Intersectional and Trauma-informed

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in mental wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jessie Dhaliwal, Owner of Solidarity Therapy, located in Langley, BC, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

At Solidarity Therapy, we are an intersectional and trauma-informed clinic that offers clinical counselling. We provide trauma-informed modalities such as EMDR, LENS neurofeedback, DBT, CBT, Art therapy, trauma-informed yoga, family systems counselling, couples counselling, and narrative therapy. We have intersectional therapists that work with children, teens, youth, young adults, adults, couples, and families.

We are committed to our own ongoing learning to understand how our oppressions & privileges impact our views. We work with you to unpack the parts of your identity which are challenging & the parts of your identity which are empowering to navigate.

We understand that systemic oppression continues to impact BIPOC & 2SLGBTQIA+ folks. We work in solidarity with you to help deconstruct systems of power for our collective's healing & empowerment.

Tell us about yourself

I have worked in both the non-profit sector doing crisis intervention work and in private counselling clinics. I am noticing that more clinics are becoming trauma-informed and that there is a gap in understanding how our intersections of experience can cause trauma. At Solidarity Therapy, we are both intersectional and trauma-informed, working towards anti-oppressive practice.

I have been inspired by a combination of both my passions for social justice and supporting people in empowering themselves. I feel privileged to sit with humans working to make systemic change. On a personal level, I was inspired by my own post-traumatic wisdom that developed through years of healing and therapy. In accessing therapy, I noticed a gap in finding a South Asian counsellor, and I became that counsellor that I needed in my youth.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I feel privileged to work with a collective of therapists working from an intersectional and trauma-informed perspective. It is refreshing to work with colleagues working to support our community's healing.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

I think that there are risks involved with growing a small business during a pandemic. I am incredibly grateful for our courageous clients working towards their healing through these uncertain times.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

I would encourage starting business owners to soothe their imposter syndrome and know that they are worthy. I would invite starting business owners to work with a counsellor or a coach for support. I know that my years of continual therapy cultivated both my personal and professional growth.

hear that the stigma around accessing mental health counselling is still around. I think it helps to talk to others that have accessed counselling to understand how it can help us. I work with professionals in many careers, and I myself access therapy. Starting therapy can feel confronting and intimidating, and we offer free 20-minute video consultations to new clients.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.solidaritytherapy.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessiedhaliwalcounselling/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessiedhaliwaltherapy/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessie-dhaliwal-mentalhealthcounsellor/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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