LGBTQ+ Affirming Therapy

Thinking Outside of the Binary

Has this ever happened to you?

A server at a restaurant misgendering you…

Your teacher or co-worker calling on you by your deadname…

Maybe even a parent or close family member intentionally not affirming or not accepting your identity, your friends, or your partners…

So why do our fellow humans feel the need to fit our existence into such a binary way of thinking?

Well, aside from unfair and unrealistic societal expectations, there are a lot of folks out there who haven’t taken the time to sit with themselves and explore this binary way of thinking.

Even more, many are holding onto underlying insecurities…their own fears of rejection and judgment… internalized phobias…

And when we don’t understand something or can’t make sense of a new concept, people tend to feel vulnerable, which causes them to react defensively and reject that which they cannot comprehend.

Identity is more than just a label, an orientation, or a gender.

Identity is a core necessity to a healthy mind, body, and soul.

It is a truly vulnerable and raw conversation with self on all levels of existence. Identity evolves, strengthens, and grows with us as life does.

It exists best on a continuum of self-exploration and wholehearted love and acceptance. It is the true essence of our life’s existence and purpose, and so important to having deep meaningful connections with others.

The most surprising piece of it all? It starts with family.

The Power of Family

With everything going on in the world today, it is more important than ever for our youth to grow up with a sense of belonging and a feeling of unconditional love and acceptance from those closest to them.

As identity and personality develops and solidifies during adolescence, the teen years become a crucial time for strengthening the parent-child relationship.

By preserving healthy family bonds, we can help teens grow into successful and healthy adults, fostering future generations of healed and strengthened family systems.

Parents and family members need support too, and you’re not alone!

I often work with the parents and family members of my clients on their own separate journey of love, acceptance, and understanding of their child’s new emotional and physical needs, and provide support and skills to effectively manage the challenges that come along this journey in order to help them best support their kiddo.

Living your Truth

Living your truth is hard enough when you know what your truth is…

But exploring who you are is a whole process on its own… A process that is most deeply enhanced by having the right supports and an affirming space to explore all the many wonderful pieces that make you, YOU.

And for the folks out there that do not have safe or supportive place to fully explore this truth:
I SEE YOU.

In therapy, I offer a space of acceptance, love and kindness to teens, young adults, and their families to explore, support and celebrate the many beautiful and unique qualities that encompass their whole and complete selves.

Let’s support your true and authentic self.

Whether you’re starting this exploration for the first time or diving deeper into some next-level self or family work, I am here to support you.

In my office I will guide you in exploring your inner self and how that connects to sexuality, gender, and the relationship between your body and mind. We’ll create a safe and trusting space for you to be vulnerable one step at a time, working through previous stuck points and roadblocks.

I will teach and help you practice new skills and techniques to best support yourself outside of session when managing distressing symptoms of dysphoria, navigating the steps for transition, prepping for coming out, and all affected intersections of identity that may be triggered during this exploration.

And I will incorporate systemic techniques to help you explore generational patterns, parental messages, and family roles to help heal and strengthen your core self and foster new healthy relationships with both given and chosen family, friends and partners.

If you are the parent/guardian, or close family member of a young person on this journey, and you could use some extra support in navigating this new lens, I am here for you too.

I will guide and support you in your own exploration of you and your loved one’s identity journey and will incorporate psychoeducation, systemic techniques, and effective coping and communication skills to support a continued healthy connection.

Let’s connect and help you start living your life as your true and authentic self. Call me today (267) 989-9113.