About Me




Lucy Sladek, LMFT
License # 116368

 

My therapeutic journey has helped me understand what it means to be fully present in ourselves so that we are present in our lives. I am a first-generation Salvadoran-American from parents who immigrated in the early ’80s so that my childhood was free of civil war. Sadly, trauma does not skip a generation. The residual impact of my parents’ experiences could be felt in the challenges they faced caring for our family. Though trauma cuts deep and fast, we can still heal. As a psychotherapist, I have had the opportunity to support individuals and families in healing from painful events and interactions.

I approach my work with empathy, authenticity, accountability, and humor. I believe in resourcing your support network as your community is essential to healing. I have trained in various modes of therapy and will individualize your treatment to reflect who you are and your needs. My goal is to empower you through our sessions so that you can advocate for your needs in all aspects of your life. 

Congratulations on taking some steps to support and heal yourself! I am excited to be of service.

Specialties

Affirmative Therapy

As a Queer woman of color, I believe in celebrating all LGBTQ+ identities in all shapes and forms. Our community has a rich and diverse history full of advocacy, strength, and resiliency. My role as your therapist is to witness and celebrate your journey as you explore what is most authentic for your life. I will come alongside you as we negotiate the difficulties as you write your story. It is my honor to be your cheerleader all the way.

Trauma Work

Trauma impacts us, whether we are conscious of it or not. We can experience painful events at any time in our lives; those events may cause us to act out and hurt others or ourselves. Sometimes we get stuck in our past hurt, which prevents us from fully enjoying our present. Trauma work is sacred, painful, and incredibly freeing.  

My goal is to individualize your treatment to reflect your personality and needs. For some clients, talk therapy is most helpful; others need to express themselves through art or play. At the same time, some want to experience movement and connect with their bodies through yoga, mindfulness, and grounding techniques.

Interpersonal Relationships & Intrapersonal Intelligence

How do you show up when you are in a relationship with others? Do you find yourself merging and losing yourself? Do you create distance because closeness is intimidating? These are the types of questions we can unpack together in session.  How you engage in sessions will help us understand how you behave in relationships and support your ability to create meaningful, long-lasting relationships. We will increase your emotional capacity to enhance and strengthen your relationships.

Intrapersonal Intelligence is the ability to explore your inner world, thoughts, and feelings. This type of self-exploration supports you in developing a strong sense of self while identifying the values and beliefs necessary to you. Doing this inner work allows you to show up in a fully present way with others. It supports your cultivation of resiliency, hope, and optimism.

Intersecting Identities

We all hold multiple social, political, and cultural identities that place us in positions of privilege and oppression. What does that mean for you as a person? What does that mean for you with the world around you? This exploration is a cornerstone of my clinical work. I believe that our intersecting identities are critical to explore in therapy because we can explore different positions of empowerment and advocacy in our privilege and access places of connection and compassion in our oppression. Understanding our layered identities is a way to celebrate differences and build bridges with the world. 

Through this work on intersecting identities, we learn how to appropriately and effectively challenge the status quo as we fight for and alongside others. I will support you in challenging negative and problematic internalized narratives so that we can construct new stories grounded in anti-racist, inclusive, and socially conscious values.