AJ Sadler, APCC, AMFT

As an integrative and affirming therapist, I support people moving through addiction recovery, trauma healing, and identity development with curiosity and care.

🌱 About Me
Hi, I’m AJ. I’m a white, queer, neurodivergent therapist who works with adults, teens, and people in relationships. I specialize in supporting clients navigating trauma, identity, substance use recovery, mental health challenges (diagnosed or not), and connection — whether with self, others, or the world around them. I bring warmth, curiosity, and deep respect for your lived experience, alongside a strong commitment to relational integrity, mutual accountability, and care.
I know that healing isn’t always a straight path — it can be messy, nonlinear, and deeply human. I believe that therapy is just one space where healing happens; it can also be nurtured through connection, creativity, and community. I’m especially passionate about working with queer and trans clients, people navigating recovery or shifting their relationship with substances — via abstinence, harm reduction, or increased self-awareness — and those living with the effects of complex trauma, systemic harm, and neurodivergence in a world that often misunderstands or pathologizes difference.
My approach is collaborative and relational, rooted in nervous system awareness, emotional insight, self-reflection, and clarity in behavior. I welcome all kinds of relationship structures and family systems, and I to work at a pace that feels safe, sustainable, and grounded in trust.
If you're looking for a therapist who values integrity, compassion, and complexity — I’d be honored to connect with you.

🪷 My Beliefs About Therapy
I believe therapy is a space for honest exploration, connection, and transformation — a place where we can tend to our full, authentic selves. Healing doesn’t happen in isolation; it unfolds in relationship, through curiosity, accountability, and care.
Therapy is not a neutral space. Each person in the room brings their lived experiences, identities, and values with them. I aim to acknowledge and engage with that reality, rather than bypass it. While therapy can be deeply reparative, I don’t view it as a replacement for long-term community, belonging, or care. Instead, I hope therapy can be a steppingstone — a space that supports you in deepening those connections outside of the room.
I don’t see therapy as “fixing” what’s broken. I see it as tending to the parts of us that have been silenced, harmed, or misunderstood — and helping those parts find voice, strength, and integration. I believe everyone has the capacity to heal and grow when they’re met with safety, presence, and respect.

💫 My Orientation and Values
My work is grounded in relational and somatic approaches, guided by a commitment to equity, embodiment, and collective care. I aim to offer a space that honors complexity — where people can feel seen without being simplified.
I don’t believe in blank-slate therapy. I bring my full self into the room: honest, grounded, and attuned. I strive to be a steady, present witness — someone who reflects honestly, listens deeply, and supports your process rather than leading it.
I believe in co-creating therapy, not directing it. That means adapting to your pace, respecting your autonomy, and collaborating every step of the way. I’m especially mindful of how systems of oppression, privilege, and power affect our mental health, and I hold that awareness as part of the work — not separate from it.

🧠 My Approach to Therapy
I approach therapy as a collaborative, client-led process rooted in presence, curiosity, and trust. I center the therapeutic relationship as a potential site of healing, while recognizing that real growth often unfolds in daily life — in nervous system shifts, in reclaiming your voice, and in deeper connection with loved ones.
My work draws from trauma-informed, somatic, and relational frameworks, and I often integrate:
Parts work (including IFS-informed practices)
Mindfulness-based practices
Nervous system regulation and polyvagal theory
Behavioral tools like DBT and CBT, when helpful
Creative and expressive approaches (e.g., narrative, metaphor, art)
Decolonized and liberatory psychological perspectives
I pay close attention to pacing, consent, and power dynamics and welcome direct feedback. Whether you’re processing trauma, navigating identity, managing daily stressors, or exploring meaning and change — I aim to meet you with humility, flexibility, and respect for your inner wisdom.

