The most significant factor in the development of my personal brand as a therapist has been my willingness to contradict established views and be seen as controversial. My early life struggles were often centered on others’ perceptions—especially as a woman of color growing up in environments where I longed to be like “everyone else.” Putting myself and my perspectives out into the world has rubbed up against pain points from my early history in ways that have exposed me to feelings of fear and rejection.
Perspectives I’ve been vocal about that might be considered polarizing include my belief that colonization and patriarchal structures have continued to distort our views of what constitute “healthy” and “normal” ways of relating to one another. I also believe a community-based model of healing, working, and raising families would reduce many of the challenges that exist within the current traditional nuclear-family ideal. And I’ve been quite vocal on social media, with clients, and within the groups I facilitate about the validity of mysticism, spirituality, and metaphysical principles—and the profound impact these practices have had on my own healing.
Revealing my honest thoughts on healing in a way that feels authentic has required me to embrace my difference like never before. I’ve had to accept that some of my colleagues won’t approve of the tools and frameworks I believe are crucial to our collective liberation during this tumultuous time. Ultimately, despite my fear of others’ judgement and rejection, my desire to take risks in my branding journey has led to the publication of my book, Sovereign Love and my podcast Cheaper Than Therapy, which I cohost with therapist Vanessa Bennett.
I’ve also been extremely fortunate to have friends and mentors whose career paths served as evidence that there’s more than one way for therapists to show up in this work. Speaking up about the impact of our cultural and historical context, and the ways it affects how we relate to ourselves and one another, has catalyzed deeper layers of my own healing and self-acceptance. The less I’ve concerned myself with being judged or misunderstood by others, the more I’ve been able to show up authentically. Over time, my perspectives have resonated with those meant to be supported by the work I do.
Dené Logan
Dené Logan is a Marriage and Family Therapist, a group facilitator, and an author based in Los Angeles. She specializes in supporting couples with finding more fulfillment in their relationships. Dené utilizes her background in depth psychology to infuse archetypes, ritual, and metaphysics into the exploration of how each of us can reclaim the aspects of our authentic selves we’ve been culturally conditioned to turn away from in an attempt to maintain attachments. Her first book, Sovereign Love: A Guide to Healing Relationships by Reclaiming the Masculine and Feminine Within, is available now!
