Paul Montgomery(They/Them/Theirs)

All too often in our world, we receive the message that we just aren't quite right in one way or another. Whether it be our birth families, society at large, spiritual communities or even chosen family, we experience this sometimes subtle and sometimes overt message that we need to be different to be accepted or safe. Sometimes it is even necessary to go along with this message in order to be safe. Painfully, these messages are often internalized and wreak havoc on our lives and relationships.

Much of my work is focused on compassionately acknowledging the parts of ourselves that have had to carry these beliefs and relieving them of these burdens. This allows us to live into and integrate fresh new identities that are beyond the vicious cycle of self criticism->exhausted escapism->self criticism. Critical to my work is recognizing the need to both heal the wounds of trauma while also strengthening our capacity to navigate the ongoing challenges of invalidation and/or oppression.

I draw primarily on internal family systems, Buddhist psychology and a strong ethic of calling out the impact of systems of oppression. My clientele tend to be individuals interested in stepping out of norms and habits whether these be enforced by society or simply the fear of the unknown that accompanies and sometimes hinders profound changes in how we experience ourselves.