Our Mission
The mission of WA-SAIGE is to improve the counseling services and quality of life for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, ally, pansexual, polysexual, and other expansive identities (LGBTGEQIAP+) persons within the counseling profession and beyond and to promote the professional development of counselors and related professionals to ensure that all LGBTGEQIAP+ individuals receive ethical, culturally-inclusive, liberating services that attend to all aspects of their intersectional identities.
Further, WA-SAIGE aims to promote the views of marginalized peoples by offering counseling profession leadership opportunities to students, professionals, and faculty with a desire to elevate the voices of the LGBTGEQIAP+ communities. We believe all individuals should be free to develop their full potential regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. We recognize the unique challenges LGBTGEQIAP+ individuals face as a result of systemic oppression. Our aim is to promote awareness, understanding, competency, and best practices among helping professions in service delivery, collaboration, and advocacy within the LGBTGEQIAP+ community.
Our Vision
A world where LGBTGEQIAP+ people are respected, celebrated, and experience belonging.
Our Board
Dr. Dusty Destler (he/him), Ph.D., LPC (ID), LMHC (WA), NCC, BC-TMH, is a core faculty at Antioch University Seattle’s Counselor Education and Supervision Program. Dusty also holds a private practice as a licensed counselor serving folks across Idaho, Oregon, and Washington State as a board-certified telemental health provider. Dusty earned an MS in Mental Health Counseling from Southern Oregon University and a doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision from Idaho State University. Dusty has worked with children in elementary schools, teenagers and their families, and with young adults across public and non-profit settings. Dusty enjoys exploring thrift stores and the outdoor wilderness of the Pacific Northwest.
Dr. Gene Dockery (they/them) is an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program at Seattle University. They earned their MA in Counseling at East Tennessee State University and their PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision at Ohio University. Gene’s research focuses on queer and trans liberation, disability justice, and advocacy. They own a small telehealth private practice where their clinical specialty is queer neurodivergence, the intersection of nonnormative genders/sexualities and neurological differences. Gene is also the Public Policy Committee Chairperson for the Society for Sexual, Affectional, Intersex, and Gender Expansive Identities and the Vice Chairperson of the Association of Specialists in Group Work Research Committee.
Dr. Nikki Golden (she/her), Ph.D., LMFT, SUDP, MAC, CMHS, is an assistant professor of Seattle University’s counseling program. Nikki is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), a Substance Use Disorder Professional (SUDP), a Masters of Addiction Counselor (MAC), and a Child Mental Health Specialist (CMHC) as well as an AAMFT approved clinical supervisor. Nikki has extensive clinical experience in both the mental health and substance use disorder fields. Nikki was the program director and manager at two different residential co-occurring programs and multiple outpatient co-occurring, mental health, and substance use disorder programs. Nikki currently works at a private group practice and her areas of expertise include addictions, co-occurring disorders, sexuality, suicide, trauma and working with the LGBTGEQIAP+ population. Nikki’s research focus includes intersectional identities and their effect on relationships including in clinical supervision and in CES programs.
Dr. Annette Calvario Perales (she/ella) is a counselor, educator, and scholar. She is a queer Xicana from
Washington state. She received her master’s in clinical mental health counseling from Gonzaga
University and a doctorate in counselor education and supervision from Western Michigan University.
She is an Approved Clinical Supervisor and a Nationally Certified Counselor through NBCC. Dr. Perales is
a faculty member in the counselor education program at City University of Seattle. Additionally, she
manages a private practice serving mostly Mexican immigrants, other BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ folks in
Washington. Dr. Perales conducts immigration psychological evaluations and provides individual
counseling to these populations. Her research interests include Latinx populations, multicultural
counseling, and bilingual supervision.
Heidi Nielson (any pronouns) is a graduate student in the Marriage and Family Therapy program at Capella University. They are a member of the Pi Chapter of Delta Kappa. Heidi’s professional interests include working with LGBTQIA+, nonmonogamous, and neurodivergent clients. She is a member of AAMFT and is proud to join the WA SAIGE board as Graduate Student Representative.