J. Locke Lis, MSW

Clinician | they/he

☼

Capricorn

☾

Scorpio

↑

Capricorn

Ask me about…

using curiosity and empathy as footholds for growth and empowerment. Ask me about the way boundaries are misunderstood as barriers, when they are actually maps and bridges to authentic connection. Ask me how joy is a form of resistance to oppression.

Clinical Interests:

I’m dedicated to working with anybody that feels they have patterns they would like to change. I’m especially interested in working with LGBTQIA+ individuals, couples, polyamorous constellations, and families of all structures (chosen and otherwise).

Language(s) spoken:

English

What brought you into this field?

Becoming a clinician is the culmination of a decades long exploration of human relationships and challenging social injustice.

Counseling style:

J is a trans identified queer non-binary person with a relational therapeutic approach to trauma informed strength based therapy. They prioritize creating space that is gender affirming, sex/kink/body positive, and BIPOC allied. They do this work implementing an intersectional transfeminist approach and a framework of decolonization.

Modalities:

Emotion focused Therapy, Relational Therapy, Attachment Based Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Solution Focused, Strength Based, Family Systems, Internal Family Systems (Parts) Therapy, Humanistic Therapy

Specializations:

Social justice-oriented approaches to sexuality, gender identity and exploration, trauma, anxiety, grief, growth, and relational communication.

Education:

Sarah Lawrence College, BA
Westfield State University, MSW Candidate

Past Experience:

Between undergrad at Sarah Lawrence College and entering my current MSW program, I enjoyed a career in NYC and Chicago as a filmmaker focused primarily on documenting individual and community experiences of oppression and the search for connection. This involved many of the same relationship-building approaches that are used in narrative therapy, highlighting personal stories to reveal complicated truths about identity and the systems that contain them them. During my MSW program, I worked in a residential Respite environment to provide case management and treatment to individuals needing support to move past crisis.

Trainings:

Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for children and youth, Crossroads of Crisis, Shifting Mindset to Shift Practice: Visions for a Liberated Crisis Response, Institute for the Development of Human Arts