LGBTQ+ Affirming Therapists in Los Angeles, CA

Hi, I'm glad you're here. If you've come this far it means that you are making the choice to take care of yourself and work to lead a healthy life. That is a brave and important decision, and I'm here to help. I specialize in working with Queer and Trans people as well as artists, writers, and creatives who have experienced trauma or find themselves feeling stuck and disconnected. We will utilize your unique strengths and focus our work on processing your experience and providing you with the tools so you can live as your most authentic self.

I began my private practice with one purpose in mind: to treat clients with respect for the possibility of change in their lives. It is my belief that the best treatment includes the development of a trusting relationship. I am here to support you in creating a life of courage in which you can tackle the obstacles that have limited your potential. I empower individuals to replace feelings of hopelessness with hope for a brighter future. Together, we can forge a plan that will lead to a much more fulfilling life experience.

Life can be overwhelming at times because so much is happening to us and around us everyday. Navigating your way through all of it, in the healthiest way possible, can sometimes seem harder than the challenges themselves. Maintaining your peace, living unapologetically, setting boundaries, processing your emotions, owning your truths and overcoming one obstacle after another can all sound like easy tasks, but we’ve all struggled with them. I’m here to invite you into a safe and brave space of recognizing and resolving the challenges you face, while we discover your strengths. The time for radical change and healing is always now.

Working together, I help you overcome challenges, setbacks, barriers, and losses in life, to heal and thrive again. You can learn to overcome challenges such as depression, anxiety, trauma, OCD, ADHD, job stress, career planning, dating/relationship skills, sexual dysfunction, and substance issues, as well as building a better relationship with your partner. I am the most experienced gay men's specialist psychotherapist in the United States, with over 29 years experience. I'm also an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist, adjunct Associate Professor at USC, clinical supervisor, and author. In-office, phone, &webcam sessions available.

Therapy is a space for you to be fully YOU - and to discover what you can become - in a safe, supportive, and nonjudgmental environment. Most people start therapy because they are struggling: overwhelmed by personal stressors, times of adjustment and transition, or past trauma. You don't have to do it alone. I am here to support you with a warm, authentic, human connection. I use my experience and training to help you get closer to where you want to be. As we work through your struggles, you will learn to uncover inner strengths and cultivate a greater sense of purpose and meaning.

Anxiety, depression, and various mental health concerns impact our ability to maintain happiness, meaningful relationships, and positive coping skills. Therapy can be intimidating and uncomfortable at times, but I pride myself in creating a very interactive, fun, and accepting experience while assisting my clients learn the tools needed to better support their overall well-being. I invite you to collaborate with me, judgement free, to achieve your mental health needs both individually and relationally.

Hi, I'm Ashley, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 13 years of experience working with adults, couples and families affected by substance use disorders, trauma and acute mental health disorders. I have worked in a variety of clinical settings which include residential, outpatient, community mental health, private practice and teaching graduate students in an adjunct role.

Los Angeles is not an easy city, and these are not easy times. I invite individuals who are navigating identity, relationships, health, and trauma to my practice. I specialize in working within a gender affirming and trauma-informed framework, cultivating our strengths in order to build a life that feels sustainable and true to who we are. I especially welcome those who are new to psychotherapy and am a firm believer in demystifying the process. I approach my practice with warmth, cultural humility, an active and collaborative stance, and authenticity.

How does your need for certainty play out? Does it force you to try to predict? Does it persuade you to declare things that you don't actually know? Perhaps the need for certainty is powerful enough to rob you of genuine moments with loved ones or with yourself. Research finds that people who take risks (those who step into the unknown) are happier than those who merely reach for reward or gratification. Why? Because healthy risk-taking has rewards sewn into the experience when we authentically try. It builds skills in self-advocacy, self-love and self-worth.

Choosing a therapist is an important decision. In my experience, the best therapeutic work happens when there is a strong relationship between you and your therapist. I believe that healing happens when you are able to share your inner world with another person and feel safe and supported doing so. My goal is to create an environment where you feel seen, heard, cared for, and understood. Processing your experiences in therapy helps to deepen self-awareness, and can positively impact your mood, functioning, and interpersonal relationships.

