Your Guide To Finding An LGBTQ-Affirming Therapist

Sometimes, finding the right therapist can be like searching for a needle in a haystack.

You can spend hours and money in sessions going over the same questions about your life just to feel like you and this person don’t quite mesh.

If you’re in the LGBTQ+ community, having a therapist that gets it (whatever that ‘it’ means to you) can make a big difference in your experience. You could have things to figure out that are tied to or influenced by your sexuality and gender. This is a guide to aid you in finding an LGBTQ-affirming therapist.

How and why do I start therapy?

Everyone’s situation will be different, but in general, therapy can be helpful when there’s something about your feelings or experiences that you’re having trouble navigating.

“We get a lot of people seeking help at the center because they are questioning gender and they want to talk that out,” said Kel Mathews, director of mental health at the LGBTQ Center Orange County.

But seeing an affirming therapist doesn’t just have to be about gender or sexuality. She says the center sees people who are experiencing depression, anxiety or are parents of children who just came out. The big idea to remember is that whatever you’re coming to therapy for, getting help and applying it will require effort on your part.

“There's no magic wand,” Mathews said. “Your expectations shouldn't be that you're coming into therapy for the therapist to fix you.”

Forming connections in therapy is like starting a new relationship. There are things the counselor wants to know about you, and there are some things you’ll want to know about your counselor. Mary Andres, a professor of clinical education at USC, who specializes in LGBTQ+ treatment, says it’s a good idea to think about what you’re seeking help for. Is it to help you solve something that’s a secret? Is it for substance abuse? You can ask questions about their professional experience.

“So maybe I have very specific questions about [a] history of sexual trauma,” Andres said. “You might say, do you have a history of working with trauma? They still don't have to talk about it yet. They're just trying to establish the credentials of the person.”

How much does the therapist’s identity matter?

Whether you’re transgender, bisexual or otherwise part of the LGBTQ+ community, finding a therapist who shares your identity could be a factor for you.

Mathews often interviews students who are looking to do their counseling hours at the LGBTQ+ center. She’s intentional about finding LGBTQ+ counselors because there are clients who will only want to see a trans person, for example, but that doesn’t always line up.

“My interview process is very much focused on, even if you’re not a part of the community, I want to make sure that you are affirming,” she said.

So if shared identity isn’t important to you, that’s OK! There are plenty of counselors, like ones at the center, who are staunch allies of LGBTQ+ people and are trained in how to affirm the community through therapy.

Andres describes this nuance through the use of pronouns. For example, someone who uses they/them may have a desire to find a therapist who does too. In that scenario, shared identity is helpful because the person doesn’t want to explain themselves or worry about misgendering.

“Representation matters in every kind of field, and that’s helpful,” Andres said. “If it’s not somebody who knows what they're doing, pronouns don't mean anything.”

Affirming is a factor to keep in mind alongside your other needs, Andres says, because this goes beyond acceptance and tolerance. It should mean that the therapist sees that “our world is better because there's queer people in it.”

What the licenses mean

There are multiple paths to becoming a counselor. The alphabet soup that follows a person’s name can give you a glimpse into their licensing and training.

Mathews says the most common licenses you’ll see in California are: licensed professional clinical counselors (LPCCs), licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFTs) and licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs).

There isn’t much of a difference between LPCCs and LMFTs, Mathews says, so don’t let the “marriage and family” part keep you away if that doesn’t immediately resonate with you. LMFTs commonly work with individual issues that aren’t related to marriage and family. Therapists may also have both licenses to make operating in different states easier.

The main difference, Mathews says, is about when someone starts working in counseling. For the LPCC and LMFT licenses, students start while they’re in school. But for LCSW licensees, Mathews says their university programs don’t require in-school counseling experience. Instead, the focus is on social work duties, like finding resources and reuniting families, and the counseling work is post-grad. Regardless, everyone must have completed a minimum of 3,000 supervised hours and pass exams in order to be licensed in California.

Other license acronyms you may see include:

• Licensed mental health counselors (LMHCs)
• Psychologists (PhDs or PsyDs)
• Psychiatrists (MDs or DOs)

Where to look

If money is tight, look for therapists that offer their services pro-bono or on a sliding scale. There may be a limited number of sessions for that, depending on the place.

There are plenty of private practices and other resources that will offer help tailored for LGBTQ+ people but may not advertise it as much. Check out our mental health resource guide to find more.

Going to community-supported centers can be helpful because these are often more affordable. These will likely have a sliding-scale option. Some places that offer mental health services (e.g. group therapy, one-on-one, telehealth, etc.) include:

• Los Angeles LGBT Center
• LGBTQ Center OC (You can get matched with a therapist or group program by filling out a form)
• Airport Marina Counseling Service’s LGBTQIA+ Affirmative Therapy Center
• Antioch University’s Counseling Center (which offers LGBTQ+ services)
• Pelican Cove Counseling Center

But if you google “LGBTQ+ therapists near me,” no less than millions of results will be at your fingertips. You’ll want to weed through the results to find a site that’s both trusted and can get you what you’re looking for. Keep in mind that some directories are populated by therapists who paid for ad placement.

Some other online directories, where you can put in your ZIP code, include:

• Inclusive Therapists (social-justice-oriented therapists)
• National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network
• Gay Therapy Center (this organization has a location in L.A.)