LGBTQIA+ Affirming
Services
Let’s start by acknowledging that we are living in difficult times.
The world is rapidly changing, in exciting and scary ways. On the positive side- the internet has introduced us to new information, new labels, new ways of understanding our identity that we might not have had the words for in the past. We’re learning information that has been around for centuries but hasn’t been easily accessible to the broader public. This may be opening new doors for your life or your relationships, and those changes can be a lot to process.
While that part of life is advancing and moving forward, it also feels like the world around us is moving backwards. With over 500 anti-LGBTQIA+ bills being pushed across the country, there is a collective trauma being experienced in the community. If your LGBTQIA+ identity intersects with another social identity such as a marginalized race, ethnicity, disability, or immigration status, every day may feel like an uphill battle right now. As a therapist and a human, I am committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for all individuals, and advocating for equality at all levels of injustice. My practice is rooted in the belief that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their sexual orientation, physical sex, or gender identity.
Now more than ever, it is important to build a supportive community.
Therapy is a great place to start. Therapy can be a place to talk through the stressors that are impacting you the most, whether that is an exciting new change or fighting your way through daily battles of life. Before starting therapy, my clients often felt like talking about these problems wouldn’t change anything. However, as the talking gets deeper, they start to uncover strengths they didn’t know they had, tools they didn’t know existed, and needs they didn’t realize weren’t being met. Therapy is a place they could drop all of the masks they wear and really think about their own wants, needs, and dreams. Life doesn’t often provide much free time to spend on these needs, but therapy is a guaranteed hour you can commit fully to yourself.
There is a startling amount of people in this world who don’t understand the issues that the LGBTQIA+ community faces. Who loudly support policies and politicians pushing harmful rhetoric. Who don’t understand the importance of calling you the correct name or using the correct pronouns. Although there isn’t anything therapy can do to change these people, it can be a place to process how these people impact you. My clients often use therapy to build confidence and communication skills to better express their needs to their unsupportive loved ones. Some use therapy to weigh out the pros and cons of sharing their true identity with these loved ones, or figuring out a coming-out timeline that works best for their personal experience. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for these problems, but therapy can help you find the solutions unique to your needs.
This Post-COVID era we are living in has really shaken our sense of community. Many people have struggled to return to the “normal” social life that existed before the pandemic. A struggling economy leads to burnt out people with no spare time for social clubs or volunteer organizations. This is especially true for people who fear discrimination or judgement in their local area. In therapy we will work to find creative solutions to these barriers to build the community you need, while protecting your sense of safety.
Common Issues Addressed in Therapy
Questioning & Exploring Sexuality or Gender Identity
Medical Transition & Hormonal Adjustments
Social Transition
Societal Barriers, Discrimination, Oppression
Queer Relationships
Unsupportive Family
Gender Affirming Care
I’ve worked with clients through all different stages of questioning, exploring, and transitioning their gender identity. I am a firm believer that gender-affirming care is life-saving care, and I am here to support you as you figure out what that looks like for you. My job is to help you navigate the physical and social changes that come with transition, empower you to meet your authentic needs, and help you build skills to cope with the challenges outside of your control.
I am trained to administer Readiness Assessments for Gender Affirming Care and provide a professional letter of recommendation to receive medical services or change legal identifiers. I work with individuals on their timeline to support them in receiving the care they need as quickly as possible. Readiness Assessments are a process of informed consent. My job is to walk through all of the options, details, risks, and benefits of the medical treatment you are seeking. This includes exploring how it may impact your interpersonal relationships and any current mental health symptoms you are experiencing. There are no tests or hoops to jump through to prove your gender. I’m just here to make sure you are prepared for the few challenges and medical risks of your procedure, along with all of the wonderful, lifesaving, and life-expanding parts of transition.