Existing can be difficult. Tolerating the pressures of personal and societal histories can leave you feeling stuck; add figuring out meaning and purpose of life, and things get overwhelming. Using a straightforward, interactive style (with plenty of humor) I will assist you in bringing a new understanding to issues from the past that limit and color the present. I create a collaborative space where we make sense of all the unknowns of life; whether you are looking to heal shame, trauma, or heal anxiety or grief, I will help you can make the changes necessary to make living a bit easier and move through life with more grace.

Life can be overwhelming and uncertain. With so many things out of our control, we may feel anxious, confused and hopeless. We want a sense of relief and for things to feel easier, but it can seem impossible to feel hopeful. While all of this can be true, what I also believe is that we are resilient. But because society and traumatic events can box us into how we think we ‘should’ be, think or feel, the wonderful and unique strengths we possess get shielded from our view. We no longer see ourselves as who we actually are, but rather who the world has told us we are. Seeking out for support itself is a sign of strength.

Are you feeling stuck in your life and feel overwhelmed when you think about making changes? Or maybe there has been an unexpected change in your life that feels too big to handle and the coping skills you normally use aren’t working or have become more of a problem than a solution. I help my clients make changes in their lives by helping them work through unhelpful patterns, conducting an examination of where things are for them currently vs. where they would like things to be and to make the adjustments in their lives that helps steer them in a positive direction.

You might have what people think is a "good life," but feel something is missing. And while you may be able to get out of bed in the morning, you might feel it's harder for you than others. You may be struggling with anxiousness; sadness; personal or professional life changes; excessive worry; difficult relationships or falling into old romantic habits; difficult break-ups or divorce; grief or feelings of guilt; feelings of isolation; adjustments to growing older; poor self-esteem; or have LGBTQ + concerns.

Maybe you are acknowledging that old patterns of behavior or thinking are no longer serving you and are instead causing you discomfort or even distress. Maybe you are facing new challenges and are motivated to enhance your skill set to cope with them. In any case, I am ready to join you on your journey of redefining purpose in your life and making meaningful change.

I have a deep passion for helping people find liberation from problems that bring them to therapy. Understanding why we do things the way we do them is critical to growth, change and healing. I ground my work in warmth, compassion, authenticity and an understanding of how thoughts and emotions relate to neuro/physiological processes, as well as how past experiences inform current beliefs, thoughts, feelings and behaviors. My aim is to help you gain clarity into underlying causes of problems, provide strategies for coping and support you in taking risks and trying new ways of being, to live a more fulfilling and meaningful life.

People seek therapy for so many reasons, but mostly we all want to feel loved, safe and understood. We want to feel a sense purpose & feel good enough as we are, and yet so many of us struggle to feel these ways. Sometimes our lives look very different than we imagined & we need help making sense out of things. We might be feeling disconnected or numb, uncertain or alone. We might be questioning the direction we are heading and need to find some clarity or hope. Self compassion & radical self-acceptance are cornerstones of my work. I'd like to explore these concepts with you and help you make meaning of your life and sense of self.

I see therapy as a collaborative process exploring how the past informs the present and allowing trust and authenticity to foster insight and development. I strive to provide the highest quality of care, focusing on the unique needs of each individual and creating a safe environment with room for challenges, exploration, process, and growth. I help clients learn and practice skills for tolerating pain in times of crisis, responding instead of reacting, increasing self-respect, improving relationships, and participating fully in each moment. My ultimate goal is to help my clients build and nurture a life they feel is worth living.

Are you LGBTQIA + and do you want someone who listens, provides feedback, and tailors sessions to your preferred format? Anxiety and figuring stuff out as an LGBTQIA + person is draining. You deserve a space where you can be vulnerable. You are exhausted as you try to manage it all with your inner-critic snapping at you. I'm gay myself, so I understand how weird this world can feel. Let's work together to bring back a sense of ease and calm. You can learn how to deal with stress, overwhelm, and feelings of hopelessness.

My passion lies in helping you find your path to increased happiness and living a life that is authentically yours. Through our conversations, you will gain deeper insight into elements in your life that might be challenging to shift. Together we will work to understand your experiences, process feelings and create inner peace and acceptance from within.