About Me
About Emily Kothe Counseling
My passion for healing work is rooted in a deep commitment to trauma informed care, community based anti racism, social justice advocacy, and sexuality education. My path has included working within mental health agencies, engaging in grassroots organizing and activism, studying literature and writing, and working internationally on human rights concerns. These experiences shape how I understand healing as both a personal and collective process.
My practice is queer and trans affirming, and I welcome anyone who identifies under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella. As a sexuality educator and sex positive therapist, I offer care that is kink aware, polyamory and nonmonogamy affirming, and sex worker affirming. I strive to create a space where identities, bodies, and relationships are respected and honored.
My work is trauma informed and takes seriously the mind body impact of traumatic experiences, whether they arise from a single event, relational dynamics, or oppressive systems. I approach therapy with curiosity, compassion, and an understanding of how culture, power, and identity influence our experiences of wellbeing.
I am deeply committed to increasing access to mental health care. My practice includes sliding scale and pro bono options whenever possible, and I aim to bridge healing and justice by making explicit the ways social context shapes our lives. In the therapy room, I bring empathy, creative thinking, enthusiasm, and humor, alongside a grounded and collaborative presence.
My Approach to Therapy
I bring a holistic blend of cognitive, emotional, and body oriented therapies, guided by what each client needs in the moment. My approach acknowledges that human experience is complex and shaped by cultural, relational, and systemic factors.
Therapy is non pathologizing and collaborative. You are the expert on your own experience, and our work together is centered on understanding what you need and how to move toward meaningful change.
Attachment Based Therapy
Internal Family Systems
EMDR
Somatic Experiencing
Narrative Therapy
Who I Work With
I work with individuals and communities who are navigating stress, trauma, identity exploration, and major life transitions. My practice centers people from LGBTQIA+ communities, including trans and nonbinary individuals, as well as activists, organizers, college students, and those involved in sex positive and nonmonogamous communities. I support clients who are seeking a therapy space that is affirming, trauma informed, and grounded in an understanding of how personal experiences are shaped by relationships, culture, and systems of power.
Activists and Organizers
College Students
LGBTQIA+ Individuals
Trans and Nonbinary People
Sex Positive Communities
Areas of Focus
I work with individuals and communities who are navigating stress, trauma, identity exploration, and major life transitions. My practice centers people from LGBTQIA+ communities, including trans and nonbinary individuals, as well as activists, organizers, college students, and those involved in sex positive and nonmonogamous communities. I support clients who are seeking a therapy space that is affirming, trauma informed, and grounded in an understanding of how personal experiences are shaped by relationships, culture, and systems of power.
Anxiety and Worry
Burnout
Depression
Life Transitions and Change
Relationships & Communication
Self Worth and Shame
Body Image and Self Esteem
Sexuality and Identity
Stress and Overwhelm
Trauma and PTSD
Education
M.Ed in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, University of Missouri-St. Louis, 2018
BA in Creative Writing and International Human Rights, Webster U., 2010
Trainings
Trauma Focused Yoga, 2018
EMDR 1 & 2, 2018
Somatic Experiencing 2019 Cohort (3-year training program)