By: Helen Anderson

As a psychotherapist and mental health advocate, Ann Russo is known for her culturally sensitive approach to mental health, particularly in supporting queer populations and other marginalized communities.

In a recent episode of the Heart Centered Therapist podcast hosted by Sindee Gozansky, Ann shared her insights on the importance of having a “passion population” and the unique challenges she faces as a prominent voice for the queer and underserved communities.

Finding Your Passion Population

One of the key themes of the podcast was the concept of finding your “Passion Population,” a term Russo uses to describe the specific group of people that a therapist feels most passionate about serving. Russo emphasized the importance of therapists identifying and focusing on this niche, as it not only enhances their effectiveness but also brings a deeper sense of fulfillment and joy to their work.

“Find your passion population,” Russo urged. “I think we need to encourage more people to be in this field who are diverse and passionate about specific populations. It’s not about being able to work with everyone—it’s about finding the group that resonates with you and dedicating yourself to serving them.”

Russo illustrated this point by sharing examples from her own practice. She recalled hiring a therapist who was passionate about working with trans sex workers, even though she initially had limited experience with this community. The therapist’s passion drove her to seek out training, engage with the community, and ultimately become a trusted resource for her clients.

Russo emphasized how happy the clients were to have a provider who genuinely understood and cared about their identity and what they were experiencing.

“She [the therapist] is full all the time now,” Russo reported. “And she gets referrals constantly within this niche.”

The Challenge of Serving Her Niche

As the conversation continued, Russo opened up about one of the most significant challenges she faces in her practice: navigating the complexities of being a queer Christian therapist. 

She explained that while she is committed to helping clients integrate their queer identity with their Christian faith, this can sometimes create tension, particularly when clients or their families hold conflicting beliefs.

“I worry sometimes that people leaning more toward sticking to their faith may feel like I have an agenda,” Russo admitted. 

“As a gay person who’s literally saying, ‘It’s okay if you don’t want to act on it and you want to stay within your faith,’ I can see how that might not necessarily be believed.”

This concern is compounded by the delicate balance Russo strives to maintain between supporting her clients’ religious beliefs and advocating for their right to embrace their queer identity. She shared that she often finds herself caught between different expectations, whether from clients who fear losing their faith or from others who believe she should be more assertive in challenging harmful religious doctrines.

“My agenda is for you to find peace,” Russo emphasized. “And how you get that, what that looks like, is for you and you only. It’s about trying to have empathy and compassion for everybody involved in the whole story because otherwise you’re not getting anywhere.”

Creating Safe Spaces for Healing

Throughout the podcast, Russo stressed the importance of creating safe, non-judgmental spaces for her clients, especially those grappling with issues of identity and faith. She highlighted the need for therapists to be thoughtful and flexible in their approaches, ensuring that clients feel supported regardless of their personal beliefs or life choices.

“When I see people hurting in that way, it hurts me the most,” Russo reflected. “We’re talking about identity, ideas about the afterlife, and how to live this life—things that are intrinsic to you. It’s so deeply painful to experience those things, and I feel it’s so important that people feel like they can talk through these things without being pushed to do one thing or the other.”

Russo’s commitment to this approach is evident in the way she runs her practice. She shared that her team of providers is carefully selected based on their passion for the populations they serve, ensuring that clients receive care from therapists who are not only knowledgeable but also deeply invested in their well-being.

Ultimately, Ann Russo’s appearance on the Heart Centered Therapist podcast provided valuable insights into the importance of finding one’s passion in therapy and the complexities of being a gay Christian therapist. Her dedication to creating safe, inclusive spaces for all clients, regardless of their background or beliefs, underscores the need for empathy, compassion, and understanding in the mental health field.

Listen to Ann’s full episode here or subscribe to her mailing list here. You can also check out Ann’s business, AMR Therapy, here.

Published By: Aize Perez