Inside the Therapy Room: Conversations with Kelsea Gale on ADHD, LGBTQIA+ Support, Boundaries, and Self-Compassion
Therapy, Explained Without the Jargon
There’s something powerful about hearing a therapist talk—not just about mental health in theory, but about the real, human challenges people walk in with every day. That’s what makes this conversation with NuHu therapist Kelsea Gale so important.
In this episode of the NuHu Therapy Podcast, host Steele D’Silva and Kelsea unpack:
What therapy actually looks like when you’re inside it
Why boundaries are so misunderstood (and often misused)
How ADHD shows up in adult clients
The unique therapeutic needs of LGBTQIA+ individuals
What it means to show up authentically, even when that’s scary
Why safety, pacing, and trust matter more than modality
It’s a conversation filled with warmth, humility, and experience—exactly what you’d want from a therapist.
If you’ve been curious about therapy but unsure where to begin, or if you want to better understand what a trauma-informed, affirming therapist actually does in a session, this is for you.
Why You Don’t Need a Diagnosis to Start Therapy
One of the first myths Kelsea breaks is the idea that therapy is only for people who are in crisis—or who’ve already been diagnosed with a mental illness.
“A lot of times what people are looking for is just a space that is safe and comfortable, nonjudgmental, and neutral.”
Sometimes clients come in to unpack trauma or manage anxiety. But sometimes, they just need:
A space to figure out what they’re feeling
Help navigating a tough relationship
Support processing a new identity or phase of life
A place to feel heard without needing to explain or justify their experience
Therapy isn’t reserved for emergencies.
It’s a space to reconnect with yourself—especially when you’re not sure who that self is anymore.
🔗 Related article: The Importance of Self-Compassion in Mental Health
ADHD in Adults: More Common, More Misunderstood
Kelsea shares that many of her clients come in after a late diagnosis of ADHD, and they’re trying to make sense of what it means for their identity.
“They’re not really sure how to bring that into their sense of self and show themselves a little more compassion than they’ve been used to.”
For adults with ADHD, therapy often becomes a place to:
Explore executive functioning challenges
Let go of internalized shame from years of being misunderstood
Rebuild confidence in how they think, focus, and create
Learn how to manage things like hyperfocus, missed deadlines, and emotional dysregulation
Reframe their past—not as failure, but as adaptation
Rather than pathologizing the diagnosis, Kelsea works from a strengths-based, self-acceptance lens, helping clients appreciate the gifts that can come with neurodivergence.
LGBTQIA+ Therapy Should Feel Like Home—Not a Test
This part of the conversation is especially tender and powerful.
Kelsea speaks directly to what it means to work with LGBTQ+ clients who are navigating identity, sexuality, safety, and self-expression.
“Whatever feels authentic to you… to have a therapist who affirms that part of your identity and walks alongside you as you explore it—that’s what therapy should feel like.”
She emphasizes:
The right to move at your own pace
The importance of never feeling judged
The reality that sexuality and identity journeys aren’t linear
Her commitment to offering a space where sex, kink, dating, and gender exploration are all welcome topics
Kelsea’s approach is deeply affirming—and her reminder is simple but profound: You don’t have to filter who you are to get support.
🔗 Related: LGBTQ+ Friendly Therapy in Toronto
You are the expert on your own life. You may not be able to bring it up to the surface—that’s what I’m here to help you do.
- Kelsea Gale
Boundaries Aren’t Walls—They’re Bridges to Healthier Connection
There’s a lot of noise online about boundaries.
But Kelsea slows things down and reminds us: boundaries aren’t about pushing people away. They’re about protecting what’s sacred—and finding clarity in our connections.
“We never want to be taking things too far in that direction of boundary setting, isolation, cutting people out… It’s really about learning what healthy boundaries actually look like—without losing connection to community.”
In therapy, boundaries aren’t just taught—they’re practiced.
Kelsea works with clients to:
Recognize emotional overwhelm and codependency
Differentiate between assertiveness and avoidance
Practice language for boundary-setting that’s clear and non-reactive
Avoid the common trap of using boundaries to cut off rather than stay connected safely
She emphasizes that relating is a skill, and therapy provides a space to build that skill—not just in theory, but through real, relational practice in the room.
“They’re the One Who Needs Therapy—Not Me”
Let’s talk about one of the realest moments in the conversation.
Steele asks about something everyone has thought at some point:
“I wish my partner would just go to therapy.”
“My mom really needs to talk to someone.”
Kelsea’s take? Valid—but incomplete.
“By coming to therapy yourself, you’re going to learn to regulate yourself when someone else is having a hard time regulating with you.”
In other words:
You don’t need to wait for someone else to change to begin your own healing
Therapy can help you reduce distress even if the people around you stay the same
You’ll learn how to communicate more clearly, navigate conflict, and set realistic expectations in high-stress dynamics
You don’t have to drag someone else into therapy to feel better.
You just have to start where you actually have power: with you.
What It’s Like to Be in a Session With Kelsea
Not all therapists explain their process this clearly.
Kelsea shares that her work follows three flexible phases—while always staying grounded in the client’s pace and needs:
🔹 Phase 1: Build Trust
“I never expect anyone to show up to therapy and just know I’m going to be nonjudgmental. That trust takes time.”
She prioritizes warmth, slowness, and a non-pressured energy—especially for people who’ve never been fully accepted in the past.
🔹 Phase 2: Stabilize
If you’re in crisis, you won’t be asked to go deep on day one. Kelsea focuses on helping clients get grounded, gain emotional safety, and establish tools to manage symptoms.
This is especially important for clients dealing with:
Daily anxiety or panic
Persistent dysregulation
Trauma responses that hijack the nervous system
🔹 Phase 3: Go Deeper
Once there’s a stable base, Kelsea supports clients in exploring the deeper roots:
Early relational dynamics
Coping patterns formed in survival mode
Internal narratives around shame, guilt, or identity
“We don’t always need those old coping skills anymore—but we’re still living as if we do. Therapy helps us update that.”
“Whatever feels authentic to you - to have a therapist who affirms that part of your identity and walks alongside you as you explore it”
You Don’t Need to Be Ready—You Just Need a Starting Point
If you’ve been circling the idea of therapy but unsure how to begin, Kelsea’s message is clear:
You don’t have to know everything about therapy. You don’t have to open up perfectly. You don’t even have to be “ready.”
You just have to want something to shift.
And be willing to show up.
“Set up a few consultations with a few different therapists… The most important part of therapy is making sure that therapist is someone who makes you feel safe and seen.”
At NuHu Therapy, consultations are free, 100% virtual, and judgment-free.
You can meet Kelsea, ask questions, and see how it feels—before committing to anything long-term.
And if it’s not the right fit? We’ll help you find someone who is. That’s how much we care about getting you into the right therapeutic relationship.
🎥 Click here to watch the full YouTube conversation
This blog is just a starting point.
To hear the tone, warmth, and clarity Kelsea brings to the work, watch the full interview and experience it for yourself.
Book a Free Consultation Today
Whether you’re navigating ADHD, questioning your identity, recovering from past relationships, or just tired of carrying everything alone—therapy can help.
📍 Book your free 20-minute consultation. We’re here when you’re ready. No pressure. No shame. Just a space to begin.
