Hello, See below for my response to your query - I have changed some details in order to preserve confidentiality. I was pretty proud of my accessible office setup. Then I spent an entire session watching one of my client twist and turn in their chair like they were sitting on rocks. They'd shift left, then right, tuck one leg under, stretch it out again. Finally, they mentioned they had chronic pain and the chair in my office was aggravating it. They'd noticed softer seating in the waiting room but thought it would be too much trouble to ask. I was mortified! My client was literally suffering through our session because I'd never thought to ask about their comfort. I'd been so focused on checking regulatory boxes that I'd missed their actual human needs. Now I start every first session with: "Is there anything about this space that doesn't work for you?" I never would have guessed the things that people told me. One of my clients needed dimmer lighting for their migraines. Another asked if they could sit on the floor - sitting upright triggered their vertigo. I've realized that accessibility isn't a checklist of conditions to accommodate. Instead, accessibility is about understanding that everyone's body has its own needs and limits. Sometimes the most inclusive thing we can do is admit we don't know what someone needs and just ask. If quotes are used, please link to my private practice, Emotions Therapy Calgary (https://www.emotionstherapycalgary.ca/). Thanks! -Rod
As a therapist and business owner, I believe that creating a truly inclusive practice isn't a checkbox, it's an ongoing commitment to reflection, action, and accountability. Diversity and inclusion show up not only in who we serve, but in how we serve them. That means actively unlearning bias, challenging assumptions, and recognizing how systems of oppression show up in the therapy room. In my clinical work, I take a trauma-informed and neurodivergent-affirming approach. I pay close attention to how a client's identities (race, gender, disability, sexuality, body size, socioeconomic background) intersect with their mental health and access to support. I don't assume neutrality or sameness. I ask, I listen, and I do the work to stay informed without placing the burden of education on my clients. One action I take to create a safe and welcoming space is to intentionally design my practice, physically and relationally, with comfort, dignity, and autonomy in mind. That includes offering sensory friendly elements like soft lighting and fidgets, using inclusive intake forms that honor a range of identities and experiences, and offering clients collaborative choice in everything from seating to session structure. My goal is to create an environment where clients don't have to "mask" or shrink to fit in. They get to show up as their full, complex selves.