Josh Miller (he/they)
BA (Counseling Psychology), MCPC (Master Certified Professional Coach)
josh@intrepidtherapy.com
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I believe our individual experiences have innate value and empower us to understand and interact with the world around us in unique ways. They shape our identity and belief systems, and influence how we express them. My goal is to help you explore and develop both in a psychologically safe space of curiosity, vulnerability, and non-judgment. We'll honor and acknowledge tough emotions when they show up, appreciate silence as needed, and walk together through your growth journey.
As an Identity Development Coach, I’m a fierce advocate for authenticity. Sessions are a safe space to ask hard questions, learn something new, and be imperfect. Every part of you is welcome in every session! We’ll always be working towards growth, not perfection.
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My framework for individual coaching is built on empathy, and is inclusive, intentional, and collaborative. I offer tools to help you achieve your goals, exploratory questions to provoke critical thinking, education on specialized topics, and even a sounding board for self-discovery - but we’ll work together to discover what works best for YOU. I create an individualized plan for every client to honor their unique experiences and needs, and update it according to their growth. You’re the captain of the ship, and I just help you chart the course through humor, compassion, and curiosity.
I believe in a holistic approach to mental health, and I work in collaboration with other providers and experts in the field. I'm trauma-informed, but I am not a therapist. I'll refer to and partner with mental health professionals to address underlying needs and healing that may be needed to achieve your goals, but I will not treat or diagnose them myself. I can help you identify roadblocks to achieving your goals as well as certain pain points, but I’ll always defer to a licensed professional to help you explore their origin and potential treatment.
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I grew up in a small-town west of Indianapolis, Indiana where there wasn’t a lot of room for differences, and I had to strike an uncomfortable balance between showing up authentically and never revealing too much of myself. Even though my sexuality was always in question, I was tolerated so long as I denied being gay. If I could agree that being gay was “bad,” then I could exist within the margins of mainstream homophobia despite possibly being gay myself. When you’re a kid, any acceptance is better than total rejection and organized religion became a means of tentative acceptance.
While not all faith communities are explicitly harmful, the one my family joined was. Eventually, I was so indoctrinated with the scriptures of oppression that I didn’t even question whether or not I truly was “bad,” and instead focused on trying to understand the “why.” Why is being gay bad? Who says that I should be hated for who I’m attracted to? I was vulnerable and desperate to understand, and religion was introduced as the answer that offered salvation from my confusion and pain. It took me years to realize that it was the same discriminatory and oppressive rhetoric in a slightly more attractive package, and it’s taken many more years to start healing from it. I graduated from a Bible College and made a less than graceful exit from Evangelical Christianity around the same time I began coming out.
Despite my overall experiences with organized religion, I clung to the general themes of community care and loving one another that led me to a career in mental health as a Crisis Support Specialist. Over the phone or in the community, I was able to meet humans in their most vulnerable moments and they trusted me with the innermost parts of themselves. Their vulnerability helped me see how guarded and jaded I was, and I began to deconstruct the parts of my identity I had previously thought immutable. I began untangling my sexuality, gender identity, and gender expression, starting with my beliefs about myself, others, and the world. I had been taught that what I believed was true, regardless of evidence supporting the contrary –no doubts, no questions, and a lot of mental gymnastics- and I had to learn how to challenge my beliefs and belief systems. I had to disrupt those patterns of thought and behavior to create spaces for growth. Once I did, I was able to start creating the person I wanted to be while understanding the parts of myself that simply are.
One of my favorite quotes actually comes from the not-so-great movie Men In Black. K gently chides J’s absolute certainty by saying, “Fifteen hundred years ago everybody knew the Earth was the center of the universe. Five hundred years ago, everybody knew the Earth was flat, and fifteen minutes ago, you knew that humans were alone on this planet. Imagine what you’ll know tomorrow.” For someone that grew up in an absolutist faith system, recognizing the uncertainty of truth has been a challenge. However, it’s been in that uncertainty that I’ve found space to create the person I want to be while honoring the person I am. I’m proud to be Queer and Gender Fluid, but who knows how I’ll identify tomorrow.
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LGBTQIA+ issues and concerns, including coming out (sexuality and gender identity), safe dating, community building, and relationships
Allyship development
Personal and professional identity development, including leadership skills, sexuality and gender identity exploration, and emotional intelligence.
Spirituality/Worldview deconstruction and reconstruction
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Identity Development and Mental Health Coaching
$80 session fee
Insurance: not accepted
Schedule directly through online scheduler.
If you’re unable to find an available time that works for you, please reach out to josh@intrepidtherapy.com
