• Queer folks face discrimination and self-judgment, causing inequitable barriers
• Misgendering and societal rejection can lead to severe anxiety and depression
• Identity affirmation and dealing with dissonance is a major focus in LGBTQ therapy, aiming to support clients in embracing what truly makes them happy
Queer Folks Have Unique Challenges
Life can contain many challenges for everyone, but for some those challenges can be exponentially more intense, frequent, or upsetting. Despite some recent shifts in the way much of society and culture view the LGBTQIA2+ community, those within it are still exposed to discrimination and oppression at highly toxic levels. LGBTQ online therapy can help.
These responses can cause trauma and damage that can feel unhealable, even if sometimes those harsh judgments are coming from yourself. We understand where you fit into our patriarchal and heteronormative world, and how that position can feel hopeless at times.
Even those with accepting and loving families are not immune to the hate and oppression from strangers, colleagues, and friends alike, making the outside world feel unsafe. We recognize the unique challenges faced by those who identify as LBGTQIAP2+ and offer an environment full of love and acceptance.
We take our positions as therapists and counselors seriously at Healing Collective Therapy, regardless of how we or our clients identify. Read on to learn more about how we support those in the LGBTQIA2+ community, their families, and their allies facing unique challenges.
Identity and "Feeling Seen"
Much of our LGBTQ online therapy involves working through how clients identify. We join you in the process of your own self-creation. It’s challenging to come to terms with an identity you may not feel comfortable with. You may be experiencing dissonance. We’re here to help.
Even for those who deeply understand their identity and are comfortable with it, living out one’s truth can sometimes include unexpected detours, changing self-beliefs, and profound shifts. Discovering your identity and coming to terms with it may be perceived as the most difficult part of the journey, but that isn’t always so. Living in a way that suits you and not others can be a challenge-especially for LGBTQIAP2+ folx.
Feelings of Unmanageable Stress & Emotional Fatigue
The negative reactions and cruelty, the sting of being misgendered or unseen, and the sense of threat you may receive can create a growing weight of trauma, shame, discomfort, and fear, all of which can conspire to make a ‘normal’ life near impossible. And with those high levels of stress and fatigue, you’re often left unable to enjoy or appreciate other areas of your life. Left unaddressed in some way, these emotions and responses can lead to anxiety and/or depression, especially if you find yourself with few safe spaces and safe people, or none at all.
Family Relationships
Although many people struggle with some aspects of family relationships, those in the LGBTQIA2+ community know many universally felt heartaches. Your family may not know how to best support you and your identity-even if they ‘accept’ your identity. It may be difficult to have these conversations. The shift in relationships in the family can cause tensions that didn’t previously exist, or compound one’s feelings of anxiety, stress, or a general sense of acceptance and belonging.
How does an LGBTQ therapist help?
Embarking on a therapeutic journey with us can help you shape the person you most deeply wish to be and come to terms with your unique self. We offer continuous support during this period of exploration and acceptance, in a safe environment free of judgment, as well as mindful of the unique challenges faced both personally and in the world.
With this healing environment in place, we believe true comfort and authenticity can bloom and flourish, which works to alleviate stress and fatigue in your life. Having a place where you can speak freely and feel accepted is a basic requirement not always available, which is why our LGBTQ online therapy is so beneficial. We want you to feel love and respite, respect, and welcome when you work with us.
Work with Healing Collective Therapy
Our therapists and counselors welcome you to begin your journey of healing, self-discovery, and self-love now. There’s never a bad time to start LGBTQ therapy online, and there are no rules or stipulations for whom we can help. We’re glad you took this first step.