LGBTQIA+ Therapy Dallas

Although there has been progress, we still live in a heteronormative society. A gender binary is assumed to be the default, and people are assumed to be attracted to "the opposite sex." But gender is a spectrum rather than a binary, and and a person’s gender identity and their sexual orientation may be completely unrelated. I'll discuss more about gender identity and sexual orientation later. Before we get into terminology, I want to talk about what being LGBTQ means for you.

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Does this sound like you?

There are so many different experiences that LGBTQ individuals can have.

Maybe you know and are confident in your personal identity, but you worry about how others might respond. You may live or work in an environment where it is not safe to openly express yourself. But constantly monitoring and hiding aspects of your identity is exhausting. You may struggle with trust, vulnerability, or fear of judgement. It can be difficult for you to establish meaningful connections because of your worries.

Maybe you know your personal identity, but you've lived so long in a society that tells you that whatever that identity may be is not valid. You may know in your head that your identity is valid, but struggle with self-acceptance, self-worth, and self-esteem. You want some help dismantling societal messages to feel more secure and confident.

Maybe you're still trying to get to know your authentic self and are not quite sure who you are yet. Identity exploration is something that occurs throughout one's lifetime, and there is no one way to do it. Maybe your exploration is a freeing experience, or maybe it's hard not to have an answer on what feels right to you. Questioning your identity does not make whatever identity that is less valid.

Wherever you are in your journey, LGBTQ-affirming therapy can help. Together we can address these challenges and promote resilience, self-empowerment, and emotional well-being.

LGBTQ counseling can help.

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Before getting into how counseling can help, it seems important to begin with some very basic, broad definitions. You may already know some of these, or they may be entirely new. But it's important to acknowledge that LGBTQ individuals are diverse even as they share some experiences. And by talking about it upfront, you may be able to feel more comfortable that I do in fact "get it." This is especially true if you've tried therapy in the past, but felt that your therapist did not understand what it means to be queer.

What is LGBTQ anyway?

First, some broad categories. Gender identity is the personal sense of one's own gender. Sexual orientation is about who you’re attracted to and want to have sexual relationships with. Affectional orientation is about who one wants to have romantic relationship with. Oftentimes people will combine sexual and affectional orientation when describing themselves.

Many of the letters in the LGBTQ+ acronym generally refer to sexual orientation. The T stands for transgender and refers to gender identity. LGBTQIA+ is another acronym used that shows a more clear representation intersex (I) and asexual (A) people.

  • Lesbian refers to someone who identifies as female or femme who experiences romantic and/or sexual attraction to women.

  • Gay refers to someone who identifies as male or masc who experiences romantic and/or sexual attraction to men. It can also be used as an inclusive term for individuals attracted to the same gender regardless of their sex.

  • Bisexual refers to someone who experiences romantic and/or sexual attraction to more than one gender. This has historically referred to being attracted to men and women, but it can mean feeling attracted to many gender identities.

    • Pansexual is a related term that describes someone who experiences romantic and/or sexual attraction to many gender identities. Often people identifying as pansexual describe this orientation as attraction regardless of gender.

  • Transgender is an umbrella term for someone who experiences their gender as different from the sex assigned to them at birth.

    • Some transgender people identify as neither a man nor a woman, or as a combination of male and female. They may use terms like nonbinary or genderqueer to describe their gender identity. Some nonbinary individuals may not identify as transgender.

  • Queer has been reclaimed by many in the LGBTQ community as an umbrella term to refer to any non-heterosexual or non-cisgender identity.

    • Because queer has historically been used as a slur, it is important to understand what it means to each individual and to only use the term with respect.

  • Intersex is an umbrella term for biological variations in sexual anatomy that are not considered "male" or "female."

    • According to the Intersex Society of North America (ISNA), 1 in 1500 to 1 in 100 people are born with sex anatomy variations that could be considered intersex. Part of the difficulty in estimating the frequency is that opinions about what "counts" as intersex vary substantially.

  • Asexual refers to someone who does not experience sexual attraction toward individuals of any gender.

    • Asexuality is also on a spectrum. Gray-asexuality refers to someone who experiences some but limited sexual attraction.

