LGBTQIA+ Affirming Therapy

 

Affirming mental health care means that Thrive Therapy Houston is a safe place for anyone in the LGBTQIA+ community. Affirming care means that you can expect all your parts and identities to be understood and celebrated. Whether your goals for therapy are related specifically to your identity, or you just want therapists who understand the many intersections of your lived experience, Thrive Therapy Houston is your place for affirming sexuality-, gender-, and/or relationship-expansive care. LGBTQIA+ refers to and includes lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, queer, transgender, gender nonbinary, intersex, asexual, and other related communities.

There is often confusion about the difference between accepting and affirming care. To be accepting of someone’s identity is to recognize and be tolerant of it, whether that be gender identity, sexual orientation, or relationship styles. To be affirming of someone’s identity is to have knowledge that applies to LGBTQIA+ experiences, be culturally competent of issues related to heterosexism, homophobia, and transphobia, and believe that their identity should not only be accepted but celebrated. The LGBTQIA+ experience is far from singular, and yet having space to explore and celebrate every part of you can be an integral part of caring for your mental health.

 

“There is strong evidence from recent research that members of this [LGBTQ+]community are at a higher risk for experiencing mental health conditions — especially depression and anxiety disorders. LGB adults are more than twice as likely as heterosexual adults to experience a mental health condition. Transgender individuals are nearly four times as likely as cisgender individuals (people whose gender identity corresponds with their birth sex) individuals to experience a mental health condition.”   -National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI)

 

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Being LGBTQIA+, relationship-expansive, or sexuality-expansive entails many unique challenges. Individuals in these communities face many types of discrimination, even with medical and mental health providers. While each person’s experience is so unique, there are many layers which often affect and exasperate the very mental health challenges people desire to work on, including chronic stress, anxiety, depression, traumatic experiences, and navigating rejection or healthy boundaries.

At Thrive Therapy Houston, we have specialized training and experience in coming- out issues, non-monogamous and polyamorous relationships, internalized homophobia/transphobia, affirming perinatal care, and living with HIV. We also provide gender affirming care for trans and gender expansive clients, including access to our gender care specialist who can offer assessments and discuss options for letters of support for gender affirming surgeries.

We also offer support services for family and friends, including parents and partners! We believe that one of the best ways to be an ally to your LGBTQIA+ friends and family is to have your own support. This is especially true for parents of trans and gender diverse youth. It is normal to have feelings of confusion, grief, and anxiety, and you deserve a space to process this away from your child.

If you are struggling with what it means to be an ally or affirming of someone in your life, we would love to partner with you.

Affirming mental health therapists understand the implications of intersectionality for LGBTQIA+, relationship-expansive, or sexuality-expansive clients who are also people of color, disabled, neurodiverse, sex workers, or who hold other marginalized identities.

*LGBTQIA+ refers to lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, queer, transgender, gender nonbinary, intersex, asexual, and other related communities. Consensually non-monogamous (CNM) refers to polyamorous and other open relationship models. Sexuality-expansive and relationship-expansive refers to all sexual and relationship constellations and includes consensually non-monogamous and kink communities.

 

LEARN MORE: Why Pronouns Matter

LEARN MORE: Need Help Now?
LGBT National Help Center - LGBT National Hotline at 888-843-4564

LEARN MORE: Answers to Your Questions - LGBTQ & Transgender - American Psychological Association (APA)

LEARN MORE: Supporting LGTBQ Youth