Lafayette “Faye” Slaydon, MSW
Clinician | they/them
☼
Pisces
☾
Aquarius
↑
Virgo
Ask me about…
American folklore, 80s -2000s network television sitcoms, video games, Louisiana, The Great Lakes, Climate Change, Terry Pratchett, Broadway, anything and everything witchy.
Language(s) spoken:
English
What brought you into this field?
I have a background in case management and community organizing; when I was doing that work I saw everyday how destructive the systems that we live and work inside really are for our bodies, our minds, and our souls. Being a therapist felt like the natural conclusion – a way to help people suffer less in a system that is indifferent to many of our human needs.
Counseling style:
My therapy style is warm, down to earth, trauma-informed, and often brings humor into the room. I believe you should be able to understand your therapist, and that therapy should feel accessible—not buried in psych jargon.
The relationship between a client and therapist is one of the strongest predictors of whether therapy will be helpful. Because of that, I believe good therapy starts with building trust and getting to know each other before diving into the heaviest parts of your story.
I tend to understand people through three interconnected lenses: the relationships that have shaped us, especially early in life; the chemistry of our brains and bodies; and the environments, systems, and institutions we live within. My therapy style is to walk alongside you while you discover how these factors influenced the person you are, and understand what you want to carry forward, and what you may want to change.
Modalities:
I use an eclectic blend of modalities. My therapeutic relationships are all trauma informed and shaped by relational psychodynamics, and include elements of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Narrative Family Therapy, Structural Family Therapy, and Evolutionary Psychology. All of my work is grounded in the principles of harm reduction, decolonization, and weight neutrality.
Specializations:
Gender Affirming Care, Harm Reduction, Youth & Emerging Adults, Families, Trauma, LGBTQIA+ Issues, Parenting Issues
Education:
Associates of Science – Human Services – Ivy Tech Community College
Bachelor of Social Work – Indiana University
Master of Social Work – Smith College
Past Experience:
My previous experience has been focused around working with marginalized populations, particularly Queer youth and young adults, and particularly those in high stakes environments like jails, survival economies, or the foster care system.