Therapy for LGBTQIA+,
Sexuality & Gender Exploration

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA & ONLINE

Affirm Your True Identity

LGBTQIA+ affirmative therapy addresses the unique challenges faced by individuals who identify as LGBT, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, or Questioning or Relationship Non-Conforming (Ethical Non-Monogamy).

You may already have encountered these common LGBTQIA+ challenges in therapy:

  • Therapists who do not fully grasp the experience of growing up LGBTQIA+ and who lack familiarity with LGBTQ communities, culture & language.

  • Therapeutic approaches that implicitly assume universal goals, values, beliefs & relationship structures.

  • Sessions that come across as judgmental or othering, treating LGBTQIA+ identities as exotic or to be tolerated rather than genuinely affirmed.

  • Assumptions that every aspect of your life revolves around your LGBTQIA+ identity, or that all LGBTQ people have similar experiences.

  • Pronouns and preferred names that keep getting dropped by accident without apology or repair.

  • Finding yourself holding back important aspects of your experience & recreating childhood patterns.

For LGBTQIA+ folks, it can be tough to find a therapist who really "gets" it. And for LGBTQIA+ couples, it can be even harder.

Many of us at Beyond are identified within the LGBTQIA+ community and all of us are allied and affirming.

We offer a safe and supportive LGBTQIA+ affirmative space where individuals can speak openly and honestly without fear of judgment. Our approach is attuned to the specific difficulties in coming out (or not), not being accepted by family and/or community, grappling with questions of identity, and confronting homophobia and transphobia. We commonly address low self-esteem, relationship issues, social isolation, anxiety, depression, body and gender dysmorphia, and issues around other intersectional identities.

By focusing on the unique needs of LGBTQIA+ individuals, affirmative therapy aims to build a stronger foundation for mental and emotional well-being. We recognize and validate LGBTQIA+ experiences & providing tailored support that acknowledges the complexity of your journey. This helps you feel more understood, accepted, valued, and connected to the world around you.

“It is a joy to be hidden, and a disaster not to be found.”
- D.W. Winnicott

Common LGBTQIA+ Related Symptoms

  1. Anxiety related to fear of discrimination, rejection, or stigma.

  2. Depression related to social isolation, family rejection, and internalized homophobia or transphobia.

  3. Low self-esteem particularly in non-affirming environments.

  4. Body & gender dysmorphia due to internalized bias & social messaging.

  5. Substance abuse as a coping mechanism for dealing with stress and discrimination.

  6. Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors often due to feelings of hopelessness and lack of support.

  7. Chronic Stress related to the ongoing need to navigate hostile environments.

  8. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) from trauma, including hate crimes, bullying, and family rejection, that can lead to PTSD.

  9. Eating Disorders particularly among transgender individuals, due to body image issues and dysphoria.

  10. Internalized Stigma from conditioned negative beliefs.

  11. Relationship Issues around forming and maintaining healthy relationships impacted by external pressures & discrimination.

A Somatic Approach to Healing

In addition to validating and supporting your true identity, we show you practices that support nervous system to achieve self-regulation. These practices allow blocked energy and emotional pain to move through your body, bringing you back to a restful and alert state. Once we reconnect the nervous system, you start to feel and value your self, and energy and motivation come online.

We help you to unburden the original traumas that live on in nervous system patterns. To do this, we need to meet and befriend the protective parts that are shielding or blocking your core energy, including internalized homophobia. With more understanding and acceptance, these parts can start to work together as a team and give you more access to your life force.

We also support you in developing exercise, sleep & nutrition habits that support your positive energy and help create a virtuous cycle of improvement in all areas.

Lastly, we help you build a personalized tool-kit for managing your mental health concerns in case they ever show up again, so that you never have to worry about it ahead of time.

Therapists Near Me

  • Neha Agrawal, Psy. D.

    CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST

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  • Chloe Bean, AMFT

    PSYCHOTHERAPIST ASSOCIATE

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  • Kim Bielak, LMFT

    PSYCHOTHERAPIST

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  • Angie Bradshaw, AMFT, APCC

    PSYCHOTHERAPIST ASSOCIATE

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  • Sam Breen, LMFT

    PSYCHOTHERAPIST

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  • Lisa Chen, LMFT

    PSYCHOTHERAPIST

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  • Susie Cobb, AMFT

    PSYCHOTHERAPIST ASSOCIATE

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  • James Dvorak, AMFT

    PSYCHOTHERAPIST ASSOCIATE

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  • Emily Ford, AMFT

    PSYCHOTHERAPIST ASSOCIATE

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  • Steve Frielander, LMFT, SEP, CACT IV

    PSYCHOTHERAPIST

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  • Brandon Gross, AMFT

    PSYCHOTHERAPIST ASSOCIATE

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  • Sudi Khosropur, LMFT

    PSYCHOTHERAPIST

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  • Patch McCormick, ACSW

    PSYCHOTHERAPIST ASSOCIATE

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  • Miranda Selwyn Bishop

    Miranda Selwyn Bishop

    PSYCHOTHERAPIST ASSOCIATE

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  • Margaret Sigel, AMFT

    PSYCHOTHERAPIST ASSOCIATE

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  • Camila Webb, AMFT

    PSYCHOTHERAPIST ASSOCIATE

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Embark on Your Healing Journey

Contact us today. We have a diverse group of LGBTQIA+ identified and affirming therapists who can provide in-person therapy in Los Angeles and virtual coaching around the world.

We would be happy to answer your questions and support you as you move toward a more vibrant and expressive life.

Additional LGBTQIA+ mental health resources can be found on this DMH webpage.