We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Colette Dalton a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Colette, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Over the course of your career, have you seen or experienced your field completely flip-flop or change course on something?

When I was in grad school training to be a therapist, I felt like a lot of what I was taught revolved around being a “blank slate.” The idea was that therapists should be neutral, revealing little about themselves to maintain objectivity. The thinking was that if we kept our own emotions, opinions, and personal experiences hidden, clients could project their thoughts and feelings without outside influence.

But over the years, the field has shifted. More and more therapists are recognizing the importance of authenticity and real human connection in therapy. Research and experience both show that when therapists show up as their whole selves—sharing appropriate personal insights, expressing genuine emotions, and engaging in a more human-to-human way—clients often experience deeper trust, greater comfort, and more meaningful progress.

Being an authentic therapist doesn’t mean oversharing or making sessions about ourselves. It means using self-disclosure intentionally by sharing experiences or insights when they directly benefit the client’s healing. It means expressing genuine emotion and allowing appropriate laughter, warmth, or even sadness when the moment calls for it. It includes acknowledging biases and limitations and being transparent about one’s positionality while maintaining professional integrity. And it of course means that therapists can bring their personality into the room and letting humor, creativity, or quirks be part of the therapeutic experience in ways that enhance connection.

There are still plenty of “blank slate” therapists out there, but I’m not one of them. I know I’m a better therapist when I bring my whole self to the work. That doesn’t mean making therapy about me, but I’ve seen firsthand how the right amount of self-disclosure, sharing a laugh (or even a tear), and simply being human with my clients can lead to deeper healing.

As the field of mental health continues to evolve, this shift toward authenticity represents a move from rigid professionalism to genuine human connection—one that ultimately benefits both therapists and the people they serve.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m a therapist (LCSW and certified sex therapist), educator, and creator dedicated to fostering healing, joy, and community. My work is deeply rooted in the belief that authenticity, creativity, and connection are essential for personal and collective well-being.

I first got into therapy because I wanted to help people navigate life’s challenges in a way that felt empowering rather than prescriptive. During my training, I saw how traditional models of therapy aren’t the best fit for all clients. Now, as a therapist, I bring my whole self into the work—creating an affirming, supportive space where clients can explore their identities, process trauma, and build lives that feel meaningful to them. I integrate evidence-based techniques (especially loving experiential methodologies) with a relational, human-first approach, because I know that real healing happens through connection. I’m also proud to be a clinical supervisor at Hearten House, where I am able to help train more therapists to become the best therapist they want to be, and help supervise them as they provide individual and group services at low-cost to the community.

Beyond my work as a therapist, I’m also passionate about creating resources and experiences that support queer joy and creativity. I’ve hosted retreats, run virtual summits, and structured programs designed to help queer people tap into their innate creativity as a tool for healing. I believe that self-expression—whether through art, movement, writing, or simply allowing oneself to be playful—can be a powerful antidote to the trauma and marginalization so many queer folks have faced.

I’m especially proud of the work I’ve done in making mental health and personal growth more accessible. Whether it’s through a podcast I used to co-host, educational workshops, community events, or my summits, I aim to create spaces where queer people feel seen, validated, and inspired. What sets me apart is my commitment to blending therapeutic expertise with creativity and joy—helping people not just survive, but thrive.

At the heart of everything I do is the belief that healing doesn’t have to be sterile or clinical—it can be vibrant, affirming, and even fun. I want people to know that they don’t have to fit into a rigid mold to grow, and that their queerness, their creativity, and their full, authentic selves are sources of strength.

Whether someone is seeking therapy, looking for community, or just wanting to reconnect with their joy, my work is here to remind them: you are enough, you are worthy, and you deserve a life filled with meaning, connection, and creativity.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

For a long time, I didn’t have the language or awareness to fully understand my own queerness. I grew up absorbing the narratives around me, the ones that told me who I was supposed to be, what love was supposed to look like, and how my life should unfold. So, I followed the script. I built a life that looked right on the outside and it worked well… until I fell in love with a woman.

Realizing I was queer later in life was both liberating and terrifying. It meant confronting the fact that I had spent years denying a fundamental part of myself, not out of shame, but simply because I had never been given the tools to see it. It meant unraveling parts of my identity that felt safe and familiar, stepping into a version of myself that was new and unknown. It meant facing hard conversations, grieving the life I thought I was supposed to have, and walking into uncertainty with nothing but trust that I was finally being honest with myself.

But what I’ve learned is that resilience isn’t just about pushing through difficulty—it’s about choosing yourself, again and again, even when it’s scary. It’s about honoring the parts of you that you once ignored. It’s about rewriting your story in a way that feels true.

This experience has deeply shaped the way I show up in my work. As a therapist, I know firsthand what it’s like to question your identity later in life, to feel both excitement and fear in the process of becoming. And as someone who creates spaces for queer joy and healing, I want others to know that there is no timeline for self-discovery. You are never “too late” to step into who you truly are.

If anything, my journey has taught me that resilience isn’t about fitting into expectations—it’s about breaking free from them and allowing yourself to exist fully. And that’s a kind of resilience worth celebrating.

If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?

Absolutely, I would choose this path again—but it’s definitely been a journey figuring out what modalities and specialties fit best with me. When I first became a therapist, I had a more traditional view of what therapy “should” look like. Over time, though, I realized that the approaches that resonated most with me—and with my clients—were the ones that centered authenticity, creativity, and deep connection.

It’s taken trial and error to refine my approach, to let go of rigid expectations, and to lean into the work that feels the most aligned. I’ve explored different modalities, worked with various populations, and allowed my practice to evolve alongside my own growth. Now, I focus on showing up as my whole self, blending evidence-based practices with creativity, and making space for joy and healing in ways that go beyond the therapy room.

So while I wouldn’t change my profession, I’d tell my younger self to trust that the right way of doing this work isn’t about fitting into a mold—it’s about discovering what truly resonates and following that path unapologetically.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://colettedalton.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/colettedalton
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/colettedaltonlcsw/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daltoncolette/