Heather Eslien

Heather Eslien is a seasoned therapist and advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community, with nearly 15 years of experience supporting individuals, particularly those who identify as transgender and gender-expansive, along with their families. Her empathic, non-judgmental style provides a safe space for clients to navigate their journeys of coming out, transitioning, and deepening their understanding of themselves through self-compassion. Heather is proficient in crafting letters of support for trans-affirming medical care and has cultivated a robust resource referral network to assist her clients. She approaches her work through a lens of social justice and anti-oppression, recognizing the profound impact societal oppression has on mental health—often manifesting as anxiety, depression, PTSD, self-harm, and suicidal ideation. With a humanistic, compassion-focused, and strengths-based therapeutic orientation, Heather believes that clients inherently know themselves best, even when that insight feels obscured. Her goal is to illuminate their paths, empowering them to discover their authentic selves. Heather celebrates trans and gender-expansive individuals, viewing them as vital contributors to societal liberation, whose unique gifts and presence are urgently needed in the world today.