Dr. Sheila Addison is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, a Certified Gottman Method therapist, and an AAMFT Approved Supervisor. Her MA and PhD are from Syracuse University, where she learned to value self-of-the-therapist work and a commitment to social justice. Her clinical practice and research focus on couple & relationship therapy with marginalized groups, particularly the LGBTQ+ communities and those in cross-cultural relationships; Health at Every Size (r) and dismantling fatphobia and diet culture; sex therapy; clinical skills for cultural competency and “difficult dialogues” with clients; consensually non-monogamous relationships; and managing multiple relationships in small communities. She is also Executive Director of Margin to Center Consulting, where she supervises and trains post-graduation interns pursuing licensure. In her role as a consultant on diversity and inclusion strategies for the educational and corporate worlds, she offers wellness support for DEI firms and has taught the internationally-acclaimed Ally Skills Workshop originally developed by the Ada Initiative at institutions such as the University of Florida’s Weecology Lab, the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab, and Google. She was a founding Board member of TransLifeline, the first national crisis hotline developed and staffed by and for transgender and non-binary people in need of support. She lives in West Seattle.
Sheila Addison, PhD
Antioch University Seattle
Educational History
2007 – PhD – Marriage & Family Therapy, Syracuse University
2000 – MA – Marriage & Family Therapy, Syracuse University
1996 – MA – Theatre, University of Colorado, Boulder
1994 – BA – Theatre, Indiana State University
Additional Credentials
2021 – Certified Gottman Therapist
2020 – Washington LMFT #LF 61067042
2011 – California LMFT #49616
2005 – AAMFT Approved Supervisor
2003 – 2009 Colorado LMFT #644
Addison, S. M. & Clason, R. N. (in press). “I Will Always Come Home to You”: Affirmative Therapy with Clients Practicing Consensual Non-Monogamy. In M. Murphy & R. G. Harvey (Eds.) Handbook of LGBTQ-affirmative Couple and Family Therapy. Routledge.
Addison, S. M. & Ryan, W. (2020). Ethical issues in working with LGBTQ+ clients. In M. Traschel, S. Tekin, N. Biller-Andorno, J. Gaab, & J. Sadler (Eds.), Oxford handbook of psychotherapy ethics. Oxford University Press.
Heiden-Rootes, K., Addison, S. M., & Pettinelli, J. D. (2020). Working with queer couples. In K. Wampler & A. Blow (Eds.), The handbook of systemic family therapy: Systemic family therapy with couples. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Addison, S. M. (2017). Queer intersectional couple therapy. In M. D. Reiter & R. J. Chenail (Eds.), Case conceptualization in couples counseling. New York: Routledge.
Addison, S. M.& Coolhart, D. (2017). Working with same-sex couples: Considerations for self-supervision. In J. Fitzgerald (Ed.), Foundations for couple therapy: Research for the real world. New York: Routledge.
Addison, S. M.& Coolhart, D. (2015). Expanding the therapy paradigm with queer couples: A relational intersectional lens. Family Process, 54, 435–453.
Addison, S. M.& Thomas, V. (2010). Searching for mutuality: A feminist/multicultural approach to couple therapy. In A. Gurman (Ed.), Clinical casebook of couple therapy. New York: Guilford.
Addison, S. M., & Coolhart, D. (2009). Integrating socially segregated identities: Queer couples and the question of race. In M. Rastogi & V. Thomas (Eds.), Multicultural couple therapy. New York: SAGE.
Addison, S. M., & Thomas, V. (2009). Power, privilege and oppression: White therapists working with minority couples. In M. Rastogi & V. Thomas (Eds.), Multicultural couple therapy. SAGE.
Addison, S. M., Sandberg, J. G., Corby, J., Robila, M., & Platt, J. (2002). Alternative methodologies in research literature review: Links between clinical work and MFT effectiveness. American Journal of Family Therapy, 30, 339-371.
Stone Fish, L., Harvey, R., & Addison, S. (2000). Don’t ask, don’t tell: Supervision and sexual identity. In Readings in Family Therapy Supervision: Selected Articles from the AAMFT Supervision Bulletin. Washington, DC: American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.
Addison, S. M. & Clason, N. (August 2019) “Fancy Meeting You Here: An Ethical Framework for Multiple Relationships” – American Association for Marriage & Family Therapy
Addison, S. M. & Clason, N. (November 2018) “Small World, Isn’t It?” Dual Relationships in Small Communities – American Association for Marriage & Family Therapy
Addison, S.M. (October 2017) “Beyond the Dyad: Working with Consensual Non-Monogamy” – American Association for Marriage & Family Therapy
Addison, S.M. (October 2017) “Allies in the Fight: Working for Justice with Clients and Communities” – American Association for Marriage & Family Therapy
Addison, S.M. (June 2017) “Allies in the Fight: Working for Justice with Clients and Communities” – American Family Therapy Association
Addison, S.M. & Schoser, S. M. (March 2017) “What My Counselor Doesn’t Know Can Hurt Me”: Working with BDSM Clients – American Counseling Association
Addison, S.M. (September 2016) “Difficult Dialogues: A Cultural Humility Approach to Broaching Cultural Issues” – American Association for Marriage & Family Therapy
Addison, S.M. & Schoser, S.M. (April 2016) “Cultural Competence with Consensually Non-Monogamous Relationships: Beyond the Dyad – American Counseling Association
Addison, S.M. & Schoser, S.M. (April 2016) “Difficult Dialogues: A Cultural Humility Approach to Broaching Cultural Issues – American Counseling Association
Addison, S. M. (July 2015) “Integrating Fat Studies into Mental Health Training Programs” – Association for Size Diversity and Health
Addison S. M. (June 2015) “A Fat Studies Perspective on Mental Health Services” – American Family Therapy Association
Loewy, M. I. & Addison, S. M. (August 2013) “Integrating Health at Every Size and Fat Studies into Psychology Training Programs and Practice – American Psychological Association
Addison, S. M. & Loewy, M. I. (May 2012) “Integrating Fat Studies Into Mental Health Training Programs” – American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
Rastogi, M, Thomas, V. & Addison, S. (October 2009) “Multicultural Couples Therapy: Clinical Considerations” – American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
Stone Fish, L. F., Addison, S. M., & Harvey, R. G. (November 2001) “Do Ask, Do Tell: Sexual Identity and Marriage and Family Therapy” – American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
Addison, S. M., & White, S. (November 2000) “But is it Therapy? Redefining In-home Interventions” – American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
American Association for Marriage & Family Therapy (AAMFT)
Washington Association for Marriage & Family Therapy (WAMFT)
American Association for Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT)
Gaylesta: The Psychotherapist Association for Gender and Sexual Diversity
Association for Family Therapy of Northern California (AFTNC)
American Family Therapy Academy (AFTA)
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