Today we’d like to introduce you to Kamil Lewis.
Kamil, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I am a sex therapist, COO of a private practice, writer, and co-host of a podcast called Safeword. Becoming a therapist was a career shift for me. I originally thought I wanted to be an attorney and worked at law firms and in entertainment law for years. The decision to go to graduate school came from the desire to connect with people and support them in a way that felt tangible and transformative. I decided to specialize in sex therapy because it allows me to focus on relationships, interconnectedness, and identity. I worked at a few wonderful therapy practices in the LA area and in the past year, I took on a new role as the Chief Operations Officer at a private practice that focuses on queer sex therapy. This position has allowed me to continue my relationship with clients, deepen my clinical practice, and lead the consultation of other therapists as they pursue full licensure.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Transitioning from a reliable full-time position at a large entertainment company to a full-time graduate student was terrifying. Especially as a second career where a lot of my classmates were younger than I was. Graduate school was challenging, unpredictable, and demanding. Becoming a therapist felt very natural to me, although I take the responsibility of my job incredibly seriously which means in the past I have neglected my own needs and boundaries so I can support more clients. I have been supported by incredible supervisors and colleagues along the way which has helped me navigate these elements of my job more effectively.
We’ve been impressed with The Expansive Group, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am the Chief Operations Officer (COO) of The Expansive Group. The Expansive Group is a therapy private practice that specializes in queerness, sex therapy, relationships, and identity. I love that we are transparent about our values and commitment to anti-oppressive practices and are creative about how to get our services and knowledge accessible to multiple people. We offer therapy, coaching, education, and pleasure mentoring. We have a team of over 20 clinicians and educators and I am immensely proud of the work we do and the community we’ve created.
I also write articles about sex and pleasure and am passionate about being pleasure-focused and destigmatizing shame around sex and sexuality. Additionally, I teach at the university level and am excited to continue my journey as a professor.
I also have a podcast called Safeword with the CEO of The Expansive Group, Casey Tanner. We talk about gender, relationships, and sexuality from both our experiences as sex therapists and as people. Creating Safeword has been a hilarious, vulnerable, authentic, and joyous experience that I’m excited to grow.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I think mental health is becoming more accessible through social media platforms and apps. I think this will continue to develop and will help destigmatize mental health.
Pricing:
- $150-$250 and some insurance
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kamillewis.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kamil.lewis/
- Other: https://theexpansivegroup.com/#our-values
Image Credits
Roux Ali (@rouxali) Todd Pearce
