Hi, I’m Tristan! (they / she)

I’ve been around the block. I’m not bragging – I went just about everywhere searching for love and connection, because lord knows, it wasn’t falling out of the sky. I came up in queer, punk, DIY circles with a strong leftist lean and an emphasis on direct action. I managed a community bike shop in New Orleans, offered assistance to Water Protectors fighting the Dakota Access Pipeline, and ran a food pantry in Portland, Maine. I’ve been a construction worker and a teacher, a weed trimmer and a party producer. I even worked at Burning Man for a minute (don’t hold it against me). I got to know people while writing custom poetry on a typewriter, posted up on sidewalks from Louisiana to California. Years later, I decided to become a therapist.

Therapy works! I start every therapeutic relationship with the acknowledgment that we are equals, and we proceed as such. This is your journey, your story. I’m just here to help co-create a safe, suitable space where exploration of difficult or challenging topics becomes easier, more accessible, less scary.

My background is in Buddhism and mindfulness, while my training is in psychodynamic theory, but I’m not dogmatic about it. What’s going on inside counts, and what’s going on outside matters just as much, sometimes even more. Capitalism, white supremacy, rape culture, and patriarchy hurt everyone. All these external sources of stress and weight on our systems create a situation that can become exhausting, unsustainable, and just plain awful. It’s important to separate what’s coming from inside from what is a systemic issue: the price we pay for Amazon Prime and avocados in the winter, for example.

When it comes to hands-on work, I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Internal Family Systems. CBT is great for breaking up automatic thoughts and habits; the types of things we do without realizing it, even if they’re bad for us. IFS helps us work with the parts of ourselves that are ready to make changes, learn new skills, and upgrade our mental health strategies.

I’m queer, transfemme, and a native New Yorker. I’m doing this because it worked for me, and because I believe it can work for you too. Therapy is a commitment, it’s true. It’s also true that you are worth it, and that things can get better. If I’m not the right fit, I’ll do my best to help you find someone who is. 

Reach out. Let’s talk about it.

Wherever you land on your journey, and though we’ve never met, I’m excited for you. 

You can do it.

Illustration by Talia Dutton