LGBTQ+ Therapy in Austin.

Our LGBTQ+ friendly therapists in Austin, TX provide mental health services in a supportive environment.

LGBTQ+ therapists work by creating a safe space for clients. Like most people who go to therapy, we want to give our queer-identified clients a place where they feel understood and supported as they work on their therapy goals.

Attaining the goals of therapy requires a different set of professional skills when sexual orientation and gender identity come into the mix. Our experts know how sexuality and gender can affect a client's life, especially in a society that often makes heterosexuality the norm and pushes away people who don't fit in.

There are several issues that clients may relate to their identity that others do not. LGBTQ+ affirming therapists listen to clients without pushing them in any direction when it comes to their issues.

As therapists, we listen to what a client is going through, provide support for them to overcome their identity-related issues, and then help them set realistic goals to work towards self-acceptance and their most authentic selves.

Here are some issues that affect LGBTQ+ clients that our affirmative therapists can help address:

Identity Exploration

Young patients who are just beginning to grow into their identities tend to go through a confusing phase. We can help demystify this development stage to help people explore and accept their uniqueness. 

Romantic Relationships

Any couple going through problems needs professional counseling. When people in a romantic relationship identify as queer, they will need a therapist who is sensitive to the unique challenges queer couples face.

Gender-Affirming Medical Interventions

Gender affirmation involves helping transgender individuals match their identity with their outer expression. We can help connect you to the medical procedures that are unique to transgender people, such as hormone therapy and reconstructive surgery.

Intimacy, Dating, and Sex

Queer people might face trouble engaging in sensual and sexual activity when they have no healthy guides to follow. With limited media representation of what healthy queer relationships look like, an LGBTQ+ affirming therapist can help queer people navigate such topics.

Past or Current Discrimination

Many LGBTQ+ individuals have faced or continue to face discrimination based on their identity and expression. Affirmative therapy can help them find healthy approaches to these challenges.

Trauma

Individuals with underlying trauma might find trouble living authentic lives as someone within the LGBTQ+ spectrum. Affirming therapists can help these people excavate that trauma to help them live a fulfilling life fearlessly.

Shame and Guilt

Queer-identified people seeking therapy might feel ashamed of living authentically, especially if they have no one to relate with. The safe spaces LGBTQ+ therapist creates can help such individuals reevaluate their guilt and assure them of their identity.

Stress From Within LGBTQ+ Communities

LGBTQ+ individuals can also experience discrimination from within queer communities, especially when marginalized identities intersect. Affirming therapists with comprehensive understandings of queer identities can help these people offload their stress. 

Benefits of LGBTQ+ Friendly Therapy

The benefits of LGBTQ+-friendly therapy include:

• Having a safe place to discuss sexuality and gender away from social connections.
• Speaking with another queer person (or an ally well-versed in LGBTQ challenges) about queerness in a world that often doesn't understand it.
• Working towards a better mindset and improved quality of life as a queer person.

Individuals within the LGBTQ+ spectrum face unique life challenges that non-queer-identified people do not.

These stresses, which are unique to LGBTQ+ people, are added to the daily challenges that most people face. With additional stress, a queer-identified person is more likely to face mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, and substance abuse.

But many people who identify as queer don't get help to deal with these stresses because they are afraid of what a therapist will think of them. Unqualified mental health professionals who are ignorant of the unique challenges LGBTQ+ people face may do more harm than good.

LGBTQ+ therapy encourages queer people to seek the help they need by creating a safe environment. Clients can rest assured that they will enter a place free of rejection and judgment, so they can focus on overcoming the reasons for seeking therapy.

Therapy that affirms sexual orientation and gender identity is important because it takes a different approach than other types of therapy. How well mental health services work depends on how well the patient and therapist get along. Patients are more likely to find success with therapy when they work with a professional who understands their unique challenges.

At Williamsburg Therapy Group, we have therapists who identify themselves as queer. In addition to being among the best in their fields, several of our psychologists and psychiatrists are members of the LGBTQ+ community. 

Instead of a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate, like most therapists, your Williamsburg therapist will be a doctoral-level psychologist. That means unrivaled expertise, no matter the issue.

Does affirmative therapy work?

Many forms of therapy have shown the ability to improve the mental healing and overall-wellbeing of patients, and LGBTQ affirmative therapy is no different

Therapists specializing in LGBTQ counseling are simply therapists that have gone through extra education, training, or life experience (often being queer-identifying themselves,) and now possess the unique qualifications needed to advise on LGBTQ-specific psychology.

LGBTQ+ Counseling for Young People

We understand that being LGBTQ+ in today’s society can be difficult. This can be especially true for young people who are still figuring out who they are but are also dealing with pressure from their peers and families.

Our psychologists will help you deal with these problems by giving you support, advice, and information about different parts of the LGBTQ+ community. 

Our approach is based on a strong understanding of the unique needs that LGBTQ+ youths may have, such as dealing with bullying and the pressures of coming out to family and peers. Our therapists are committed to giving young people a safe space where they can learn about the LGBTQ+ community, figure out who they are, and build up their self-confidence.

LGBTQ+ Therapy For Relationships

Our affirming therapists at Williamsburg Therapy Group can help you if you are a couple having trouble with your sexual orientation or gender identity or if you are an LGBTQ+ person having trouble in relationships.

We know that being part of the LGBTQ+ community can make it hard to navigate relationships, but our team of professional psychologists is here to help. With our customized LGBTQ counseling approach that combines psychotherapy, education, and counseling services, we will help you deal with challenges like:

• Difficulty communicating about LGBTQ+ issues with loved ones
• Conflicts surrounding coming out or staying closeted
• Navigating family dynamics and building supportive relationships
• Questioning your sexual or gender identity
• Concerns about transitioning or transitioning too quickly