Dear You,

Welcome to The Velvet Grove.

Whether you found your way here through curiosity, exhaustion, longing, or necessity—I want you to know you’ve taken a brave step by arriving. This is a space built on the belief that healing should not require you to shrink yourself. Here, your desires, your identities, your jagged edges, and your sacred softness are all welcome.

I created The Velvet Grove because I saw too many people—especially queer, kinky, neurodivergent, and non-traditional folks—sitting across from therapists who didn’t get it. Who pathologized what was simply different. Who made healing feel like something sterile, stripped-down, or shame-filled.

This is a place of reclamation.

Here, we work collaboratively. We explore boundaries, power, grief, eroticism, silence, shame—and the many stories our bodies have held onto. Sometimes we talk. Sometimes we breathe. Sometimes we scream. Sometimes we sit in stillness with the ghosts.

You do not have to know where you’re going.
You do not have to have a “good reason” to be here.
You only have to be willing to begin.

May this be a grove where your truest self takes root.

In devotion to your becoming,

Lennox Gray, LMHC
Licensed Kink Therapist
Brooklyn, NYC

📘 Client Welcome Packet

🖤 Our Philosophy

At The Velvet Grove, we believe:

• Healing can be erotic, messy, nonlinear, and sacred.
  
• Your kink, your queerness, your neurodivergence, your trauma—they’re not things to be “managed,” but parts of your full, nuanced self.
  
• Therapy isn’t about fixing. It’s about freeing.
  
• Safety doesn’t always mean comfort—but it always means consent, choice, and care.
• We meet you where you are—without shame, without expectation. You bring your truth. We hold it with reverence.

🪞 What We Specialize In

• Kink-aware and BDSM-positive therapy
  
• Queer & gender-expansive affirming care
  
• Trauma & complex PTSD
  
• Somatic and body-based healing
  
• Identity exploration
  
• Non-monogamy & relationship diversity
  
• Shadow work & erotic integration
  
• Grief, burnout, and inner-child work

🛋️ What to Expect in Session

• Sessions are 50 minutes and held either in person (in our Brooklyn space) or via secure teletherapy.
  
• We may incorporate talk therapy, breathwork, embodiment exercises, somatic tracking, guided visualizations, or consent-based kink education.
  
• You're always in control of what you share, how fast we go, and when we pause.

We may say things like:

• “Where does that live in your body?”
  
• “What would it feel like to give that part a voice?”
  
• “Is it okay if we stay with that sensation for a moment?”
  
• “You can always say no.”

🌿 The Space

Our physical space reflects the soul of our work:

• Velvet furnishings, low lighting, and immersive textures for nervous system grounding.
  
• Garden courtyard with seasonal blooms and private seating for outdoor integration sessions.
  
• Accessibility-minded design: no stairs required, sound-dampened walls, scent-reduced environment.
  
• A curated library of queer, kink, trauma, and erotic literature is available for clients.

⏳ Logistics

• Sessions: 50 mins
  
• Fees: Sliding scale available. Rates start at $165/session.
  
• Payment: Accepted via card, HSA/FSA, or Zelle.
  
• Cancellation: 24-hour notice required to avoid full session fee.
  
• Location: [Address withheld for sample. Would be included here.]
  
• Virtual sessions: Available via secure HIPAA-compliant platform.

🤝 Consent & Agreements

You always have the right to:

• Ask questions about any aspect of therapy
  
• Pause or end a session at any time
  
• Set or revise boundaries
  
• Receive referrals if this space ever stops feeling right for you

💬 Client Communication

We are not a crisis center and do not provide emergency services. For urgent support, we recommend:

• NYC Well: 1-888-NYC-WELL
  
• Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860
  
• Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988

Non-emergency messages can be sent via email or the secure client portal and will be returned within 1–2 business days.

Welcome to The Velvet Grove
Client Intake Form

At The Velvet Grove, we understand that healing requires trust, nuance, and safety. This intake form is designed to help us get to know you—your needs, your boundaries, your story. You’re invited to answer honestly, at your own pace. All information is kept strictly confidential and treated with respect.

You are not expected to be “fixed” here. You are expected to be honored here.

What You Can Expect:

• Affirming, kink-aware, LGBTQIA+ centered care
  
• Trauma-informed therapy rooted in consent and collaboration
  
• A space that welcomes all facets of your identity, history, and desires

If any question doesn’t feel applicable or safe to answer yet, you may skip it. We’ll explore together, in time.

With care,
Lennox Gray, M.S., LMHC (she/her)
Licensed Kink Therapist | Founder, The Velvet Grove

Client Intake Form

Confidential. Please complete before your first session.

Full Name: _________________________________________
Pronouns: _________________________________________
Date of Birth: _____________ Age: ______
Phone Number: _____________________ OK to text? ☐ Yes ☐ No
Email Address: ___________________________ OK to email? ☐ Yes ☐ No
Emergency Contact (Name & Number): _________________________________________
Relationship to You: ______________________________

✨ Identity & Lived Experience (Answer as you're comfortable)

How do you identify (gender, sexuality, culture, etc.)?

Are there communities, roles, or identities that feel central to who you are?
(e.g., kink identity, poly/ENM, spiritual practice, disability, etc.)

🖤 Therapy Goals & History

Have you been in therapy before? ☐ Yes ☐ No
If yes, what was helpful or unhelpful about that experience?

What brings you to therapy now?

Are there specific goals, topics, or questions you hope to explore?

🔮 Kink, Identity & Healing (Optional)

Do you identify as part of the kink/BDSM community?
☐ Yes ☐ No ☐ Exploring ☐ Prefer not to say

Are there aspects of your erotic or relational life you'd like to explore in therapy?

Do you want kink to be an active part of our work together?
☐ Yes ☐ No ☐ Maybe ☐ Unsure

🧠 Mental Health & Medical Background

Do you have a current mental health diagnosis? ☐ Yes ☐ No
If yes, please specify: _______________________________________
Are you currently taking any medications?

Have you ever experienced (check all that apply):
☐ Anxiety
☐ Depression
☐ Dissociation
☐ PTSD or trauma symptoms
☐ Self-harm
☐ Suicidal ideation (past or present)
☐ Eating/body image concerns
☐ Neurodivergence (ADHD, Autism, etc.)
☐ Substance use
☐ Other: _______________________________________

If any of these feel important to discuss, we can go deeper in session.

🌀 Somatic Awareness & Triggers

Are there any sensory sensitivities or physical conditions we should know about?

Are there specific triggers or situations that feel overwhelming or unsafe?

What helps you feel grounded or safe when you're dysregulated?

📌 Consent & Confidentiality

• I understand that therapy is confidential with exceptions for safety (e.g., harm to self or others).
  
• I consent to engage in therapy with Lennox Gray, LMHC.
  
• I understand I can withdraw or pause therapy at any time.
  
• I have read and agree to The Velvet Grove’s cancellation and payment policies.

Client Signature: ___________________________

Date: _______________