We are passionate about queer psychotherapy, spirituality and embodiment. Xris (they/them) is a Registered Psychotherapist and somatic practitioner, and Pippa (she/her) is a spiritual teacher, priestess and guide. Based in Toronto, we each maintain a private practice, and work together in groups, collaborative content creation on YouTube, and are in the process of writing a book about our unique experience of life in community. Today, our family consists of Xris (they/them), Pip (she/her) Alex (he/him), Mason (he/him), our wonderful children, Mylo (age 11, they/them), Dexter (age 10, they/them) and our cats, Artemis and Nyx, and dog, Rustle.
We’re working towards a world where all people having equitable access to excellent therapies, communities and supports. If you, or someone you love, is struggling to come to terms with intersections of identity, please reach out. Not only do we offer independent and collaborative services, but we are also connected to an extensive network of Queer, BIPOC, and ally care providers and therapists. See our resources page for more information.
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queer somatic psychotherapy
I specialize in gender exploration/transition support, and healing trauma’s related to sexual orientation/gender identity and expression change efforts (SOGIECE), also referred to as Religious Trauma.
I identify as queer and non-binary, and I offer a holistic approach to healing that understands the connection of body, mind and spirit. The intersections I work from are queer (2SLGBTIAQ+), polyam, alternative family, kink, and body positive.
My approach
My practice is grounded in a healing-centred approach to trauma treatment. This includes an anti-oppression lens, and a critical disability approach to wellness. I empower clients to build on their strengths by connecting them to their own embodied wisdom.
I take a gentle approach to helping clients become aware of patterns that no longer serve them. When life feels overwhelming or confusing, it can be difficult for us to navigate alone. This is one of the reasons people seek therapy. Within the safe container of the therapist-client relationship, we can make sense of our emotions as we tune in to the sensations in our bodies. And, above all, we can come into alignment with our core values and how we want to show up in the world.
modalities
attachment based
compassionate
emotion focused family therapy
existential
expressive arts
integrative
internal family systems
person-centred
relational
somatic
strength-based
trauma focused
EMDR
Specialties
addiction
anxiety and depression
divorce and family conflict
gender transitions
grief
life transitions
parenting
relationship issues
religious and spiritual trauma
trauma and ptsd
qualifications and Trainings
Registered Psychotherapist (CRPO #009378)
Ontario Association of Mental Health Professionals (OAMHP#6766-S)
MPS, with Certification in Spirituality and Psychotherapy (UofT)
BA Human Services, and Diploma in Social Service Work (SSW)
Emotion Focused Family Therapy: Core Clinician Training (Dr. Adele Lafrance)
Mastering the Treatment of Complex Trauma: Effectively Treating Parts (Kathleen Martin, LCSW)
EMDR – Completed full basic training (Suzanne M. Rutti, MSW, LISW-S, EMDR Certified Therapist/Approved Consultant/Approved Trainer)
fees
Working on a sliding scale creates the opportunity for [more] equitable access to psychotherapy services. I do my best to make therapy as financially accessible as possible as my actionable commitment to anti-capitalist practices in my business, while also balancing my own sustainability and the financial requirements of supporting my family. I do not require proof of income of any kind – I trust that the rate we agree upon is appropriate for your needs at the time we set it.
As you consider the question of fees, I ask that you consider your current financial situation, identity-based privilege, relative earning potential, and access to financial support from your family/network. Some other factors to consider might be student loans, survivor credit card debt, access to employment, immigration / refugee/ precarious status, disability, or supporting others beyond immediate family. Because some of these factors might influence your decision making, we can work together to determine what rate is appropriate for your needs.
This can be an ongoing conversation as work shifts, or different factors come into play. If you find yourself in a position where we need to decrease your amount, or decrease the regularity of sessions, we can have a conversation about that at any time. Or, if you find yourself in a position where you can contribute a higher amount, this will create more opportunities to open spaces in the lower range of the fee structure.
Payment options can be discussed before or during our first session.
Tiers
Cost per Session (55 min)
Students, under-employed
$135 (currently full)
Standard Rate
$150 (limited availability)
Pay it forward
$165 (limited availability)
** All payments must be sent before or right after each session. Costs are listed in Canadian dollars, and sales tax is on top of prices, which is set according to each province standard. I am set up to receive e-transfer to kris.hamilton.therapy@gmail.com or pre-authorized payment via VISA, set up through OWL’s online client portal, and receipts will be issued following each session for personal records, or insurance claim purposes.
