Mentorship for Therapists: Relational, Experiential, and LGBTQ-Affirming Clinical Supervision and Peer Consultation

Written by
Clayre Sessoms
Published on
22 July 2025
LGBTQ-affirming clinical supervision for therapists image of a person on their laptop
Clayre Sessoms Image Blog Post Header Background

We’ve been learning together for a long time. Since meeting as yoga students two decades ago, our work—and our friendship—has been shaped by deep practice, ongoing study, and the kind of conversations that only happen when trust runs deep. Over the years, we’ve collaborated in ways that have refined our instincts, grounded our approaches, and strengthened our belief in the healing power of presence. We know what it is to be supported, to be challenged with care, and to grow alongside someone who truly understands your work.

Now, we bring that same spirit to the way we mentor other therapists.

When you’re holding space for others day after day, it can be easy to forget that you also need space held for you. Clinical supervision, peer consultation, and mentorship are not only about meeting professional requirements — they’re about sustaining yourself as a therapist so you can do the work you love without burning out.

At our practice, we offer relational and experiential clinical supervision for therapists at all stages of their careers. Whether you’re newly licensed and finding your footing, or a seasoned practitioner seeking to deepen your skills, we provide a collaborative, non-hierarchical space to reflect, refine, and replenish.

Our Approach to Clinical Supervision and Peer Consultation

Our work as supervisors grows directly from how we work with our own clients — rooted in relationship, shaped by lived experience, and guided by embodied presence. We are relational therapists, experiential therapists, and Certified Sensorimotor Psychotherapists who have spent years refining our craft alongside one another. Clayre brings a deep creative lens as a Board Certified Art Therapist, while Laura brings decades of wisdom in walking with people through grief.

For more than a decade, we have also been on the front lines of gender-affirming care for transgender, nonbinary, and gender-expansive clients. This work has taught us not only how to advocate fiercely, but also how to hold space with tenderness and precision, skills we bring to our mentorship with other therapists.

When we sit with you in supervision or peer consultation, you’re not just getting one perspective; you’re stepping into a space informed by years of collaboration, mutual learning, and a shared commitment to helping therapists grow into the work that is uniquely theirs. Our style is grounded in curiosity and attunement, with respect for your clinical voice as it already exists and encouragement for how it might expand. We move beyond formulas, instead exploring what unfolds in your sessions — the shifts in the room, the embodied cues, the ruptures and repairs — so you can deepen your presence and broaden your capacity to meet your clients where they are.

Who We Work with for Clinical Supervision and Peer Consultation

We’ve worked with therapists at various stages of their careers, and we know that each stage brings its own questions, doubts, and opportunities for growth. Some come to us in their first year of practice, still finding their footing and wanting a space to reflect without judgment. Others arrive after decades in the field, seeking fresh perspectives or a deeper alignment between their values and their work.

We also meet many therapists who, like us, serve LGBTQ clients and communities. For them, supervision and consultation are not only about clinical skill — they’re about sustaining the heart of the work in a world that doesn’t always see or support the people we serve.

We welcome:

  • Newly licensed therapists ready to integrate relational, experiential, and somatic approaches into their work.
  • Seasoned practitioners wanting to expand their tools and reconnect with their curiosity.
  • Therapists serving LGBTQ communities, looking for a space that affirms their clients, their work, and themselves.
  • Clinicians exploring somatic and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, seeking mentorship in applying these methods with nuance and care.

Wherever you are in your professional journey, we meet you there not with a checklist of what you “should” be doing, but with an openness to what you’re already bringing into the room and how we can help you bring it forward more fully.

What You Can Expect from Peer Consultation or Clinical Supervision

Supervision and peer consultation with us are less about ticking off boxes and more about creating a space where your work—and you—can breathe. We see these sessions as a living conversation, shaped by the questions, challenges, and moments of insight you bring into the room.

You might come wanting to talk through a complex case, explore a rupture that’s left you unsettled, or untangle an ethical dilemma. You might want guidance in using somatic tracking or experiential interventions with more confidence. You might simply need a place to slow down, notice what’s happening in your own body, and reconnect with the parts of yourself that first called you to this work.

In our time together, we might:

  • Look closely at the dynamics unfolding in your sessions and the subtle shifts that often go unnoticed.
  • Practise tracking embodied cues — yours and your client’s — to inform your next move.
  • Explore creative or experiential pathways, drawing from art therapy, grief work, or Sensorimotor Psychotherapy.
  • Reflect on countertransference with compassion, so it becomes a guide rather than a burden.
  • Name and honour the emotional and political realities of working with marginalized clients.

Our aim is that you leave each conversation with more clarity, a renewed sense of possibility, and practical steps to bring into your next session, but also with a felt sense of being understood as a whole person, not just a clinician.

An Invitation to Book Your Free 15-minute Consult with Us

We know the difference it makes to have someone truly in your corner, someone who can listen without judgment, challenge you with care, and hold space for both your strengths and your growing edges. It’s how we’ve supported each other for years, and it’s how we’ll show up for you.

If you’ve been craving a place to slow down, reflect deeply, and bring your whole self into the work, we’d be honoured to meet you there. Whether you’re taking your first steps as a therapist or navigating the complexities of decades in practice, there’s value in having a space that exists just for you — one that nurtures your voice, strengthens your skills, and helps you stay connected to the reasons you chose this path.

We invite you to book a free 15-minute consultation with us to explore whether our style and approach are the right fit for your needs. This is your time to ask questions, share what’s on your mind, and get a feel for what it’s like to collaborate with us.

Book your free 15-minute consultation to explore how we can work together to deepen your practice through LGBTQ-affirming clinical supervision or peer consultation for therapists.

author's bio
Clayre Sessoms

Clayre Sessoms (she/they) is a trans queer woman, Registered Psychotherapist (RP), Registered Canadian Art Therapist (RCAT), Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC), and Board Certified Art Therapist (ATR-BC). Her clinical work weaves together relational, experiential, and creative approaches rooted in social justice and liberatory practices. Clayre is the founder of Clayre Sessoms Psychotherapy, where she supports individuals and groups as they navigate burnout, grief, identity, and inner transformation. When she isn’t in session, she’s likely reading a book or exploring nature’s quiet paths.

BLOG UPDATES + FREE SUPPORT

Subscribe to Our Blog Updates

Sign up for our monthly, spam-free newsletter and get Begin Within: The Self-Compassion Reset & Meditation — a concise guide and 3-minute audio to steady your breath, quiet self-criticism, and meet yourself with care.

You will also receive our latest blog posts, along with grounded insights, resources, and invitations to future offerings from Clayre Sessoms Psychotherapy.

You’ll also receive insights, resources, and invitations to future offerings. Unsubscribe anytime.
Clayre Sessoms Image Background Sign Up Section