LGBTQ+ Affirming Therapy
An inclusive space to explore your authentic self
Understanding LGBTQ+ Experiences
LGBTQ+ individuals and couples navigate a world that has not always made room for the full spectrum of human identity, love, and expression. Whether you identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, non-binary, or are still exploring how you understand yourself, your experiences are valid and worthy of deep respect. Affirming therapy recognises that there is nothing to fix about who you are or whom you love.
Many LGBTQ+ people carry the weight of societal prejudice, internalised shame, or the cumulative impact of microaggressions and discrimination. You may have grown up in environments where your identity was silenced, pathologised, or rejected. These experiences can leave lasting emotional imprints that shape how you relate to yourself, your body, your relationships, and the world around you.
Affirming therapy offers a genuinely safe and inclusive space where you do not need to explain or justify your identity before the real therapeutic work can begin. With over 20 years of experience as a counselling psychologist, I work with adult LGBTQ+ individuals and couples, bringing a deep understanding that human experience is shaped by history, culture, trauma, and family of origin. Here, your identity is not a footnote — it is honoured as an integral part of who you are.
How Affirming Therapy Can Help
Drawing on psychodynamic psychotherapy, I work collaboratively with you to explore the deeper patterns, histories, and relational dynamics that influence your present-day emotional life. This approach goes beyond surface-level coping — it invites you to understand how early experiences with family, culture, and society have shaped your sense of self, and to gently reclaim parts of yourself that may have been hidden or suppressed.
For LGBTQ+ individuals, therapy may involve working through the impact of coming out, navigating complex family-of-origin relationships, processing experiences of rejection or minority stress, or exploring what authenticity means for you at this stage of life. For couples, it may mean strengthening your connection, addressing communication challenges, or building a relationship that reflects your shared values free from the constraints of heteronormative expectations.
At the heart of my practice is the belief that “the relationship is the therapy.” This means that the trust, safety, and connection we build together in the room becomes the foundation for lasting change. I do not simply tolerate diversity — I celebrate it. You deserve a therapeutic relationship in which you are truly seen, heard, and valued for exactly who you are.
“the relationship is the therapy”
You Might Benefit from Therapy If…
- You are struggling with internalised shame, self-doubt, or negative beliefs about your identity that were shaped by family, culture, or society
- You are navigating the coming-out process — whether for the first time or in a new area of your life — and need a supportive space to explore your feelings
- Your relationships with family of origin have become strained or painful because of your sexual orientation or gender identity
- You and your partner are experiencing conflict, disconnection, or challenges that feel difficult to work through on your own
- You are dealing with anxiety, depression, or emotional distress that may be connected to experiences of discrimination, rejection, or minority stress
- You are exploring your gender identity or sexual orientation and want a non-judgmental space to understand yourself more deeply
- You feel a longing to live more authentically but are unsure how to move forward, or fear the consequences of being fully yourself
Taking the First Step
Reaching out for support is an act of courage and self-compassion. You deserve a therapeutic space where your whole self is welcomed without condition. I am here to walk alongside you.