🎓 My Background and Experience
I hold a Master’s degree in Integral Counseling Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS), where I was trained in psychodynamic, somatic, humanistic, and transpersonal approaches. I’ve pursued ongoing training in trauma-informed care, nervous system work, cultural humility, and anti-oppressive practices.
Before becoming a therapist, I worked in restorative justice and community mental health, supporting youth and families navigating incarceration, school systems, and intergenerational trauma. I’ve worked with young people in schools, community centers, and crisis settings — showing up with creativity, respect, and trust in their inner strength.
I’ve since worked with adults across residential, PHP, IOP, and outpatient levels of care, focusing on trauma, identity, addiction recovery, and relational healing. I’ve supported queer and trans clients, military veterans, neurodivergent folks, and people managing depression, anxiety, or systemic oppression. These experiences have deepened my understanding of intersectionality, systemic harm, and the power of client-led healing.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Who I Work With
I work with:
Adolescents (15–17)
Young adults (18–25)
Adults and older adults (26–65+)
People who are in polycules, or non-monogamous relationship structures

Some of the identities I have experience with and feel honored to support include:
Queer, trans, non-binary, and gender-expansive individuals
Neurodivergent clients (ADHD, autism, sensory processing, etc.)
People in recovery from substance use
People with chronic illness or pain
Health care workers, therapists, and caregivers
Survivors of trauma, systemic oppression, and spiritual/religious abuse
People who are in polycules, non-monogamy, or diverse relationship structures
Multiracial, bicultural, and transcultural adoptees
People living with intergenerational or carceral trauma

🌀 Themes I Often Support Clients With
Complex and developmental trauma (C-PTSD)
Identity exploration (gender, neurodivergence, culture, spirituality)
Substance use and recovery
Anxiety and depression
Burnout and compassion fatigue
Family and relationship dynamics
Boundaries, self-worth, and self-compassion
Religious or spiritual abuse
Navigating life transitions or stage-of-life issues

🧰 Modalities I Integrate
Somatic Experiencing (SE)
Trauma-informed care
Internal Family Systems (IFS-informed)
Relational and attachment-based therapy
Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR)
DBT and CBT tools
Expressive arts and narrative practices
Transpersonal and liberation psychology frameworks
Anti-oppressive, culturally responsive, and decolonial lenses

🌈 My Identities & Lived Experience
My own identities deeply inform my work. I am:
White / European descent
Queer/Non-binary
Neurodivergent (ADHD, Autistic)
Assigned female at birth
HSP
Living with chronic illness
Spiritually grounded and informed by interfaith experience
I know what it’s like to move through systems that were not built for you — and to reclaim parts of yourself that were misunderstood, silenced, or pathologized. I hold that knowing with care, humility, and hope.

🤝 What It’s Like to Work Together
In our work together, you can expect a space that’s collaborative, steady, and rooted in mutual respect. I’ll show up with curiosity, a sense of humor when appropriate, and a commitment to honoring both your resilience and your pain. I won’t pathologize your survival strategies or pressure you to change before you’re ready. My goal is to support your process with care, attunement, and the belief that healing is possible.
Whether you're brand new to therapy or returning after past experiences, you're welcome exactly as you are.

🧳 For Those Who’ve Felt Misunderstood in Therapy Before
I know that not all therapy spaces feel safe or accessible — especially if you're queer, trans, neurodivergent, or navigating recovery or chronic illness. If you’ve had past experiences where you felt unseen, rushed, or pathologized, you’re not alone. I aim to co-create something different: a space that honors your insight, meets you where you are, and doesn’t require you to translate or shrink yourself to be supported.
💬 Fees, Sliding Scale, and Access
My full session fee is $120–$140, and I offer sliding scale rates from $50–$80 depending on need and availability. I’m currently accepting new clients for weekday and evening sessions.
I do not accept insurance directly, but I can provide superbills for out-of-network reimbursement.
I strive to make therapy accessible and human-centered — and I’m happy to talk with you about your needs, questions, or concerns before starting.

🌿 Beginning the Journey
If you’re considering therapy — whether it’s your first time or you’re returning after a break — know that it’s okay to start small. You don’t need to have the “right” words or a clear plan. You just need a willingness to show up. I’ll meet you there with care, patience, and presence.
You’re the expert on your experience — I’m here to walk alongside you, to witness, to support, and to co-create a space where healing can unfold in its own time.
Feel free to reach out for a free consultation to see if we’re a good fit.
I welcome folks who are new to therapy, have had mixed experiences in the past, or who aren’t sure where to begin. There’s room for your uncertainty here.
I offer a free 15-minute consultation call so we can connect, talk through your needs, and see if working together feels like the right fit.