Further Information
What Is Somatic psychotherapy?
Somatic psychotherapy is about understanding that there is a relationship between the body (soma), mind (psyche), spirit (breath) and emotions. In sessions, we can use a combination of approaches, including artistic expression, grounding techniques, emotional hygiene practices, nervous system supports, or other physical practices to begin to pay attention to what the wisdom of the body is trying to communicate. Together, I can help you tune in to the sensations you feel in your body, and in time, work towards experiencing relief from long held traumatic tension.
QUeer Somatic Psychotherapy
I use the term “queer somatic psychotherapy” as my way of fully embracing a positive view of all 2SLGBTIQA+ identities and experiences. Navigating the world of gender can feel complicated, especially for those who are two-spirit, trans, intersex, nonbinary, agender, or those with other genders. As a nonbinary person, I can relate to the experience of looking for someone who ‘gets it’ in an embodied way. Additionally, it can be difficult to find a therapist who understands the diversity of sexuality and romantic attraction. This includes: lesbian, gay, bisexual, questioning, pan/omnisexual, kinky, polyamorous, ethical non-monogamous, biromantic, asexual, and other queer identities. I believe that gender and sexuality cannot be isolated or explored abstractly apart from larger conversations about intersections of identity and privilege.
Person-Centred, Relational
Person-centred, relational therapy assumes that healing can happen in and through a therapeutic relationship where you are seen and accepted just as you are. In my practice I work with clients to (re)connect to themselves and their communities, fostering awareness and self-compassion. Therefore, making it possible for change and growth to take place.
Religious and Spiritual Trauma
I understand trauma as the disconnection from our mind – body – spirit that occurs when we are overwhelmed. And then trauma gets trapped in the body in ways that the mind cannot always express or understand. My area of specialty is working with the effects of Religious Trauma Syndrome, which can resemble complex post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). I know from my own experience just how damaging religious teachings can be to queer individuals. So, it is my practice to offer a holistic approach that considers the ways that we (re)connect to ourselves, our community, nature, and divinity.
Resources and Referrals
Pip and I work in tandem on many projects while each staying within our individual scope of practice. Pippa’s work is in post-religious spirituality, and she provides a number of services to those seeking spiritual companionship and rites of passage.
Please reach out for additional resources, referrals or information.
Kris Hamilton. Kristen Boven. Kristen Hamilton. Xris Hamilton. Kris Boven. Kris and Pip. Xris and Pip. Philip and Kristen. Phil and Kris. Queer psychotherapy, spirituality, and embodiment. Queer therapist. Queer therapy. Nonbinary therapy. Nonbinary therapist. LGBT therapy. LGBT psychology.
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queer + trans spirituality
My mission is to empower Queer and Trans folks with spiritual tools and techniques for personal transformation and healing in community.
Hi, I’m Pippa. My pronouns are she/her. I journey with people through change.
If life’s feeling extra meaningless through this pandemic, I feel you and you’re not alone. I’m here to help you (re)connect to your personal power and (re)discover a feeling of purpose that’s in alignment with your core values.
I offer spiritual guidance, psychedelic integration, transition support, or personalized ritual. And I can also be booked for public speaking, education or consultation sessions.
Take some time to feel around our website — If you resonate or feel a little nudge to reach out, please do! Even when my schedule gets full, I try to reply within a few days.
* Fees are based on a variety of factors that are not limited to income. Some things to consider include: student loans, survivor credit card debt, access to employment, immigration / refugee / precarious status, disability or supporting others beyond immediate family. Because some of these factors might influence your decision-making, we can work together to determine what rate is appropriate for your needs. I am open to discuss payment options before or during our first session. You may be added to a wait list for sliding-scale or process groups. I’m also open to bartering and other equitable exchanges of energy.
All payments must be sent and processed before the beginning of each session by e-transfer or pre-authorized payment. Costs are listed in Canadian dollars, not including Harmonized Sales Tax (HST). Then receipts will be issued following each session.
