About Us

At Deming-Rivers Social Club, we believe that strong, inclusive communities don’t just happen automatically, they are built intentionally.

Meet the Doctor’s Deming-Rivers

  • Dr. Essence Deming-Rivers smiling outdoors in front of a tree.

  • Dr. Emily Deming-Rivers smiling outdoors in front of a tree.

Together, we bring expertise from therapy sessions, board rooms, classrooms, and grassroots movements. We believe that psychological safety is clinical, cultural, and communal—and it should be built on purpose.

What Makes Us So Cool 🧊

  • A sign in a conference room states, 'Over 50 presentations given to 20+ orgs.' The room has green chairs arranged along the walls, a potted plant, and carpeted floors.
  • Two women wearing white T-shirts with rainbow-colored text that says "WIFEY", white shorts, and large white heart-shaped sunglasses, holding hands and walking down a wooden staircase, smiling and appearing joyful.
  • A white paper with black text that reads, "Over 2,000 hours providing psychological services," placed on a green surface.
  • Two women wrapped in a rainbow pride flag, embracing and sharing a joyful moment outdoors near a body of water with trees in the background.
  • Meeting table with people taking notes, documents, and a camera lens. A note card overlay reads: "We regularly engage in continuing education and seek out opportunities to grow our knowledge and skills."
  • Two women smiling and holding cups of ice cream with colorful sprinkles, sitting at a red metal table outdoors under a yellow canopy.
  • A white sheet of paper with the text "We've been guests on multiple podcasts" written in black, placed on a green background.
  • A sign that reads 'Fresh perspectives on building community in Sarasota' is taped to a pole, with a background of people celebrating with rainbow-colored flags or streamers.
  • A smiling woman holding a colorful award sign that reads 'OUT Awards 2024 Favorite Therapist Emily Deming-Rivers' standing in front of a stone wall.
  • Ice cream cones surrounding a white paper with black text that says "Experience working in over 20 different settings."

💌 What we believe

  • Diversity without a true sense of belonging is merely performative; inclusion must be intentionally and carefully constructed.

  • Lasting change is sustained when psychological safety, effective leadership, and genuine inclusion work in concert.

  • Awareness is only the first step; real transformation requires practical skills and actionable strategies.

  • Organizations aren't inherently broken; they often just need better tools and frameworks to evolve and thrive.

At Deming-Rivers Social Club, we think that your orgs culture should taste like something—rich, layered, and full of flavor. Real belonging isn’t performative or passive. It’s built through everyday systems that make people feel seen, valued, and connected. When more voices are truly at the table, everything gets sweeter.

Two women smiling and sitting on a teal sofa, with one woman wearing a white sweater and the other in a tan jacket, against a plain light wall.