Therapist Spotlight: Lev Singer, LMSW

1. Can you share your journey to becoming a Psychotherapist?

I was always drawn to social work as I was impacted by social workers in my life as a teenager, and the professional values seemed to match mine. I got my bachelor's degree in social work and loved how hands on and grounded in systemic approaches the program was. It wasn't until I started going to therapy in college following traumatic events, and then learning more about trauma focused approaches in graduate school, that I became interested in becoming a psychotherapist myself. There is such a powerful connection we can build in therapy and it is really an honor to explore with clients in such a vulnerable space. I love connecting with my clients and helping them see their own strengths and power.

2. Do you have a therapeutic focus and if so can you share it?

I focus on narrative and somatic techniques, as well as grief work. My orientation to therapy is trauma centered; this is what initially drew me into the therapy world and I am interested in the connections between felt and thought experience. I love narrative approaches because it gives the client freedom to direct their own story and is a reclamation, and I find somatic approaches really helpful in grounding and connecting with our bodies. As a queer person who has experienced trauma and body dysphoria, and with many loved ones living with chronic pain and illness, I recognize how hard it can be to connect with our bodies and I think somatic techniques offer an approachable pathway to do so, to help us access our full range of experience. I like grief approaches as well because many experiences of pain are tied to grief in one form or another, and sometimes this reframe can help us engage with our pain with more compassion and patience.

3. How would you define the intersections of queerness and mental health?

To draw from bell hooks, queerness is an experience on the margins and queer people often experience the world as outsiders, as do others with marginalized identities. Growing up queer can also impact childhoods and many of us have complex trauma and challenging relationships with our families of origin. Queer people and other marginalized communities also often face discrimination and trauma at higher rates, and queer and trans people are often facing internal battles and internalized shame around gender, presentation, and how we exist in the world. This all impacts our sense of self worth, of belonging, of presence, of care, and lgbtq+ affirming mental health care can help us understand how these pieces come together and rewrite some of those stories so that we can be and love ourselves.

4. What do you feel is missing from the mental health field and how are you bridging that gap?

I think the mental health field can often feel very clinical and cold, and individualized without engaging larger social systems. I try to approach therapy with a systemic approach that integrates community care and honors the impact of larger systems, and I work to build community and change outside of work. This is an area I am always thinking about, and working to find ways to bridge through potential groups and community support efforts.

5. How do you as a therapist build self-care into your routine?

I try to set clear boundaries between work time and non-work time, and I make sure I have supportive people in my life to talk to and a great supervisor to consult with (grateful for Cat Poehling!). I also prioritize ensuring I am meeting my basics - eating, sleeping, moving, drinking water, and having some time to myself. With those covered it can be easier to build in other practices, like making space for fun/spontaneous activities regularly.

6. Is there anything you would like for us to know about you?

I love to talk and learn, and I always appreciate feedback! This work is so relational and it is always helpful to hear from people I am in relationship with about how I am impacting them. Also, my wife and I have two adorable cats named Mooz and Taz, and they like to pop into telehealth sessions sometimes!