mar westveer: Employee Spotlight

At Salix Psychotherapy, we’re proud to spotlight mar, whose path to becoming a therapist is deeply rooted in personal identity, advocacy, and a desire to create equitable spaces for healing. As mar began to better understand ær gender identity and sexuality, they became acutely aware of the systemic barriers queer individuals face—particularly in hospital-based settings. Their long-standing passion for mental health, combined with firsthand experiences of inequitable treatment, inspired a commitment to ensuring that all people—regardless of sexuality, gender, race, ethnicity, or ability status—receive the compassionate, affirming care they deserve. Outside of ær work, mar is learning to navigate a healthier balance after completing their master’s program. They recharge through reading very specific genre fiction, especially queer alternative historical mysteries, and by watching and discussing movies and TV shows with friends. One book that has profoundly shaped how they view the world is Pet by Akwaeke Emezi, a story that imagines a community where differences in ability, identity, and family structure are simply accepted. This vision resonates deeply with mar and influences how æ moves through the world. If mar weren’t a psychotherapist, they imagine themselves becoming either a librarian or a soap maker—two passions sparked during the COVID shutdown when they began creating cold-process soaps inspired by books, shows, and even childhood films. Their most popular creation was a soap inspired by B.E.N. from Treasure Planet, complete with handmade soap gears that impressed everyone who saw them.

Professionally, mar describes their therapeutic style as relational, emphasizing the connection between therapist and client as the foundation for growth. They view clients as the experts of their own experiences and see ær role as a guide and support. Æ is especially drawn to working with queer, neurodivergent, and disabled clients and often focuses on unpacking shame, understanding identity, and exploring how these experiences ripple through work, relationships, and intimacy. What mar finds most fulfilling about being a therapist is the privilege of witnessing clients’ most vulnerable moments and being trusted with stories they may not feel able to share with anyone else. To continue developing as a clinician, mar stays engaged through supervision, consultation groups, and ongoing reading—both academic and creative—and is particularly excited to join a Relational Cultural Theory consultation group led by a former professor. One message mar frequently shares with clients is that they are not alone; many have been made to feel “weird,” “too sensitive,” or “abnormal,” and hearing that others share their experiences can significantly reduce shame and isolation.

When reflecting on their experience at Salix, mar most appreciates the collaborative environment and the opportunity to learn from fellow clinicians as they continue to grow in their work. If they were to summarize their therapeutic philosophy in one sentence, it would be this: “You are not a broken clock that needs to be fixed—you are human, deserving of care and support; together, we’ll decide what that care looks like.”