Nick Vaske

I find I am most helpful working with individual transition age youth and adults seeking help with gender identity exploration, help navigating transition, bipolar and mood disorders, setting boundaries and navigating relationships, making sense of traumatic experiences and finding creative new ways to show up whole heartedly in the world. I am comfortable and knowledgeable about topics relating to sex and sexuality, gender affirmation, sex positivity, poly/non-monogamy, and intersections of identity. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. I have been practicing therapy since 2015 and have been in social services going on 20 years, serving youth and adults experiencing legal consequences, houselessness, and severe mental illness in both inpatient and outpatient settings. My style tends to be curious, nonjudgmental and empathic, and I take a relational and collaborative approach. You are going to be putting in hard work and it is my job to be a good guide by offering insights, direction, and skill building. I take an eclectic approach to therapy and use modalities such as narrative therapy, internal family systems, somatic approaches, and just fun conversation. I use an anti-oppressive, person-centered, and trauma-informed framework. I strive to be culturally sensitive, anti-racist and queer/LGBTQ2SIA+ affirming. I also know that I am not perfect, and I will ask for your honest feedback throughout the therapy process so that I can adjust and adapt my approach to best fit your needs. I am a queer white cis man and have friends and family members with a lovely mix of intersecting identities. I started struggling with my identity, mental health and legal run ins as a teenager, which led into a career path as a peer advocate, mentor, and mental health provider. I've done a lot of work on myself that I find valuable to my practice. While I believe my personal experience gives me knowledge, insight, and empathy, I also know that everyone has their own unique experiences. I am open to sharing parts of my story with you when it is helpful, whether that is to offer validation, challenge stigma, or to just get to know each other better. A bit more about me: I am a dog dad, artist, and gaymer. My recharging activities include chilling at the dog park, video games, traveling and backpacking with friends, drawing on my tablet, reading comic books and cooking.