Individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ often navigate a variety of challenges. You may be feeling disconnected from your family, friends, or church community because of who you are. You may have reached out for support and instead felt rejected or misunderstood.

You may feel that you need to hide your identity from people around you, due to being rejected or fearing that you won’t be accepted for who you are. You may have experienced discrimination or victimization and feel unsafe in your day-to-day life. For all these reasons, you may struggle to feel like your authentic self.

For some, these challenges can come at a cost to overall well-being. You may experience frequent worry, sadness, or despair, which can affect your ability to function at work or school, at home, and in relationships. If you have found that difficulties such as these have become hard to manage, therapy can help.

Do I Need Therapy?

Navigating an LGBTQ+ identity can be difficult and bring about many challenges that can tax your physical and mental health. Your mind may be overrun by sadness, anxiety, or despair. You may have difficulty connecting with others as your authentic self, leading to difficulties in relationships or isolation. It’s not uncommon to cope with these challenges through unhealthy behaviors like using alcohol or drugs, disordered eating, or self-harm. If any of this resonates with you, I’m here to help.

We cope the best that we can, with the circumstances and resources that we have.

Experiencing discrimination or prejudice creates stress. Our brains are wired to be on the lookout for potential threats to our safety, and if you identify as LGBTQ+, it can feel threatening to navigate the world as your true self.

It is not uncommon to cope with discrimination and prejudice by using strategies that can make it difficult to live a full life. You may feel always on alert for signs of prejudice or rejection, and feel frequently tense or worried. You may have started hiding parts of yourself or even shutting down entire aspects of your identity just to stay connected to those around you. You may avoid situations, places, or people to keep yourself safe from harm or rejection, and feel limited in your day-to-day life and relationships. You may experience misplaced shame about your identity, leading to negative thoughts and feelings about yourself. Therapy can help – you don’t have to face these challenges alone.

Through therapy, we can work to navigate the challenges you face and help you regain feelings of purpose and authenticity in your day-to-day life.

How Can Therapy Help?

I know that many people, especially LGBTQ+ individuals, may have concerns about the type of support they'll receive in therapy. I want to be clear: I am LGBTQ+ affirming. My work is about helping you align with your core values and beliefs—not changing who you are.

We'll work together to explore the sources of pain that may be holding you back and work to honor the aspects of your identity. My goal is to help you live a full, wholehearted life where you feel aligned with who you truly are.

It's important to have a space where you can feel safe in embracing your whole identity and living a life that reflects your true self. I’m here to support you on this journey.