It is our mission to validate and normalize difficult conversations.
We seek to companion, not treat, the difficult adjustments that life brings.
Our Purpose
Who We Are
At Refuge Counseling, our team of compassionate therapists provides a wide range of mental health services for individuals, couples, and families facing life’s most challenging seasons. We specialize in grief support, chronic illness counseling, and sex therapy—offering space for healing, acceptance, and growth in a safe, nonjudgmental environment.
Rooted in a sex-positive, LGBTQIA-affirming approach, our practice embraces diversity and whole-person wellness. Whether you’re navigating a loss, adjusting to a diagnosis, exploring your identity, or seeking deeper connection, Refuge Counseling is here to walk with you—no matter where you are in your journey.
About Us
What To Expect
It’s completely normal to feel nervous about starting counseling. Taking that first step can feel overwhelming or uncertain—but you’re not alone. At Refuge Counseling, we want you to know that feeling anxious or unsure is okay. These emotions are part of being human, and they often signal a readiness for growth and healing.
Whether you’re facing grief, anxiety, trauma, relationship challenges, or simply seeking change, beginning therapy is an act of courage. You don’t need to have the perfect words or all the answers. You just need a safe place to begin—and we’re here to walk with you every step of the way.
Who We Are
At Refuge Counseling, therapists provide counseling services on a wide range of mental health-related services. We specialize in grief support, chronic illness, and sex therapy. Refuge Counseling is sex-positive, LGBTQIA affirming, and a safe place to navigate any transition. We seek to be a haven to have difficult conversations.
What To Expect?
It is totally unnerving to begin the counseling process. I hope that this article provides a little comfort that it is okay to be anxious about starting the counseling process.
Our Team
Kailey Bradley, Ph.D
Ph.D., LPCC-S, NCC, FT
Stephen Thomas
MA, LPCc-S
Em Majors
MSW, LISW-S ACDCS ADHD-CCSP
The Death & Sex Podcast
The Death & Sex Podcast, by Refuge Counseling, dives deep into the truths and misconceptions surrounding different types of therapy. Dr. Kailey Bradley (Ph.D., LPCC-S, CFT) specializes in death and dying, while her husband, Stephen Thomas (LPPC-S), focuses on sex therapy. Join us as we open up honest, compassionate conversations around these often-taboo topics. Refuge Counseling: A Haven for Difficult Conversations.
The Death & Sex Podcast | Episode 6: What Counseling Is (and Isn’t)
After a summer break, Stephen Thomas and Dr. Kailey Bradley are back with a candid conversation about what counseling really looks like. Too often, people come into therapy carrying fear, misconceptions, or the belief that something must be “wrong” with them if they’re there. This episode pushes back on those ideas and offers a more grounded perspective.
Stephen and Kailey explore the common anxieties people bring into the counseling process—questions like “Am I broken?” or “Does this mean my relationship is over?” They share why couples often wait until it’s almost too late to seek help, and how getting support earlier can make all the difference.
The episode also digs into the idea that healing isn’t quick or linear. Together, they unpack the unrealistic expectation that one session will “fix everything,” and instead emphasize that counseling is a process that requires time, gentleness, and patience.
Listeners will also hear about:
- The difference between a “safe space” and a “brave space”
- Why validation is one of the most powerful tools in the counseling room
- The role of emotions as messengers, not problems to erase
- How counselors think about when and how therapy ends
- Why it’s okay to seek out the right fit if a particular counselor doesn’t feel like one
Whether you’re new to counseling, supporting someone you love, or just curious about how therapists think about their work, this conversation offers insight, encouragement, and practical takeaways.
Stay tuned for more episodes where Stephen and Kailey bring honesty, humor, and heart to some of the hardest—and most human—parts of life.
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https://www.instagram.com/allrefugecounseling/
September 5, 2025
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