A Spiritual companion for Life Milestones
Are you going through a life transition that could benefit from spiritual companionship, guidance, or ritual? I’m ready to journey alongside you wherever life is leading — trusting your inner wisdom, taking your own pace, and marking rites of passage together.
Funerals / Grieving the loss of a loved one / Preparing for death
Transitioning / Changing names or pronouns
Coming out (to friends, to religious family, or to yourself)
Weddings / Relationship Celebrations (polyamory and kink inclusive)
Career exploration or work changes
Coping with a physical or mental health diagnosis
Presence in the midst of suffering
Parenting / Adopting a child / Blessing a baby
Divorce / Separation / Conscious Uncoupling
Background
From as early as I can remember, I’ve been bothQueer and spiritual — one who moves in the thin spaces between worlds. Along the way, I’ve come to know this as my personal power and gift to share.
I grew up as an evangelical pastor’s kid, and spent my life training and preparing for spiritual leadership in the church. I was ordained a priest in the Anglican tradition (Episcopalian), and although I’ve washed my hands of institutional religion altogether, I wish them healing and wellness. And a note to anyone still in the Church: I urge you to educate yourself about the ongoing history of violence in the name of your Christ, and to do your part in dismantling the injustices of Christendom… to be crystal clear, it’s time for Christians to repent, reconcile, and make reparations.
For what it’s worth, I have a Master’s of Divinity (University of Toronto), and served in religious leadership for over a decade. As a survivor of “conversion therapy”, ie: the ex-gay movement, I talk openly about my personal experience of suicidality, bipolar, and psychosis in the aftermath of religious abuse. Some parts of my pre-transition life story were featured as the subject of a 2018 CBC Documentary series, Devout+Out. The documentary is still available to stream on YouTube or CBC, but a lot has changed since then!
I went through a soul-crushing, emotional and psychological breakdown in 2018, which took my journey of spiritual awakening into uncharted territory, and was a major catalyst in my transition. I have been diving deeper and climbing higher ever since.
I honour my Queer forebears, the mighty Transcestors, and sincerely thank all my teachers, mentors and guides along the way.
FAQs
What do I mean by “Queer Spirituality”?
Transparency
Firstly, this is my way of flagging to you that I understand that exploring spirituality comes with risk and potential for real harm. Sadly, there are many organizations and individuals who would seek to gain power from your vulnerability. Institutional religion has traumatized countless 2SLGBTIAQ+ people, and has left many feeling robbed of spiritual connection. If you have any doubts or concerns that your religious or spiritual community does not understand, love, accept and affirm the fullness of your identity, please reach out.
Intersectional Lens
Secondly, this is my way of centring the spiritual experiences of 2SLGBTIAQ+ people. Most of “western spirituality” reflects the opinions of cisgender, heterosexual, European men (and occasionally women). It’s time for more balance. Therefore, I am interested in highlighting the poetry, art, music, theologies, philosophies, and spiritual practices of Queer folks.
My Queer lens is also intersectional. In other words, working to shift the cultural locus of power by prioritizing Black lives, Indigenous folks, and People of Colour. It’s long past time to decolonize spirituality.
And I work from the assumption that any valid spirituality must radically include the experiences of neurodiversity, and people living with visible and/or invisible disabilities.
Embracing the weird
Finally, when I say “Queer spirituality”, I recognize that all spiritual experiences feel a bit weird, odd, peculiar, strange (aka queer) at first. It’s often hard to know who to talk to when we’ve had mystical experiences, extra-sensory visions, psychedelic trips, mysterious dreams, spiritual encounters, or enter altered states of consciousness. In fact, spirituality can feel so strange that it’s often difficult to integrate back into “ordinary” life.
No matter how you’ve experienced (or not experienced) “spiritual stuff” is 100% valid, and I’m here to help you make sense of it. Don’t worry, I’m no stranger to strange.
What is spiritual appropriation?
As an un-invited, white, European settler on this land, I feel compelled to call out the problematic and harmful trend in many spiritual communities of cultural and spiritual appropriation. That’s why I stay in my lane. I only share from my own lived experience of spirituality — honouring keepers of wisdom and tradition in their original context. The forms and practices I use in all individual sessions, gatherings and meditations draw from my personal practice, which has been primarily informed by: (1) universalist, post-christian mysticism, (2) animistic, earth-based paganism drawing from my own eclectic witchcraft, (3) “western esotericism” via ceremonial magick, and (4) contemporary scientific research on techniques to calm the mind and ground the body (like Generative Somatics).
