Midori Ferris Wayne (she/her)

My Approach to Helping

I do therapy differently than most, because I trust that you already have all the inner resources to deal with stuck patterns in your life. I also won't minimize you. I know the struggle is real and is compounded by systemic oppression that isn’t going away soon enough for any of us. But you have so much more coping potential than you realize. Rather than approaching therapy as treatment for mental illness, I can help you see yourself as fundamentally healthy and whole. This isn't woo woo stuff, it's brain-science and evidence-based, and you'll see the difference. I've been trained in trauma-informed, body and sex positive/kink/polyam/neuroqueer approaches for individual and relational therapy with a specialization in intimacy/sex therapy. I've also worked with neurodiverse families for almost two decades. I integrate Internal Family Systems, narrative therapy, and interpersonal neurobiology with a focus on equity by balancing independence and compassion for self and others.

My Personal Beliefs and Interests

My identity as a person and as a therapist is based in a neuroqueer framework, which is really more of a verb than a noun. Let's neuroqueer this therapy process! Neuroqueering honors a diversity of minds as well as bodies and recognizes that rigid expectations around ability, gender, sexuality, etc. are simply age-old products of societal oppression. This world is not designed for anyone who doesn't fit neatly into societal norms for experiencing the world or expressing themselves, and it's harder than we think to unlearn inherited beliefs about what is "normal". I'm passionate about tracking the impacts of normative ideology directly in sessions and hold myself accountable to untangling these relational patterns for each of us. It's an exciting process which has also become a life practice for me, as I become more aware of vulnerabilities and show up in my relationships more courageously. We can collaborate to create safety for this transformative work in your life as well.