We were lucky to catch up with Sorin Thomas recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Sorin , thanks for joining us today. Setting up an independent practice is a daunting endeavor. Can you talk to us about what it was like for you – what were some of the main steps, challenges, etc.

I met someone who was out as non-binary for the first time when I was in graduate school, studying somatic psychotherapy at Naropa University. When I met that person, I began to understand my own non-binary gender identity for the first time.

In the process of medically transitioning, I was required to interact with the mental health system, as well as the medical system. Even though Colorado is an informed-consent state, because of our privatized medical system, hospitals can still require transgender individuals to complete a full psychological evaluation prior to approving their medically necessary gender-affirming procedures.

My peer helped me prepare for the process. When I met with the psychologist, I had been coached to share with her a very binary story about my gender, which was a lie, in order to guarantee that I would be granted access to the treatment I was seeking: hormone replacement therapy and top surgery.

The process of having to explain my trans identity, defend it, and prove its legitimacy was traumatic for me. It prompted me to consider, what would it be like for trans folks to go through that process if their mental health provider was also trans and had shared lived experience? Would that mitigate some of the difficulties of the process?

After completing graduate school, I started my company Queer Asterisk with that in mind. My goal was to take my personal experience and create a non-profit counseling center staffed entirely by queer and transgender mental health professionals, so that others might have a different experience than I had.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Queer Asterisk is a Colorado 501 (c) (3) non-profit community mental health organization. We empower and nurture the diverse ways of being that queer people embody by providing accessible counseling, education and community programs that uplift queer, trans and gender expansive lives.

We envision a vibrant community that embraces authentic expression and transformation, where individuals with dynamic and intersecting identities can thrive.

What sets us apart is that we are a team of queer and transgender, social justice-oriented clinical mental health practitioners who are credentialed with most major insurance providers, including Medicare and Medicaid. As a non-profit, we also offer mental health services pro bono and on a sliding scale. Out of nearly 800 therapy clients in our system, less than 10 are paying full-price out-of-pocket to receive care. That’s very rare in our field.

Support from grants and individual donors is absolutely essential for our organization to thrive. In addition to serving our community, we aim to be an affirming, respectful, and rewarding place for queer and transgender professionals to work. We train and oversee emerging counselors in our field, with the goal of creating a more informed, equitable mental health care system at large.

As an organization with roots in contemplative, mindfulness-based practices, we place emphasis on self-inquiry and collective healing. Every moment is an opportunity to breathe, to care for our bodies and minds, and to relate with ourselves and others in a good way. We take an approach that is trauma-informed, and that centers queerness as a tremendous resource and a gift.

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

Relationships. The single most important factor for success in my field has been cultivating trustworthy, meaningful relationships.

First with my co-founders and staff. The key to our success has been hiring people who share similar values, who are mission and vision-aligned, and who work well together.

Beyond that, it’s been crucial to foster ongoing relationships with other professionals to build a strong network. For queer community, especially at this moment, we rely so heavily on word of mouth. It’s the safest way to market and to connect.

Queer community members have been burnt so often that having personal connections really means a lot, to cultivate trust. Relationships have been really valuable to expand our reach and also to support our growth efforts as a business.

Additionally, one of my favorite things to do is provide educational training and professional development in the broader community. When I bring people into my story and my community, and really call people into this work, folks tend to get excited and passionate… and then they want to get more involved.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I hope that people feel our authenticity at Queer Asterisk, and that we are experienced by the broader professional community as being very human, highly relational, willing to be vulnerable, and committed to doing right by relationships.

As a community organization, we work really hard to be collaborative and not overly competitive within a capitalist society. We prioritize making decisions as gently as possible, considering that it’s a very litigious society. There’s a lot of trauma in our society and in our community… our staff are queer, clients are queer. We just try to be gentle. I think that intention contributes to our reputation as a safe place to receive mental health care.

At Naropa University, while learning the foundations of counseling, I was also encouraged personally towards greater self-awareness. Through that process, I learned to be more compassionate towards myself and others. I think that training is something that other people can feel, and that they respond to. It’s contributed to our reputation as a community space where people can be themselves without judgment, a place where people can truly heal.

Contact Info:

• Website: queerasterisk.com
• Instagram: @queerasterisk
• Facebook: facebook.com/queerasterisk
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzm4k6ENIOFO1aqZAFRA0TQ

Image Credits
FreedaBe (Brett) Adamek