Radical Therapy in Nashville: Healing at the Root with The Gaia Center
By Clara Ndiraya, LMSW
At The Gaia Center, we practice something we call radical therapy. Radical doesn’t mean extreme or chaotic- it means going to the root. It means therapy that’s holistic, justice-minded, and rooted in your whole story.
Everyone deserves deep healing; radical therapy is for all people, and it’s also especially powerful for those who have felt overlooked or excluded in traditional therapy spaces.
Radical therapy goes beyond what people typically envision when they hear the word “psychotherapy,” and makes space for collaborative healing where the therapist and client are seen as partners, not an “authority” and a “patient.”
What even is radical therapy?
Radical therapy is more than symptom management. It asks bigger questions:
What experiences and systems have shaped your story?
What wounds live in the body as well as the mind?
What would it mean to reclaim your wholeness and your power?
At The Gaia Center in West Nashville, radical therapy looks like:
Holistic care: Our clinicians are trained in a variety of modalities including EMDR, somatic work, Brainspotting, art therapy, hypnotherapy, narrative therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and more to heal both body and mind. Whether you’re looking for more typical “talk” therapy or you want something more out of the box, our therapists love to get creative and adapt our approaches to find what works for your unique needs and desires.
Justice-aware practice: We acknowledge how systemic forces like racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, queerphobia, fatphobia, and ableism affect mental health. No one lives in a vacuum, and if therapy ignores these factors or pretends like they don’t exist, it does far more harm than good. We never expect our clients to hold the same values as we do, but we believe it’s imperative to make sure that people know what we stand for and what we fight for.
Inclusive and affirming therapy: for LGBTQIA+ folks, BIPOC communities, people in larger bodies, neurodivergent clients, polyamorous/ENM partnerships, and beyond.
Collaborative healing: Therapy can often feel like yet another space of someone being an “authority” and telling you what to do with your life. At The Gaia Center, we view therapy as a collaborative process that both the therapist and the client are active participants in. We prioritize centering your voice, your feedback, and your needs throughout the process.
Going there: Radical therapy draws from existential traditions, which means we honor your ability to wrestle with life’s biggest questions about meaning, purpose, freedom, and connection. At times, therapy can feel surface level or like it’s just about coping with a crisis – but we want to dive deep.
Why Radical Therapy Matters
Many therapy models stop at coping strategies. Radical therapy goes deeper, helping you:
Address the roots of trauma, anxiety, and depression.
Release shame and replace it with voice, power, and belonging.
Understand how your personal healing connects to your relationships, community, and environment.
Create lasting change rather than temporary relief.
This approach is transformative whether you’ve struggled with trauma, identity, relationships, grief, or simply a desire to feel more whole. It’s about helping you build a fulfilling, meaningful life–not just feeling “okay.”
Radical Therapy Is for Everyone
At The Gaia Center, we believe healing is a human right.
Radical therapy is for anyone seeking a more authentic, liberatory, and embodied approach to mental health.
That includes:
People who have felt unseen in traditional therapy.
Those who carry trauma or complex life experiences.
Anyone who wants a therapy experience that honors their whole self.
Individuals, couples, or families looking for inclusive and flexible paths to healing.
Whether you are deeply familiar with social justice language or simply seeking support for anxiety or relationship struggles, you are welcome here.
We want therapy to feel like a space where you can be your fullest, most authentic self–because that’s where true healing happens.
Healing with The Gaia Center
Accessible Care: Reduced fee availability and graduate intern sessions help make therapy possible for more people.
Warm, Welcoming Spaces: Our Nashville office is designed to feel safe and inviting, and we also offer telehealth across Tennessee. Our clients have told us time and time again how much they love our office vibes and how it feels like the perfect environment for healing.
Whole-Person Focus: We see you- Radical therapy is about reclaiming your story, your voice, and your connections.
Start Your Radical Therapy Journey
At The Gaia Center, radical therapy is a commitment: to meet you where you are, to honor your story, and to walk with you toward deeper healing.
If you’re looking for therapy that goes deep and helps you find true, lasting change, we would be honored to support you at our office in Belle Meade or virtually across the state of Tennessee.
