LGBTQ+ Affirming Therapists in Pittsburgh, PA

*Accepting new clients* When we are running low on time, energy, and emotional capacity, we benefit from some support. Taking time to organize one's efforts and access additional resources can expedite growth, ease tension, and relieve distress. I enjoy creating a highly affirming and validating environment, a safe space where we are able to balance logical problem-solving, humor and positivity, as well as emotional processing. We will create clear goals and then make intentional progress toward those goals while being adaptive to what feels right and functions effectively for you.

Many of us are navigating systems that were not designed to nourish us, and growing through hardships that leave us feeling isolated and overwhelmed. I specialize in helping people (especially LGBTQ people, BIPOC, and Autistic people) understand how therapeutic skills (acceptance and commitment, interpersonal skills, trauma work, emotion regulation) can be applied to overcome and liberate. By enhancing your strengths, reworking and relearning coping mechanisms, reframing beliefs about yourself, you can find peace and joy. I also help people manage OCD/OCD-spectrum disorders and Bipolar Disorder.

*Accepting new clients* Vulnerability. It's a word that sounds all motivating and "Hell yeah!" when Brene Brown talks about it, but when it comes to actually DOING it, it terrifies you. In order to get to the root of what's causing your discomfort, I'm going to ask you to get vulnerable. I'm going to ask you to share your story (no, the real story) with me. But you don't have to do it alone. I want to help you move from SURIVING to THRIVING. I want you to FINALLY start living the life you've imagined. It doesn't have to be "someday". It can be now. And I can help.

Whether you choose to start counseling because you’re having difficulty making changes in life, dealing with stress, anxiety, or depression, or wanting to improve your self-confidence, I would be honored to assist you on your journey. My therapeutic style is warm, collaborative, and respectful. I believe that you are in charge of your therapeutic journey and my role is to walk with you and offer ideas and concepts to help you achieve the goals you have chosen. I will not tell you how to think, feel, or behave. Instead, you and I will explore options to help you determine the right path for you.

At the cross roads of our mental wellness journey are challenging questions: Am I enough? Am I too much? Am I in? or Am I out? When will I be home? The Jackfruit Project seeks to cultivate resilience, connection, and mutuality among gay / bisexual , and queer men seeking to find their true north to take committed action in their lives. The Jackfruit Project is staffed by Dr. Noel B. Ramirez, LCSW and David Harvey, LSW. Both have lived and professional experiences in the LGBTQIA community and are dedicated to providing gay , queer , bi men a space to find integration and access to their full self.

You are at a place in your life where you want to feel heard, validated, affirmed and respected. You are tired of feeling dismissed and not important. You are exhausted from trying to just survive and you want to LIVE. You want a therapist who makes every session worth your time and energy, someone who engages with you in a very active way. Someone who will challenge you but also celebrate with you every victory. You want to finally just be able to feel the way you want to feel!

(Virtual appointments only) Hi I’m Ben! I am a Licensed Professional Counselor with five years of experience providing psychotherapy to teenagers and adults. I work with individuals experiencing depression, anxiety, low-self-esteem, relationship issues, and individuals who identify as LGBTQ +. I have worked as a counselor in a mental health agency, a behavioral health organization for children, a university, and a drug and alcohol outpatient clinic.

My work explores human sexuality. My focus is on LGBTQ + mental health and challenging or compulsive sexual behaviors. My clients are looking to build connections with others but have struggled to do so. Are you struggling to come to terms with who you are attracted to? Are you ready to understand and embrace your gender and sexual identities? Have you lost or damaged important relationships? Do you struggle to manage sexual thoughts and urges? Are you finding that stigma and misunderstanding is getting in the way of your goals?

Feeling connected with your therapist is one of the most important parts of any journey of self-exploration. In the music psychotherapy & gender affirming voicework that I do as a music therapist & pre-licensed professional counselor, I use a collaborative, nonpathologizing, resource-oriented approach that fosters creative healing spaces for personal growth. Basically, this means that while I certainly bring my knowledge, resources & lived experiences into the therapy space, I strive to honor your expertise of who you as well as your own strengths & resources. Together, we work to foster the kind of life that you want to be living.

*Accepting new clients* Being able to connect with a therapist is hard--really hard. Especially if you are part of the LGBTQIA + community. Am I right? Feeling "other" has become so normal that we often don't even realize we are merely surviving because we don't know there's another way to exist. Stress, shame, and all of the other emotions swirling around create a tornado that is hard to get out of. That's where I come in. I'm a LGBTQIA +, relationship (i.e. CNM), and culturally affirming therapist with lived experience as a queer woman with a trans partner, as well as assisted reproduction and gender-expansive parenting.

