LGBTQIA+ Therapy
Do you want to explore your identity in a judgment-free space where you will feel seen, understood, and celebrated?
Have you been in therapy before, but found your identity to be over-emphasized in unhelpful ways?
Is it important to you to work with someone who’s also in the community?
Between issues around identity, relationship issues, past trauma, or concerns about the country’s current political climate, you may feel anxious, depressed, or have suicidal thoughts. Perhaps you’ve come to rely on unhealthy ways to cope, such as substances or risky behavior, which adversely impact your well-being or prevent you from being your best self.
Finding Support, Connection & Community is Incredibly Important for Folks in the Queer Community
Are You Looking For A Safe Space For Personal Growth?
Life is full of challenges for everyone, but as a queer person, you might feel ostracized and othered by your family, broader community, or society in general. Perhaps you are struggling with discrimination or microaggressions at work or school, which causes ongoing stress and setbacks. If you don’t have a strong support system, you might have become isolated and sense that no one is on your side.
In a world that centers cis-/het- narratives, it can be challenging to fully express our authentic selves and code switch between our queer bubble and the rest of life. Our binary-focused culture often erases and devalues unique and diverse identities, and you may struggle to feel a sense of belonging at work, school, and other important spheres.
When we’re constantly reminded of our differences rather than our similarities, it can feel othering and result in intense anxiety, depression, alienation, and loneliness. What’s more, rejection from family members or old friends can cause deep-seated trauma that hinders us from forming healthy relationships in the present.
You May Feel Isolated
If you struggle with body image issues or gender dysphoria, you may avoid going out in public due to discomfort, or fears for your physical and emotional safety or maybe sometimes dealing with other people just feels like too much work. These issues may also prevent you from entering into intimate relationships, causing further disconnection and loneliness.
Have any questions? Send me a message.
The Current Political Environment Has Become Increasingly Fixated on the LGBTQIA+ Community
Trying to navigate an openly hostile and regressive political agenda has left many in the queer community feeling unsafe and on edge. We may be concerned about losing work or housing or being deprived of basic rights and necessities, such as marriage and healthcare. Without strong community support, our resilience can be tested, and we may struggle to feel safe, accepted, and comfortable in such an unwelcoming environment.
In LGBTQIA+ therapy, we can unpack your fears in a safe and supportive space. Counseling can address whatever particular challenge you may be facing, such as discrimination, relationships with family members, or coming out.
LGBTQIA+ Therapy Offers A Safe Space To Feel Understood And Accepted
Regardless of the unique issues you face, LGBTQIA+ therapy offers supportive guidance, tools, and insight to help you navigate challenges with more self-compassion and self-awareness. By tapping into resilience and strengths, you’ll feel more in tune with who you truly are and more capable of managing life’s setbacks.
For therapy to be successful, you must feel comfortable with your therapist and be assured they can relate and empathize with your challenges. As a queer therapist with lived experience, I’m able to offer LGBTQIA+-affirming counseling that goes beyond acceptance and understanding. Therapy will be inclusive and welcoming—you’ll be in collaboration with someone who has a deep understanding of queer culture and familiarity with the unique issues folks in our community may face. I will celebrate who you are and support who you want to become.
What To Expect In Sessions
We will begin by exploring how your identity affects how you move through the world. For example, we can address emotions related to being, targeted, rejected, or discriminated against, exploring how these experiences affect how you think, feel, and behave.
Additionally, we can zero in on specific challenges you may face, such as difficulties with relationships, wanting to start a family as a queer couple or issues related to substance use. And although being queer is an important part of your identity, it's not the only thing that makes you who you are. In LGBTQIA+ therapy, we will explore other facets of your identity, including your talents, strengths, and resiliency.
The Modalities I Incorporate Into LGBTQIA+ Therapy
Some strategies we may explore are:
Focusing on alleviating distress by helping you identify strengths and develop healthy coping skills;
Helping you find community, resources, support, and acceptance with like-minded people;
Navigating romantic relationships; and
Incorporating Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) into therapy to help you diminish the impact of trauma and distressing life experiences.
Drawing from approaches such as Internal Family Systems (IFS), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Somatic Experiencing, and mindfulness, LGBTQIA+-affirmative therapy will provide you with tools to thrive. In particular, ACT can help you explore existential questions about meaning, purpose, values, and identity exploration, allowing you to gain a deeper understanding and acceptance of yourself.
Counseling For Queer Youth
If you are the parent of a child who is exploring their sexuality or gender identity or who has recently come out as lesbian, gay, bisexual, non-binary, trans, or queer, you might be worried about their safety given the state of the world. Or maybe you’re struggling to process the complex emotions surrounding your child and need support to better understand and accept them.
Because queer teens often face a host of concerns and questions at a particularly vulnerable age, LGBTQIA+ therapy can be tailored to support teens and their parents. This may include:
Exploring gender identity and/or sexuality and processing thoughts and feelings;
Counseling for coming out as queer, non-binary, and/or trans;
Exploring feelings around having a queer or trans child;
Collaborating with parents and other providers to coordinate gender-affirming medical care.
When you realize you don’t have to let others’ views define who you are, you will feel lighter and able to access more joy and fulfillment in your life. With LGBTQIA+-affirmative therapy, you can cultivate a greater sense of worth and compassion for yourself, allowing you to live more authentically.
But Maybe You’re Not Sure If LGBTQIA+ Therapy Is Right For You…
I'm uncertain about aspects of my identity.
How can LGBTQIA+ therapy help me explore this?
LGBTQIA+ therapy is a safe, non-judgmental space to explore different thoughts, feelings, desires, and experiences. Through collaborative and gender-affirming therapy sessions, you can gain deeper insight into who you are and how you can live as the most authentic version of yourself. We can also discuss how your identity may impact relationships with family, romantic partners, colleagues, and friends. Our sessions can help you discover and celebrate who you are.
I prefer to work with a therapist who truly understands my identity and the issues facing the LGBTQIA+ community.
As a queer counselor, I have lived experience and I'm actively involved in the LGBTQIA+ community. I also have a significant amount of experience providing counseling to LGBTQIA+ clients across the spectrum and in many different phases of life. I've worked with folks comfortable with their identity, as well as those just starting to explore the various parts of who they are. Additionally, I’m knowledgeable about gender-expansive folks and can appreciate the broad spectrum that exists beyond the binary.
The current political climate is negatively impacting my sense of well-being. How can LGBTQIA+ counseling help?
We're living in uncertain times so it makes sense that you’re affected by what's going on in the world. LGBTQIA+-affirmative therapy is a space where fears and anxieties can be explored and validated. You can bring all of your feelings here—anger, sadness, hurt, and frustration. It's all valid, and can even be useful in motivating you to take action. We can also explore how you can maintain a sense of balance during this challenging time and find ways to create more meaning, joy, comfort, and community.
Discover Acceptance, Support, And Encouragement In Therapy
You don’t have to face your challenges alone. To find out more about LGBTQIA+ therapy with me, please call (310) 728-9729 or visit my contact page.
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LGBTQIA+ Therapy
in Los Angeles
627 N Larchmont Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90004