Beyond One-Size-Fits-All: The Importance of Intersectionality in Therapy
The personal is political, and the therapeutic is too
I clearly remember the day I first heard the word intersectionality. It was my first year of undergraduate college, during a gender studies course. First day of the course, buzzing with curiosity, we were introduced to the concept of privilege – its many layers, its comforts, its complications. We were asked to reflect on our own privilege and how it shapes the way we move through the world.
That was also when I was introduced to the charm circle (originally conceptualised by Gayle Rubin). It has become a powerful metaphor for understanding social privilege across identities; how certain identities are granted more social power and ease than others.
The charm circle or the wheel of privilege isn’t just theory; it is an invitation to look inward, to begin unpacking the systems that influence people’s lives in seen and unseen ways.
Picture three circles, one inside the other.
The innermost circle holds identities that society sees as “normal” or ideal, like being upper caste, cisgender, straight, and able-bodied. These identities are often accepted without question and given more comfort, safety, and power.
As you move out to the middle circle, you’ll find people whose identities are accepted, but only to a certain extent. For instance, a cis straight woman may have some privileges, but not as many as a cis straight man.
In the outermost circle, you find identities that are often looked down on or pushed to the margins, people who are queer, trans, Dalit, disabled, or from minority communities. These are the folks who face the harshest barriers, socially, systemically, and even within their own homes.
This circle helps us see how privilege works; not in black and white, but in layers.
But why is this important to understand as a therapist?
In today’s diverse world, no two people walk through life with the same experiences. Even similar experiences can feel profoundly different. Our identities, caste, class, race, gender, ability, sexuality, culture and more, significantly influences how we experience the world and equally, how the world responds to us.
This perspective is essential in therapy. It invites therapists to see clients not by any one aspect of who they are, but through the dynamic interplay of their identities and the social systems they navigate. Afterall, these identities don’t exist in isolation, they interact with broader systems of power and privilege.
For many, identity itself can become a source of distress because of systemic oppression. For example, a queer client may internalize shame or live in constant fear due to queerphobia present in schools, workplaces, and healthcare systems. A neurodivergent student may struggle with burnout or a diminished sense of self-worth in academic environments that value only one way of succeeding.
Access to mental health care is also not equal. The intersections of caste, class, gender, and geography often limit who gets support and how safe or seen they feel when they do.
When we talk about mental health, we must also speak of inequality, discrimination, erasure, and violence, especially as they affect those with marginalized identities. These systemic and identity specific stressors shape emotional and physical wellbeing in deep and lasting ways.
Our responsibility goes beyond mere acknowledgment. It calls for an ongoing commitment to unlearning biases, educating ourselves, and centering the lived experiences of those pushed to the margins.
That’s why therapists who work from an intersectional lens don’t just focus on the individual, but also the systems around them. Intersectional therapists meet your experiences of oppression, discrimination, resilience and resistance with empathy and care. A client can show up as their authentic self, without having to “educate” the therapist on basic aspects of their identity or marginalization.
It would be a disservice for therapists to overlook the impact of systemic influences on a client’s mental health. When therapists fail to consider the role of identity and oppression, they risk inadvertently reinforcing the very systems that cause harm, by viewing the client in isolation from the realities they navigate.
Intersectional therapy is not a trend. It is an essential path toward more inclusive, responsive, and compassionate mental health care.
At The bigSmall Therapy, all our therapists are intersectional in their practice. We understand how big systems can impact individual lives and how healing requires acknowledging both the personal and the political.
If you’re carrying questions, exhaustion, frustration, or the weight of navigating multiple parts of
your identity, know that you’re not alone. All parts of you are welcome here. Reach out to us at contact@tbstherapy.in or on WhatsApp – +91 8850203728. We’re here to walk with you.
About the author –
Kremika is the co-founder and therapist at The bigSmall Therapy. When not at work, you’ll find her tucked in a corner with a book and hot cup of coffee!