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“There must be satisfaction gained in accurately naming the thing that torments you.”
- Women Talking, Miriam Toews
who we are & what we do
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Purple Line Psychotherapy was founded by two queer, neurodivergent, AFAB friends/colleagues, Amy (They/Them) and Bari (She/Her), with the intention of creating a small practice that centers the needs of trauma-impacted individuals. We met while completing our Masters of Social Work degrees at UNC and bonded over shared experiences in survivor care, rape crisis, and domestic violence advocacy roles, as well as our backgrounds in art. We both chose clinical social work due to its person-centered and whole-picture approach (seeing individuals within the context of their community, history, and structural forces shaping their experiences). It was intuitive to connect our work with individual survivors to a broader liberatory theory, to see individual healing and community healing as interconnected. In this vein, we filter our work through intersectional critical theory (queer theory, crip theory, liberation psychology, feminist theory, and critical race theory) and are committed to being lifelong learners. ​
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We work with adults and young adults (16+) across a diverse spectrum of identities and needs. Our expertise in trauma-informed care has been built on a combined 15 years working in survivor care and training in evidence-based interventions for survivors. This focus, in addition to our clinical training, has given us a robust toolbelt to support clients with many additional concerns. We also bring our human-ness and creativity to the work, culminating in a strengths-based approach to the therapy process which sometimes includes a drawing pad, whiteboard, or other art supplies along the way. We are able to support clients navigating challenges in relationships, life transitions, sexuality, gender identity, as well as anxiety, depression, etc. We welcome all inquiries, and offer a free 20 minute phone call for prospective clients to determine if we are a good fit.
why the name purple line?
The phrase “Purple Line” originally came from the song, "I know a place" by the band MUNA. We chose it for our name as an intention to hold, at the heart of our practice, the song’s message of joy and possibility. We also resonated with the song’s healing narrative, and recognition of the reality that true safety is not always possible or fair to promise at any given moment; instead we commit to the practice and journey of working to build it. At the core of the song is also a belief in the power of people to effect change both in their own lives and at a larger scale, recognizing the external and systemic factors which oppress people, while identifying internal factors which hold human dignity and worth as innate; these are the values we seek to ground our work in. The full phrase within the song, “I think we should hop on the purple line,” references starting a journey. It also began to take on new meaning for us as we made associations to Harold and the Purple Crayon, or purple as a symbolic color within the queer community. Taken together it suggests commitment to an imperfect journey, a playful creative process, and radical hope.