Jamie Marrara, MHC-LP
Pre-Licensed Psychotherapist
Pronouns: They/Them/Their and He/Him/His
I’m Jamie (they/he), a bisexual, non-binary/transmasc, neurodivergent, chronically ill, non-monogamous therapist from Oklahoma. I am deeply passionate about helping fellow people in my communities as part of the tradition of care that assisted me through my identity development. I feel such appreciation for the queer and trans individuals both in my personal life and in professional roles (such as counseling!) that provided thoughtful insights, space to be curious, and practical information for navigating institutional barriers to me throughout the years. I look to pay this forward by being one of these encouraging people for other queer (and questioning) folks, especially those who may not have this support elsewhere.
An active part of my practice is acknowledging and resisting the way that mental health care has been and continues to be a tool of oppression and control. I come to the therapy room with the mindset that Western medicine’s pathologizing of mental illness rarely serves those it describes, and I approach my clients with the understanding that none of us can be fully encapsulated by a diagnosis, and that we aren’t condemned to them. In the same vein, I resist capitalist co-opting of mental health, promoting my client’s well being, interpersonal health, and authenticity over the capitalist drive to change the way we think to restore or maximize productivity.
My own experience reframing my chronic mental health issues through the lens of my neurodivergence and experience of developmental trauma has shown me what it is like to move through mental health care being continually misunderstood for years. By viewing my clients’ presenting issues through anti-oppressive and trauma-informed perspectives, I hope to give attention to the way interpersonal and societal structures influence our mental health and avoid reducing our problems to the symptoms of them. Further, grounding myself in my experience allows me to show up for my clients as a real, authentic person rather than a blank-slate detached from their struggles.
I value building a genuine relationship with my clients that gives them the space to explore themselves without judgment and fear. To do this, I use humanistic, client-first principles and encourage you to have agency in the therapeutic process. The issues and goals we prioritize will align with what matters most to you. Each person requires different therapeutic tools and strategies that work within their worldview, and I am more than willing to explore what those might be for you. My hope for my clients is that together we can foster their self-understanding and awareness of their connectedness with those in their lives and the larger societal systems we inhabit.
If it seems like we would be a good fit for one another, please reach out!
