Care), Goldcoast, CenCal, Optum.
• Individual $125
• Couples $200
• Sliding Scale $80 – $115

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.inclusivetherapists.com/california/los-angeles/avery-williams

Image Credits
All images are my own 🙂