LGBTQ+ Therapists in San Francisco, CA

Thank you for taking this important step on your journey of healing and well being. My name is Stephen Gundlach. I am a psychotherapist working with individuals, couples, and teens. I see therapy as a process in which the therapist walks alongside you as a mirror and a guide to your own unfolding understanding of yourself and your unique story. In this process inner strengths and resiliencies are identified, habitual patterns that are no longer helping come to light, and desired growth and change become possible.

Combining both evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy and the mindfulness of Buddhist teachings, Acceptance and Commitment therapy has proven healing and useful to many clients. Together, I can help you develop the competency to face your past, find comfort in the present, and look forward to the future. I utilize flexible approaches to therapy based on what is effective for each individual client, as not every client will respond effectively to the same types of therapy. I try to prioritize the therapeutic methods most helpful to you. I have experience working with many clients in the LGBTQ + community.

Are you a gay man struggling with anxiety, a major life transition, depression or feel isolated from the gay community? While social media and dating apps provide easy ways to stay connected and meet new people, they may not provide the type of intimacy you want. As a gay therapist, I understand our experiences are as diverse as everyone else's, and at the same time, there are aspects of our lives that are unique to us and our community. During our work together, you will gain deeper insight into your problems, develop skills to change unhelpful patterns and feel more empowered to achieve the happiness and fulfillment you deserve.

I understand how important it is for my clients to feel supported and be able to address their immediate concerns as quickly and as effectively as possible. I view therapy as a collaborative process where I work with my clients to acquire the appropriate coping skills for their present difficulties while gaining the understanding and insight needed to handle future challenges. By working together, I will help you to build on your strengths and expand your skills to not only cope with the obstacles in life, but to optimize your well-being and to reach for your full potential.

My clients often show up to therapy because of a need for meaningful change in their lives, and a desire to feel happier and more fulfilled. You may find yourself struggling with self-doubt and a harsh, critical inner voice; feeling stuck, sad, far away, and disconnected; navigating a new or difficult circumstance such as death of a loved one; or wanting help to reduce conflict and improve communication with your partner. I see therapy as an opportunity for transformative insight, creativity, self-expression, and healing. It is a place to process and move past the painful experience that stick with us and hold us back.

Expansive Therapy is an LGBTQ affirming mental health counseling practice with locations in New York City and Los Angeles. We offer online therapy to individuals and couples anywhere in New York State and California State. We have a diverse team of therapists offering a wide variety of specialties, and we match you with a provider who meets your needs and availability. Our mission at Expansive Therapy is to create a safe space for the LGBTQ community to heal and grow, to expand the things that are working, and to encourage personal freedom.

I help adults and teens looking to become more aware, learn and better themselves. Maybe there is something that needs to shift/change or maybe it is just a growth-oriented process. I have done a lot of my work with people who identify as Trans /Gender Non-Conforming/Nonbinary. Other queer populations who I have a lot of experience helping include couples, polyamorous relationships, the Latinx community, long-term HIV survivors, and gay / Queer men. My work celebrates diverse genders, sexualities and kink identities. My ideal client is open to work in a way that combines talk therapy, yoga/somatic approaches and art-based therapies.

Therapy is not one-size-fits-all. I provide personalized support and the help you need to overcome your current emotional or situational challenges. I work with you so you can overcome your problems and develop healthy, effective coping strategies that you can use throughout your life. We will get to the source of your problems and help you develop the skills and strategies you need to handle your life’s challenges. I believe that the adversities we experience in life can be great opportunities for personal growth and transformation.

My practice focuses on helping my clients compassionately explore what is happening for them in their lives. Life can feel very scary right now for many and anxiety and stress can often become unmanageable when it is not addressed and dealt with. In our work together, I use an energy practice called Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) otherwise known as Tapping. It has been scientifically proven to reduce cortisol and help with anxiety, stress, depression, and many other issues. I like to think of it as adding a physical component to talk therapy. And truly believe it's a game changer in healing.

Human connection is the catalyst needed to explore any underlining psychic distress. In my psychotherapy practice, I prioritize fostering a collaborative relationship to provide emotional and personal safety, allowing you to dive beneath the surface to better understand the underlying causes of your personal distress. The goal is, through exploration, to create opportunities for you to become more self-aware of your own thoughts and feelings, empowering you to re-create new ways of connecting to yourself and loved ones

Are you feeling stuck in life, struggling with depression, anxiety, shame, relationship conflicts, or patterns you want to change? I’m here to support you in finding your way, cultivating self-awareness, and greater clarity. I approach therapy with warmth, sensitivity, and compassion. Our work together will hold a space for you to feel seen, heard, and understood. We will identify your goals, get attuned to what you need, and how to achieve it while learning to be gentle with yourself in the process and practicing self-acceptance.

Let’s face it – no one understands LGBTQ people better than LGBTQ people. And a therapist who “gets” you makes all the difference. I founded the Gay Therapy Center in 2015 because I believe in the healing power of LGBTQ people working with LGBTQ therapists. It's very important in therapy to know for sure that your therapist really "gets" you. At GTC, we’re LGBTQ therapists for LGBTQ people. I founded the Gay Therapy Center in 2015 because I believe in the healing power of LGBTQ people working with LGBTQ therapists.

I specialize in working with queer , gay , bisexual , & transgender adults & adolescents in the San Francisco Bay Area. I am most passionate about providing advocacy for cultural and economic diversity in our community and serving LGBTQ + people experiencing depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Engaging in therapy is more important than ever especially in response to our current political climate and recent backlash of conservative values showing incredible disrespect toward the LGBTQ community and throwing extra stress at immigrant populations and communities of Color.

I put an emphasis on the working relationship between client and clinician. This allows me to have a warm, interactive, strength-based and client-centered approach using a variety of modalities. In my work with youth, I also gained experience and insight into the patterns we fall into as children/young adults (based on a multitude of events or traumas in our lives) and how these can later have an effect on our adult selves. I believe that bringing awareness to these patterns and unpacking their origins can be incredibly helpful. I also bring a queer , feminist, trauma-informed, and culturally sensitive/curious lens my work.

I believe that we all deserve a safe space to process our experiences, and my primary goal is to provide you that space. I offer safe and affirming individual and couples therapy for adults, teens and couples of all identities, with a specialty in working with LGBTQ +, Trans , and Non Binary communities. I work with clients who struggle with self-worth, anxiety, codependency, relationships, trauma and sexual identity. I pull from my training in gestalt, mindfulness, emotion-focused, IFS and attachment theory to create an environment that allows you to develop a greater understanding of what’s holding you back from the life you want.

Are you struggling with issues of anxiety, panic, phobias, OCD, stress, self-criticism, shyness, or excessive worry? Are your efforts to cope not working or making things worse? My goal in therapy is to help you move out of old, unproductive ways of dealing with problems, and learn more flexible and effective ways of responding to life's challenges. I am an experienced and caring therapist. My style is supportive, interactive and engaged. Together we can work on what is most meaningful to you, and help you move towards those things that you care most deeply about in your life.

As LGBTQ people we often find ourselves wondering "where do I belong in this world?" and "why can't I just be myself?" It seems like we've tried everything but we don't feel like we belong or we are in a safe place to live & work. We often wonder... when is this going to get better? When can I just live my life fully how I am? Sometimes we feel sad and it can be a very lonely place. We can even forget just how special and unique we are because we are so different and surrounded by those who just don't get it. We really want someone who can connect to us and make our experiences feel validated, reminding us that we are beautiful.