THIS IS…
KEANU JACKSON
(Kee-ah-noo Jack-sun)
A person who isn’t afraid to bring himself into the work, Keanu incorporates a warm and compassionate approach that makes room for a messy, confusing, yet grounding process. He believes that there is no one “right” way to be, and that everyone deserves to learn the ins and outs of who they are without judgment. Keanu is an expert in his ability to challenge and care for those who he works with, offering those an opportunity to normalize and name their experiences in an open and authentic way.
As a survivor of sexual & racial trauma, Keanu has done tremendous work in unpacking and seeking to understand the ways in which oppression and societal negligence have resulted in continued failure to those who sought protection such as himself. The truth is, White Supremacy enforces the idea that the body is to be used by those in power, with little regard to the agency of those who exist within those bodies. With this in mind, Keanu’s primary goal is to offer services that are rooted in the preservation and celebration of other queer Black and Brown folks, while centering their experiences beyond the shallow scope of practice that is typically highlighted today.
Keanu is unapologetically himself, and embodies the will of his ancestors through his willingness to engage radically , disrupt harmful narratives, and to spark joy. Though he’s just getting started in the field, Keanu has a true nact for therapeutic work and for bringing folks together who seek to expand their curiosity. To him, we should be able to exist fully in our humanness, free from persecution. Although the world is not there yet, Keanu makes sure to carefully and thoughtfully build space for others that can offer them permission to locate their urgency, and slow their pace in an effort to breathe a bit easier.
Keanu is a queer, kink & sex positive, Black man with a stutter who works to critique, refute, and combat the claims that our bodies are mere commodities to be exploited. In conjunction with his education and lived experiences, Keanu possesses an unwavering audacity to call it like it is, and to break the silence on how systems of oppression seek to dishearten, abuse, and destroy those who exist in opposition to their goal. His work is about helping folks in reclaiming the body via healing its connection to the mind and spirit, and by reminding folks of their inner power while addressing the environmental and social factors that impact them.
“Being in community with you all has reminded me of just how rejuvenating this work can be. Thank you for having me!”
Therapeutic Approach
Keanu favors a person-centered, collaborative approach to therapy that encourages folks to tap into their internal systems and locate their voice. With the belief that everyone possesses the innate tools to successfully embark on their individual healing journey, Keanu encourages his clients to identify their feelings of urgency, and uses the therapeutic space as an opportunity for folks to take control of their narrative.
Keanu emphasizes the importance of community and uses his therapeutic framework to assist folks in understanding how their intersectional identities are impacted by the everpresent sociocultural and systemic forces within their day to day. He views the therapeutic space and relationship as sacred, where the client can feel empowered to show up as they are, regardless of identity. Working with Keanu offers expansiveness, curiosity, and a fresh sense of autonomy.
Sex Therapy:
Keanu is currently completing training with the Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy’s Sex Therapy Certificate Program, with hopes of pursuing AASECT certification in the future. Although being able to support folks through a variety of areas and concerns, Keanu’s niche lays within the depths of sex & sexuality, and how our identities, cultural frameworks, and inner multitudes work in tandem to inform how we construct our sexual awareness and concept of pleasure. Identifying as a sexual assault survivor, being kink and play-aware, and also sex-worker affirming, Keanu invites exploration into one’s inner sexual landscape with hopes of supporting his clients in locating and understanding themselves in new and empowering ways.
Areas of Expertise: Anxiety, Depression, Healing from Racial Trauma, Identity Exploration, Interracial Relationships, Anti-Black Racism, Sexual Trauma, Sex Therapy & Education, Chronic Stress, Kink & Sex Positive, Queer & Trans issues, Consensual Non-monogamy, Empowerment, Grief & Loss, Life Transitions.
Keanu can also be found at the following sites and directories: