LGBTQIA+, Kink, Poly, and Sex Work Affirming Therapy in philadelphia, pennsylvania, & new jersey

I’m Dese’Rae L. Stage, LCSW, a queer therapist and founder of Three Swords Therapy, providing telehealth therapy for adults in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. I specialize in working with LGBTQIA+ clients, suicidal ideation, ADHD, and identity-related stress, including those in kink, polyamorous, and sex work communities.

My practice is LGBTQIA+ affirming, kink-affirming, and sex work–affirming. That means you don’t have to explain or justify your identity, your relationships, or your work in order to be understood here.

I work with people navigating:

  • Gender identity and expression

  • Sexual orientation and identity exploration

  • Polyamory and non-monogamous relationships

  • Kink and BDSM dynamics

  • Sex work and related stigma or stress

  • The impact of minority stress, stigma, and discrimination

I’m familiar with polyamorous and non-traditional relationship structures, and I approach this work from a place of curiosity, respect, and non-judgment—not assumption.

My approach is also sex-positive, meaning that sexuality is not something to pathologize, and your choices around your body, relationships, and work are treated with respect.

I also hold that “fat” is a value-neutral word. Bodies are not problems to be solved in this space, and we can talk openly about the ways body size, stigma, and identity intersect with mental health.

As with all of my work at Three Swords Therapy, this is a space where you can bring your full self—including the parts that may not feel welcome elsewhere.

Services

I am currently accepting new clients for individual telehealth-based therapy in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. I use an eclectic, person-centered approach with relational and attachment-based work at its foundation. I also use cognitive behavioral (CBT) techniques and DBT skills training, where relevant. Much of my practice is driven by my own lived experience as a patient in the mental health system. I see clients Monday through Friday, by appointment only.

I work with teens and adults (~13-45) with a broad spectrum of concerns, but my passion lies in working with folks experiencing suicidal thoughts (and suicide attempts), self-injury, grief/traumatic loss (including suicide loss), ADHD/neurodivergence, depression, anxiety, mood and personality disorders, gender/sexual identity and broader LGBTQIA+ issues, fertility challenges, queer family-building, and pregnancy loss. I love working with other creatives! I also offer letters of support for folks seeking gender-affrming surgery.

I approach my work through a relational lens—I am a person, and I will be a person with you in the therapy room. I show up to my practice and hold space with authenticity, humor, compassion, empathy, and a touch of sarcasm.

Fees

My full fee per 50-minute therapy session is $150. For those with low-income, I offer a limited number of sliding scale spots, with priority given to those in the LGBTQIA+ community. Please inquire about sliding scale availability if my rate is unaffordable—but please also be honest. It’s important to me to provide services for folks in need, and my children also like food. I also take most insurances in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT OR BOOK A 15 MINUTE CONSULTATION TO SEE IF YOU THINK WE WOULD BE A GOOD FIT, EMAIL ME AT DESERAESTAGE@GMAIL.COM OR TEXT 646.284.0168.