Health at Every Size® Healthcare Provider Listing
Claire Fuller, LGSW, LMSW
(she/her)
Individual Therapist
Creative Ways Therapy
Washington,
Washington, D.C.,
United States
Contact Me:
Make an Appointment:
Special Instructions: You can request an appointment with me upon intake! Just tell Donna that you found me through the HAES listing.
Takes Insurance
Sliding Scale Available
Waitlist Available
Additional information about where I can practice: My physical office is in NW Washington, DC. I see clients virtually throughout the entire DMV.
In-Network Insurance Companies:
- BCBS
- DC Medicaid
Specialties & Areas of Focus:
- Trauma
- Family Trauma
- Personality Disorders
Modalities & Theoretical Lenses:
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Internal Family Systems
Age Groups Served:
- Teens (13-18 years old)
- Adults (18 years old and up)
- Older Adults (65+ years old)
- Teens (13-18 years old)
- Adults (18 years old and up)
- Older Adults (65+ years old)
Additional Populations Served & Allied Groups:
- LGBTQIA+
- BIPOC
- Fat Liberation/Fat Positive
Languages Services Offered In:
- English
- English
My Philosophy of Care
I learn everything I need to know from my clients. As a trauma therapist, I like to be clear that it is never a client's job to "give" me anything, but it is my job to constantly work to earn and keep trust. Being a Health at Every Size Provider is something that I don't take lightly - it means having a strong background in physiology and in psychology and using that to challenge the systemic racism and fatphobia that we constantly see around us. As someone who does not identify as living in a fat body, it is most important that I simply listen to the experiences of others and approach from a compassionate place where I am never condescending, dismissive, or assuming. People in fat or larger bodies are still dismissed by practitioners and mental health providers. It is an honor to work with each of my clients, and I practice from a HAES lens to ensure that I provide the same care to all of the people that I am fortunate enough to work with.
About Me & My Practice
I initially received my BS in human physiology back in 2009 (yikes!) and went on to do a lot of work that I hated, including research work in the health and wellness world where I continually saw clinicians striving to link weight causationally to poor health. The data never supported that and I knew I needed a change. So I was lucky enough to have the chance to go back to school for my MSW. Even in school, I saw too many examples using weight loss as the golden example of what should be achieved. I spoke out and created new curriculum samples with likeminded classmates, but the administration did not want to change. Luckily, I was matched for my internship at Creative Ways Therapy, a small practice run by Donna Geraci and Teresa Arene in Washington, DC. After graduating, I continued my work as an independent contractor working as an individual therapist.
From my clients to my personal relationships, I ensure that people are best equipped to handle the anti-fat bias in the medical system by knowing their rights.
At home, I live with my husband, my three kids, and my 11 year old mutt named Ellie who spends her time napping in different rooms.
Accessibility Considerations
Our physical location is on the second floor of an old DC townhome with a very narrow set of stairs. Our actual offices have lovely couches with weight capacities up to 600lbs; the smallest room has only a large armchair with low arms, supporting approximately 300lbs. There are no elevators and no wheelchair or ADA accommodations. Our waiting room space is unfortunately very small and tends to be uncomfortable for all clients right now do to the room shuffling due to COVID.