LGBT Counseling

"Will I be taken seriously or will my sexuality be pathologized?"

"Will my committed relationship be honored as equal to marriage?"

"Will this therapist understand the complexity of the coming out process?"

"Will the societal pressures I experience be validated?"

It is vital for every client to be understood and honored for exactly who she or he is. This assumption may be taken for granted in the straight/ mainstream world, but sadly, the LGBT community does not yet enjoy this automatic expectation.

This is a vitally important issue when entering a therapeutic relationship, where the essence of your entire being is integral to growth and healing.

Entering therapy in and of itself puts one in an extremely vulnerable position. Anxiety about a therapist's acceptance of one's sexual identity magnifies this vulnerability, sometimes to the point of foregoing treatment.

How I Can Help

If you live in a large city like those in the Silicon Valley and are gay or lesbian, you may have some resources in your community to draw upon when you need help. But in some cases, the assistance you find from your gay and lesbian peers may not be enough to help you work through the issues that trouble you If you're feeling depressed, anxious, having difficulty finding or maintaining satisfying relationships, are making unhealthy choices or are struggling with acceptance, I can help.

I have a long history of experience working with lesbian individuals and couples, and is deeply attuned to the particular issues they face.

Psychotherapy is first and foremost an opportunity for personal growth and change. Individuals come to therapy to improve the quality of their life and resolve various problems. Those problems may be specific or vague. Understanding what the problem is, how it originated, and what has interfered with its resolution is a first step in clarifying the goals and objectives important to each individual.

Common goals in psychotherapy are to increase self-esteem and confidence; to become more effective in one’s personal and professional life; to improve one’s relationships with others; and to ease the symptoms of anxiety, depression and stress. No matter what gets stirred up, one learns that they have a choice in what they feel, what they think, and what they do.

I use positive psychology and an emphasis on experiential learning to enable changing from the inside-out and making a significant life change. My style is collaborative, professional and forward-looking.

Often people expect psychotherapy to focus mostly on the past, but a focus on the present and the future - on discovering inner resources and developing new skills -- is equally important. I focus where you are: your strengths, vulnerabilities, and where you're stuck.