What is psychedelic integration?
Humans have used psychedelic plant medicines around the globe for millennia, often under the guidance of a traditional wisdom keeper or spiritual companion. Nowadays however, many people experience substance-induced states or “trips” in the context of partying with friends, out in nature, or in the comfort of their own homes, which can be experienced as wonderful, transcendent, terrifying, reality-bending and/or just plain overwhelming.
If you or someone you love has had an overwhelming experience (whether positive or negative) and could use some help understanding and integrating it, don’t hesitate reach out. As someone who has experienced many altered states of consciousness personally (including hell-loops, ego disillusion, reality bending, apocalyptic visions, hallucinations, external entities, etc.) I know how unsettling some “bad trips” can be. Together we can heal and integrate psychedelic experiences to offer deeper connection to self, others, and the interconnected life of our planet.
Why do I use the word “Queer”?
The term “queer” has been used as a pejorative for centuries. Originally the word was used to refer to anyone/anything that was seen as weird, odd, peculiar, or strange. Over time, however, it became more commonly weaponized against anyone/anything perceived to be gender variant or deemed sexually “deviant”.
I acknowledge that some 2SLGBTIAQ+ folks don’t like or use the term “queer”. And some people still find its use offensive, which I understand and empathize with. To clarify, my use of the word comes from my own lived experience, and is intended to reclaim and empower Queerness for myself and the communities I’m part of. It’s a politically charged word, and I use it aware of its power.
I see the world through a trans lens. I mean this in 2 ways: (1) transgender, and (2) social transgression
Transgender: I was assigned “male” at birth, and spent most of my life being identified by others as a “girly boy” who grew into a “feminine man”. I have transitioned my outward expression of gender (socially and hormonally) to better match my interior experience of gender. That’s the way I’m trans… however, there are many ways to be trans! Basically, I use “trans” as an umbrella term that is wide enough to include anyone who doesn’t conform to the gender expectations placed on them by others (whether they change name, pronouns, appearance, social behaviour, physical body, or not).
Social Transgression: For too long, human life and behaviour has been dictated by so-called social “norms”, as a way for patriarchal systems of power to maintain control over your body, mind, emotions and spirit. Therefore, I applaud and encourage gender rebellion, line-blurring, and wilful transgression against all patriarchal and colonial structures.
What does it mean to be nonbinary?
Nonbinary is an umbrella term used by many people whose lived experiences do not conform to the traditional gender norms of a society that only understands and values two, so-called “opposite”, genders. My personal history with gender conformity, like many other trans and nonbinary folks, was unnecessarily painful and complicated. Thankfully, humanity is beginning to wake up to see the limitations of strictly polarized thinking and we are beginning to embrace a wider spectrum of gender expression and identity.
What about straight, cisgender people?
I work with all kinds of people, including folks who identify as straight and cisgender. Although the emphasis of my work is journeying alongside people with 2SLGBTIAQ+ experience and their families or friends, I’m open to working with any earnest seeker.
Additional Resources for Queer Spirituality
Check out our resources page for additional resources, books, support networks, and accounts to follow!
** Reminder: My scope of practice is spiritual teaching, compassionate presence, and guidance through rites of passage. Please contact Xris if you are seeking psychotherapy, counselling, or mental health supports.
Don’t hesitate to reach out for more information, resources, or referrals.
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Contact Us
Connections and Bookings
Don’t hesitate to reach out by email or phone, or simply contact us using the form, below. We look forward to connecting!
We work on the traditional land of the Anishinaabeg, Huron-Wendat and Petun First Nations, the Seneca, and most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit River. This territory is part of the Dish with One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement between the Iroquois Confederacy and Confederacy of the Ojibwe and allied nations to peaceably share and care for the resources around the Great Lakes. We support indigenous sovereignty and the vital role of Indigenous peoples in our world.As part of our commitment to ongoing reconciliation we redistribute a portion of our income to reparation funds and we encourage you to consider ways you can commit to action (money, time and/or energy).
We’re based in Toronto, Canada, under the Toronto Purchase Treaty No.13, and we offer all services virtually wherever you are.
