Niko Moss
/Title: Intern Therapist
Intersecting identities that inform my practice: I identify as a white, transgender, gender-expansive, able-bodied, educated, queer person. I am male-passing, and within white supremacy and patriarchy most of my presenting identities result in me holding significant power and privilege. I am committed to using that power and privilege to advocate for those who do not hold as much power and privilege. I aim to address differences in our identities in a way that fosters safety and honesty and welcome open dialogue about how our identities meet, in service of you and of collective liberation.
Background and approach: I became a therapist because I see a need for affirming, knowledgeable, and attuned therapists that have a lived understanding of what it means to be queer and trans, and who hold both a lens of critical consciousness surrounding social inequities and a lens of loving-kindness for all.
I use a person-centered approach in my counseling practice, and I believe that my role as a therapist is to listen without judgment and to be in presence with you, with empathy and understanding. I use a trauma-informed, somatic, mindfulness-based, client-led approach that draws from Gestalt therapy / parts work, Transpersonal psychology, and Liberation psychology.
I incorporate elements of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, and Narrative therapy in my approach. My aim is to use the practices of slowing down, self-attunement, and somatic awareness in the present moment with compassion and curiosity to help people see things from a different perspective and to explore and cultivate new neural pathways together. Being seen, witnessed, and accepted exactly as we are – by others and by ourselves – is where positive shifts can happen. I believe that everyone is already a complete circuit and whole self, and I believe in the wisdom to be found in play, humor, and the natural world.
I believe that the struggle and pain we encounter within us is situated within a larger sociopolitical and socio economic context, and that systems of oppression are playing out on a personal, somatic, neurological level as well. I believe that climate activism, social justice activism, and all activism rooted in mutual respect and restoring balance is a different part of the same healing work that we do in therapy
I am scheduled to graduate in Spring 2025 with my Master’s in Counseling from Naropa University with a degree in Mindfulness-Based Transpersonal Counseling.
Outside of Work: I am a third year graduate student and graduate research assistant at Naropa University under the guidance of Carole Clements, Associate Professor of Contemplative Psychology, who teaches courses in Human Sexuality, Dynamics of Intimate Relationships, Erotic Intelligence and Sexual Narratives. In my freetime, I enjoy writing, reading, crafting, rock climbing, running, being in and co-creating queer spaces, backpacking, and spending time with my partner, our cat, and the amazing people that complete the rest of our queer community house.