Telling people, or not yet
Who to tell, and when
For adults deciding who to tell, in what order and how, or deciding to wait.
Some sessions are rehearsal: what you want to say, how different people might answer, what you will do the day after. Others are about waiting, and being all right with waiting. Both count as a decision.
Sessions might include
Thinking through who to tell first, and who can wait
Trying out words before you say them aloud
Planning for work, family or a faith community
The details
How it works, and what it isn't
How Jamal works
Talk therapy. Jamal helps you lay out your options, practice the words if you want to, and plan for what comes after. He explains his approach, and where he trained, in your first session.
What this isn't
Jamal won't tell anyone for you or push you to come out. Choosing not to tell, for now, is a choice he treats as seriously as any other.
Length and frequency
Sessions are 50 minutes. Many people start with one every week or two and change it as they go. Your counselor sets the pace with you, and Jamal doesn't promise a number of sessions.
How it's paid
Open Shutter is out of network. Your fee is given in writing before you start, and Jamal can give you a monthly receipt for a plan that reimburses.
How fees work
Three questions about this
Will Jamal contact my family or workplace?
No. What you share is private, with the limits the law sets, which he explains at your first session.
What if it isn't safe to tell anyone?
Then sessions can be about that: what you can do now, and how to reach you without anyone at home noticing.
Can you come to a conversation with my family?
Sessions are one-to-one. Jamal can talk with you about what would help, or suggest colleagues who see families.
When you're ready, write to Jamal
A message is all it takes. You can ask a question first, with nothing booked.