Transgender Therapists in Syracuse, NY

At times, life can be overwhelming and we may need support. As a licensed therapist I utilize an affirmative, sex-positive, systemic, attachment, and experiential approach for individuals, couples, and families.

I am an affirmative therapist who provides family, couple, and individual therapy to people of all ages and identities. As a social justice oriented clinician, I work towards providing emotionally focused and culturally sensitive interventions. I have specialty training in supporting the LGBQ, transgender , and gender diverse/expansive communities. I also specialize in couples therapy, using my published theory of couples therapy but also tailoring my approach to be client driven. Through teletherapy I work with couples and families across New York State. I provide superbills for out of network benefits.

I strongly believe in the power of relationships to heal and inspire profound growth, when built upon a foundation of co-created safety and liberation. I strive to create a nonjudgmental therapeutic environment where clients can feel free to express their thoughts, feelings, and desires that may be considered taboo in other environments. I have personal and professional experience with supporting those who have been othered and bring authenticity and compassionate curiosity to the therapeutic space. I work to build awareness through exploring personal histories then drawing connections and identifying patterns across the lifetime.

I believe that each person holds within themselves everything they need to heal and grow in the ways they would like. I see the therapist's role as being one in which provides an environment of safety and care where the client can explore themselves authentically. It is through this authentic exploration, that the therapist can help the client discover how patterns and ways of being are keeping the client stuck and resulting in suffering. By bringing into awareness these aspects, the client and therapist can then work collaboratively to release the pain and explore new ways of being.

In therapy we will build upon your own inner strength, and authentic self to process and heal any pain or psychological injuries that might be getting in your way of living a happy, healthy and fulfilling life. I believe that therapy is a collaborative process, that is, we will work together to help navigate and explore any problems or patterns in your life that may be contributing to the challenges that you face. I am not a therapist that will tell you what to do, but I will help you explore your own solutions and answers, which are within you waiting to be discovered.

We are often faced with experiences that bring about many emotions within us. The struggle occurs when our emotional pain becomes too great, and we need relief from it. Psychotherapy provides an opportunity for healing. Through the collaboration of the therapeutic relationship, you can explore your authentic self and speak your truth in a genuine and honest way. This can allow you to begin to connect with your resources to aid in overcoming the obstacles between you and your goals. Psychotherapy can also provide you the space to explore patterns within your relationships to enhance meaningful connections within your life.

Prior to entering private practice, I worked for over 20 years in outpatient and inpatient mental health settings providing therapy to a diverse population. I specialize in working with the LGBTQIA+ community, and often work with clients on exploring their identity. In particular, working with clients who have experienced trauma, including sexual abuse, and how this intersects with the way they see themselves, and their overall sense of self-worth. I also have over 15 years experience working with those suffering from depression, anxiety and severe mental illness.

Therapy is one of the most difficult and brave steps we can take to unwrite the stories that were told for us. As someone who always heard therapy was for "crazy" people growing up, I know the hesitancy and unease that can come from starting a new therapy journey. It is my goal to help my clients feel safe and empowered as they begin their work. I have been dedicated to creating a space that allows for personal growth through challenging and deconstructing the narratives we have believed about ourselves that are no longer true. Finding our voice in a world dedicated to dismissing it is the greatest strength we can harness.

Need a space to care for yourself and tend to your own needs? I welcome you. Healing through therapy, although sometimes stigmatized, is an experience that most of us need in the current world. Our lives have been disrupted by unexpected and devastating events, which intensifies our stress, anxiety and loneliness. There is no better time to connect. Partnering with me, you can create a space where you feel comfortable connecting with your tender parts, discovering your strength, and most importantly, being your genuine self with no apology. That’s my experience as a client of therapy, and also what you will receive from me.

Welcome! You are already doing the best you can. Your decision to seek therapy inspires my core belief that all people deserve and deeply yearn to be seen, heard, and valued for who they authentically are, and, it can be quite a journey to get there. I offer therapy services to adolescents and adults facing challenges related to anxiety, depression, interpersonal conflict, life transitions, sexuality, self-harm, and trauma. As a therapist with training in relational therapy, I am dedicated to helping my clients build stronger, more fulfilling relationships, heal from traumatic experiences, and connect to what brings them pleasure.

I’m Linda and professionally I am both a clinical social worker as well as a credentialed alcohol substance abuse counselor (CASAC). I enjoy working with adults as they move through various life stages, managing difficult emotions, struggling with relationships, decision making or substance use/abuse. I also assist clients in completing assessments for Emotional Support Animals. My goal is to assist people in leading their best lives while managing their feelings effectively. Clients will be provided skills to feel more confident and better able to manage their range of issues.

Your heart starts racing, hands get sweaty, vision gets blurry, and there’s an elephant sitting on your chest. Maybe this started out of nowhere. Maybe you know what started this panic and this sense of doom. Either way, I’m here to sit beside you while you figure all this out. It’s no picnic to be stuck between a rock and a hard place, making difficult choices that feel impossible. Becoming an adult can be very exciting and very scary at the same time. Even when you think you’ve reached the summit of adulthood, you realize that life still has wild surprises and hard losses. The “adulting” never stops!

Therapy is The Answer. The Question? It is the reason you are here and seeking help. So many of us face stressors & challenges that could benefit from more Self-Love & more Self-Care. Therapy can be useful to identify & process challenges, to learn to manage all aspects of life, & to build Resilience, Understanding & Self-Compassion. Therapy is a private space where you can put aside the Fear of Judgement and pick up Tools for Personal Growth & progress toward Balance & Peace. As the expert in YOU, we will work together to establish meaningful goals, to get in motion with a renewed sense of motivation & to heal emotional wounds.

People seek therapy because of the challenges that come to them through times of transition. If you want to focus on healing without having to worry about a third party monitoring your personal struggles and demanding a diagnosis, I am happy to partner with you directly, creating terms that we negotiate together. Healing is likely the most important task that you'll tend to in your adult life. I will guide you in that process without pathologizing or labeling you. Becoming the fullest expression of yourself is a worthwhile and deeply personal task, not to be compromised by political systems.

Are you feeling down? Living with HIV/AIDS? Are you facing challenges as an LBGT person? Are you struggling with substances? Are you grieving the loss of a loved one? Sense of self? Are you and your intimate partner having difficulties in your relationship? Are people telling you you are not the same person they know? I have 23 years of experience in working with Gay and Lesbian issues, people with HIV/AIDS, Grief/Loss, Substance Abuse, Mental Health issues, Depression, Anxiety, Individual and Couples therapy. I work in conjunction with you , to be forthcoming, find your strengths and maximize the benefits of therapy.

Please see website link to the left for more information. I am a psychoanalytic psychologist. That means I will listen intensively, and help you express the parts of your experience and story that tend to get left out ("the unconscious"). I believe this helps you find freedom from problems and symptoms, and leads to your growth as a person. I am especially influenced by Lacanian psychoanalytic theory, but also existential and phenomenological theory. In short, this means my focus is on your humanity and its expression, rather than your conformity or "adaptation" (though therapy can help you in your work and relationships!)

Life can be overwhelming at times and hard to manage. In therapy with me, together we will work to cope and work through areas that bring you distress. Feedback I have received from individuals who have entered into therapy with me, is that they felt I was not “a robot” & felt comfortable due to my warm and relatable approach. I have assisted individuals discover & create boundaries, healing from trauma, & overcome daily obstacles such as anxiety attacks and depressive feelings. I have helped couples successfully confront their issues, build communication skills, and understand the dynamics of their relationship more clearly.