Our Story

The creation of Modern Path was a response to where I was in my own life in 2016. I have identified as “different” for as long as I can remember. I hold authenticity as one of my highest values, along with autonomy, service, passion, and integrity.

Throughout my career, I have seen the entire spectrum of behavioral health services. From the front lines of direct care with people affected by addiction and severe mental illness, to agency leadership positions, and then on to administrative oversight in a behavioral health management system. I have seen how individuals are impacted by their care providers and the system as a whole. Many years ago, I found myself in a professional position that was toxic (at best) and traumatic (at worst) that still impacts the person I am today. It led to my transition out of direct care as a means of prioritizing my own mental health and well-being; and while the years that followed working in administrative oversight provided me with a wealth of information, skills, and countless relationships within the industry, I became uncomfortable with the role I was playing. While working for one of the largest behavioral health insurance companies in the nation, I came to the realization that I had become part of the problem and was not being true to my values. 

A culmination of this values misalignment in my career and large scale transitions in my personal life led to my own need for counseling. The search for a therapist (who was not already a friend or colleague) turned up few professionals specifically knowledgeable about queer people who engage in consensually non-monogamous relationships, power exchange relationships, or body stress rituals. In an area as large as metro Atlanta, where our LGBTQIA+ population is the 4th largest in the country, how was this possible? If I was struggling to find an affirming (not accepting- there is a difference) therapist, what are others doing?

Modern Path was born out of this need to align my personal values with my skills and abilities as a mental health provider. I am a therapist. I am a supervisor. I am a trainer. I know how to engage an audience. I know how to build and curate spaces. I have been doing it my entire life. My then business partner and I began with a vision to reach those who identify as gender, sexuality, and relationship structure minorities in a way that was meaningful. We developed a plan to create real, far-reaching change by not only providing direct support to the individual but also educating behavioral health providers on how to serve the needs of the community. I invested in additional training, consultation, and supervision so that I was not working only from life experience but also melding my existing clinical and business skills that I developed over two decades with updated skills, information, and certifications.

The mission remains to provide quality behavioral health services to individuals who are gender, sexuality, or relationship structure minorities, said more simply, we serve people who live and love out side of the box. Over the years the practice has expanded to include clinicians who share complimentary values and identities. I have been fortunate to find a wonderful team of folks, both new and seasoned in the field. Folks who share our vision and willingness to be authentic and remove the power in the therapy room. As a team we commit to doing our best, to continue growing as clinicians, and to serve our community with integrity. As we have grown and our skills have deepened we find ourselves serving the expanse of the GSM community within the state. Our skills have expanded to include Sex Therapy, Art Therapy, Hypnotherapy, and Geek Therapy. We have clinicians who are are engaging in relational work as trained Marriage and Family Therapist. In 2023 we expanded our services to include Sex and Wellness Coaching and the only coaching group for partners of transgender and other gender expansive individuals to have an affirming space to tend to their own unique needs within their relationship. In 2024 we added a Sex Educator and convention services which support the behavioral health needs of large scale conventions in Atlanta. We continue to expand our knowledge base of sensory and executive functioning support as the data becomes more and more clear that over 65% of transgender and gender expansive clients are also neurodivergent. Each day we grow as ateam and I as a business owner to ensure that Modern Path is able to serve….

All identities. All genders. All relationships. All people.

Nick Marzo, MS LPC, LMHC, CST-S, ACS