hello, my name is Aster and Illuminate Counsel is a life guidance and peer support service I offer locally in the Portland, ME area or virtually across the globe. I'm glad you've found me!

Illuminate
Counsel

doorofperception.com-Hieronymus_Bosch-The_Garden_of_Earthly_Delights-header-scaled-4152564

art by Hieronymus Bosch

So, what is this, exactly?

art by Julia Soboleva

to make it short and sweet, this is personalized peer guidance through mental and emotional challenges. this is anti-therapy. this is for the mad freaks who are sick of de-politicized "wellness" and "coping", who want a space to feel supported without being pathologized.

for legal reasons I must emphasize I am NOT a licensed mental health counselor or therapist.

illuminate counsel follows a peer support, anti-carceral, mad liberation model of care. this approach reduces structural power imbalance between myself and the client, so we can fully honor and express lived experience, knowledge, and wisdom.

individual session

working on-on-one, we will identify goals and navigate complex emotional challenges to provide you greater relief and stability in life. we may focus on urgent crisis or long-standing patterns - these sessions are personalized and responsive to your shifting needs. this is a space for processing, reflecting, and connecting. At this time I am only working with adults.

1 hr session

$30 - $70

(art by Ana Mendieta)

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Offerings

these offerings are general yet flexible - if the support you need falls outside of these categories please do reach out!

relationship session

this type of session is appropriate for couples, friends, roommates, or other relationships between two adults. this is a space to address patterns of dysfunction and discord, and to design actionable steps towards repairing trust, refining communication, establishing boundaries, working with jealousy and other difficult emotions, and other relational goals.

1 hr session

$50 - $100

(art by Sandra Martagex)

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group mediation session

this service is intended to be a one time or short term recurring session that is suitable for individuals or groups in the community who are experiencing ongoing conflict. all parties must come to this of their own will, not under compulsion or duress. cost is flexible and may be waived in some instances. mediation and resolution is important and lacking in most communities, so I am happy to keep this accessible

1.5 hr session

$0 - $250

(from the film Sayat Nova)

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