We all grow up and live in a society which favors conformity. Not "fitting in" or being "different" can result in feelings of depression, low self-esteem, and isolation which can effect all aspects of our lives. This can be especially true for the LGBTQ population. As a psychodynamic therapist, my goal is to assist you in your personal development from unsatisfying or painful patterns of living and to a life that you can celebrate. While we can't change the past, we can work together to change how it continues to impact your life and resolve challenges and issues that have resulted from it.

*Accepting new clients!* Being able to connect with a clinician is hard--really hard. Especially if you are part of the LGBTQIA + community. Am I right? Feeling "other" has become so normal that we often don't even realize we are merely surviving because we don't know there's another way to exist. Stress, oppression, shame, and collective trauma all create a tornado that is hard to get out of. That's where I come in. Drawing from both lived experience and professional experience, my goal is to help you move from merely surviving to truly thriving and step into your authenticity with confidence, contentment, and peace.

My calendar is currently full. Please check this space for availability. I give my clients feedback and use my life experiences to connect with them. My job as a counselor is to help clients progress and attain their goals. I "meet clients where they are" which means that I won't try to force you to say or do anything that doesn't feel right for you. I'll help you to view situations in new ways, clarify ideas, and invite you to try new things. As partners in counseling, we work to achieve the same ends. Every person has physical, emotional, mental and spiritual aspects which are all considered and addressed in my approach.

***At this time I am not accepting new clients*** Do you find yourself feeling stuck? Reliving the past and dreading the future? Struggling to find peace? Life can be uncertain and unjust. Yet we are tasked with creating our own meaning around painful experiences. I want to help you regain your personal power, find peace with your past, and envision a life with joy and warmth.

Hi there! Struggling with feelings in general? Don’t quite know where to turn? I am glad you found my page. I have worked with a diverse group of clients with many different struggles but I specialize in adults, young adults and teens. I like to take a conversational approach to therapy. I don’t want our sessions to feel like an uncomfortable doctor's appointment but rather a comfortable place to explore ideas and ask questions. I want to partner with you in the way you work best whether that be crystals and meditation, memes and social media, or just starting with the basics.

My focus as a therapist is to assist my clients in recognizing their strengths and using them to become the best person they can be. I specialize in working with the LGBT community on a variety of issues and am a sex-positive therapist. I use a trauma-informed approach with all of my clients and have been helping those who have been through various traumas in their lives throughout my years of practice.

*Accepting new clients* You're so tired of arriving to therapy in "parts"--tell them this, don't tell them that, definitely don't tell them THAT... You are ready to show up as your full self, but it's also a terrifying thought so you hesitate to take that first step. What you DO know, however, is that you can't keep going like you have. It's stressful, and you're tired. You are ready to move from feeling like you're merely surviving to feeling like you are finally LIVING. During moments of struggle, we can decide to continue to suffer or launch into a new path towards healing. And you don't have to do it all alone.

Not able to accommodate new clients until June 2016. I have over 10 years experience providing psychological services in a number of settings including Private Practice, University Counseling Centers, and Community Mental Health. My doctoral training emphasized multicultural awareness and this focus has continued through my work to date. I have experience working with diverse populations, including sexual, racial/ethnic, and religious minorities, persons with disabilities, etc. Not only am I experienced and comfortable working with diverse populations, I am very passionate about and greatly enjoy this work. Additionally, I am an LGBTQ -affirmative and sex positive therapist.

As a social worker, I am highly attuned to the daily social, institutional, and communal injustices that impact different historically oppressed people. My counseling philosophy is grounded in trauma-informed practices, meaning I value collaboration, empowerment, and emotional and physical safety above all else. In time, clients will gain a richer understanding of themselves while working towards self-determined goals. I am especially attuned to those experiencing LGBT issues, trauma, and depression, as well as various non-monogamous relationships and organizing for social justice.

Maybe you’re just starting your healing journey, or looking for a change - to meet with a therapist who sees you as a whole person, and not just your circumstances. Maybe you’ve tried therapy before but it feels like no one really gets it, or the things that “should” work just don’t. Therapy with Bailey is a little bit different because we have to do things in new ways to start to think and feel better than before. Based out of Pittsburgh, PA and serving clients in Utah through telehealth, this is truly therapy outside the box.