LGBTQIA+ Counselling & Trans-Affirming Therapy
Online, affirming counselling for LGBTQIA+, trans, non-binary and gender-diverse people
Finding a therapist who understands your experiences can make a difference to how comfortable you feel bringing yourself into the therapy room.
You might be exploring your sexuality or gender identity, navigating changes in relationships, experiencing discrimination or simply looking for someone who understands that your identity is not something to be questioned, explained or fixed.
You might also be seeking counselling for reasons that have nothing directly to do with being LGBTQIA+.
I offer online integrative counselling where your identity, relationships and experiences are met with curiosity, respect and without assumptions about who you are or how you should live.
A space where you don't have to explain yourself
For many LGBTQIA+ people, everyday life can involve navigating assumptions about gender, sexuality, relationships and what is considered normal.
This can sometimes make it difficult to know where we can be fully ourselves.
Therapy can offer space to explore your experiences without needing to educate your therapist, defend your identity or fit into a particular understanding of what it means to be queer, trans or gender-diverse.
My approach is person-centred, relational and anti-oppressive, recognising that our experiences are shaped not only by our individual histories but also by the social and cultural environments we live in.
What might bring you to LGBTQIA+ counselling?
There is no single LGBTQIA+ experience, and no particular reason you need to come to therapy.
You may want to explore:
Sexual orientation, gender identity or questioning aspects of who you are
Coming out, being outed, or choosing when and with whom to share your identity
Gender exploration, transition-related experiences or changing relationships with your body
Family relationships, rejection, acceptance and belonging
Internalised shame, self-criticism or feeling different
Minority stress, discrimination, transphobia or homophobia
Intimacy, sexuality, pleasure and relationships
Boundaries, communication and people-pleasing
Grief, anxiety, trauma or changes in your sense of self
Finding ways to live that feel more aligned with your own values and needs
You may recognise several of these experiences, or none of them. Therapy is not about fitting your experiences into a category.
Trans-affirming and gender-diverse counselling
For trans, non-binary and gender-diverse people, finding a therapist who respects your gender without treating it as something to diagnose or resolve can be especially important.
You may be exploring your gender, considering transition, navigating changes in relationships or dealing with the emotional impact of discrimination and uncertainty.
You may also feel settled in your identity and simply want counselling for something else entirely.
My approach is affirming and non-directive. I won't assume that there is one right way to experience gender, express yourself, transition or choose not to transition.
Your name, pronouns and understanding of yourself will be respected. You do not need to have all the answers before beginning therapy.
Sexuality, intimacy and relationship diversity
LGBTQIA+ experiences of intimacy and relationships are diverse.
You might be navigating a new relationship, questioning expectations around monogamy, exploring kink or BDSM, experiencing differences in desire, or reflecting on what intimacy and connection mean to you.
As a counsellor and somatic sexologist, I bring specialist understanding of sexuality, consent, shame and embodiment into my therapeutic work.
My practice is sex-positive and inclusive of monogamy, consensual non-monogamy, polyamory, kink and other forms of gender, sexuality and relationship diversity.
There is no assumption that your consensual sexual expression or relationship structure is inherently problematic.
Coming out and identity exploration
Coming out is not always a single moment or event. It can be an ongoing process, shaped by our relationships, communities, circumstances and changing understanding of ourselves.
For some people, it happens early in life. For others, it may happen much later, including after marriage, parenting or years of living within a different identity.
There may be excitement, relief, grief, uncertainty or a mixture of feelings that are difficult to put into words.
Therapy can offer room for all of this without pressure to disclose, make decisions or move towards a particular outcome.
Explore counselling for coming out later in life
My approach to LGBTQIA+ therapy
I'm a BACP Registered therapist and qualified somatic sexologist, with experience supporting LGBTQIA+ clients through my counselling placement with MindOut, alongside my wider work in sexuality, identity and relationships.
My professional training includes Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), Trans 101 training with MindOut, and ongoing continuing professional development (CPD) exploring LGBTQIA+ identities, experiences and inclusive therapeutic practice.
My approach is person-centred, relational and anti-oppressive, informed by somatic awareness, trauma-informed practice and an understanding of how shame, identity, relationships and nervous system responses can intersect.
I offer a collaborative therapeutic relationship where you remain in choice about what we explore and how we work.
We might talk about your experiences, notice how feelings show up in your body or explore patterns in relationships and boundaries. There is no requirement to engage in somatic exercises, and online counselling does not involve physical bodywork.
I am registered with Proud Wellness and Pink Therapy.
Online LGBTQIA+ counselling
I offer individual online counselling for adults across the UK.
Sessions: £75
Free initial consultation: 30 minutes
Our consultation is an opportunity to meet, discuss what you're looking for and consider whether working together feels right for you.
You don't need to be certain about your identity, know exactly what you want from therapy or have a particular issue to resolve.
You're welcome to bring yourself, wherever you are in your experience.