Lulu Duffy-Tumasz, LSW
They/Them
Accepting new clients for virtual and in person!
Who I Am
Perhaps the most essential aspect of therapy is the formed alliance between client and therapist. This can only occur if we are a good fit, so here is a little about me and what I bring into the therapy room/zoom square. My name is Lulu, I’m an individual and couples/relational therapist, and a licensed social worker. I am queer, non-binary, white, and born and raised in Philadelphia. My background includes working in community mental health, LGBTQ youth and adult services, and coordinating mutual aid efforts for people who use drugs and for sex workers. I have been working with Philly Couples & Sex Therapy since July 2022.
I’m polyamory and kink/bdsm knowledgeable, fat liberation aligned, and experienced with topics related to gender-affirming care (navigating surgery and hormones), and sex work in all its forms. In my spare time, I am a playwright. I am excited to work with other artists.
What I Do
I firmly believe that therapy and personal change occurs best through relationships based on trust, empathy, and a common purpose–relationships where you are encouraged to say what’s on your mind, be challenged, take risks, and gain new insights. As a therapist, I focus intently on honoring your autonomy as we collaborate to work towards your goals for therapy. My intention is not to teach you a “correct way to live” but instead to learn about you in all your complexities as we create a space to explore yourself further leading to new possibilities for your life.
My clinical practice is informed by psychodynamic, trauma-focused, and experiential modalities, with a focus on anxiety and depression, relationships, sex, sexuality, gender, and substance use. Therapy with me is a conversation, not talking at a blank screen. In session, I listen attentively while encouraging you to dive deeper with me into what emotions, thoughts, and past experiences underlie. I find humor and playfulness to be useful in therapy as we navigate life’s hardships, absurdity and ambiguity.
Over the years I have come to specialize in working with: those who have experienced interpersonal and sexual trauma, queer and trans people, others exploring or formulating their identities, as well as clients who understand themselves as neurodivergent. I welcome those looking to change their relationship to drugs and alcohol, particularly clients who feel traditional recovery models like 12 step and absence-only approaches do not meet them where they’re at or align with their current goals.
My work with couples, friends, and other relationships assists in building mutual understanding, opening up new pathways of communication, and navigating non-monogamy, kink/bdsm dynamics, and sexual desire. As someone who is conscious and critical of the power dynamics inherent in therapy, I welcome those who are skeptical of mental health providers and psychotherapy, as well as those immersed in political movements and facing state repression.
I work with
Couples
Friends
Individuals
Adults
Youth
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Specialties
Queer & Trans People
Identity formation
Trauma & related symptoms
Anxiety, Depression, & OCD
Substance Use
Harm Reduction
Current & Former Sex Workers
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Fee
$150
*sliding scale availability limited*
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Education
Master of Social Service, Clinical Concentration, Bryn Mawr College
Languages spoken
English