The addition of the plus symbol stands for all the diverse gender and sexual identities that are hard to capture in an acronym. It also gives space to those that don’t classify themselves with a particular label. Regardless of where one falls on the gender and sexuality spectrums, the LGBTQ community faces similar challenges due to social stigma.

What are LGBTQ issues?

Being a member of the queer community does not inherently lead to any mental health issues. Just because LGBTQ identities are considered different by society does not mean that there is anything wrong with them. Many LGBTQIA+ individuals seeking therapy do so for the same reasons as anyone else: they need support for mental health concerns such as anxiety or depression, a place to process trauma, or an affirming space to discuss relationship issues.

LGBTQ issues are instead related to the ways in which society responds to those in the LGBTQ community. Stigma has led not only to societal discrimination, but rejection within families as well. As a result of the lack of social support (particularly family support) and discrimination, people in the LGBTQ+ community can be at higher risk of having mental health concerns. Affirming therapy can help address all of these issues.

Lack of Family Support

According to a 2013 Pew Research study, 59% of LGBT individuals surveyed have told one or both of their parents about their identity, and a 55% say most of the people who are important to them know about this aspect of their life. However, only 28% of those identifying as bisexual have disclosed their orientation, potentially because of the tendency for both heterosexual and other queer people to invalidate the identity; there is often pressure from both sides to "pick one" when that's just not how it works.

For those who did disclose to family, a majority say that it was a difficult process. Although in most cases it didn't change the relationship (46%) or even made the relationship stronger (39%), many LGBT adults have struggled with how and when to tell others about their identity due to the fear of others reacting negatively. Nearly 40% of LGBT adults have experienced rejection from a family member or a close friend. But we know that social support is incredibly important for enhancing the mental health and wellbeing of LGBTQ individuals. Research indicates that LGBTQ youth with at least one accepting adult are 40% less likely to report a suicide attempt.

Discrimination

A study from the Center for American Progress (CAP) in 2022 finds that many LGBTQ adults continue to face discrimination on various fronts. LGBTQIA+ people experience discrimination in their personal lives, in public, in employment, and in their access to health care. Such discrimination has substantial adverse effects on mental well-being, and many in the LGBTQ community alter their behavior to avoid experiencing discrimination.

LGBTQ youth also face prejudice and negative effects from discrimination. GLSEN's 2019 National School Climate Survey indicated:

  • Nearly 60% of LGBTQ students felt unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation and 42.5% because of their gender expression.

  • 86.3% of LGBTQ students experienced harassment or assault, including verbal harassment, physical harassment/assault, sexual assault, and bullying.

    • Over half of LGBTQ students who were harassed or assaulted in school did not report the incident to school staff "because they doubted that effective intervention would occur or that the situation would become worse if reported."

    • Of those who did report an incident, just over 60% said that "school staff did nothing in response or told the student to ignore it."

  • Nearly 60% of students also reported experiencing discriminatory policies or practices at school.

  • Nearly 45% of LGBTQ students experienced cyberbullying as well, making it difficult to experience safety even away from school.

  • LGBTQ students who experienced discrimination at school have not only worse educational outcomes (an average GPA 0.25 points lower), but also poorer mental health.

Discrimination is particularly difficult when taking intersectional identities into account. Queer people of color and queer people with disabilities may face prejudice on various fronts, sometimes within the LGBTQ community itself. CAP also found that overall LGBTQIA+ individuals surveyed reported experiencing discrimination at a rate of approximately 33%, but that the rate was nearly 50% for LGBTQIA+ people of color and LGBTQIA+ people with disabilities. Despite increased visibility and public understanding, a 2022 study conducted by GLAAD found that discrimination against LGBTQ individuals increased in the past two years.

Discrimination also occurs in the healthcare field. "Homosexuality" was only removed by the American Psychological Association (APA) as a mental health diagnosis in 1973. This decision was in large part due to LGBT activists as well as a growing body of research that same sex attraction was not an impairment. Despite this decision and evidence that conversion therapy does not work and is quite harmful, conversion therapy (also known as "reparative therapy") was widely practiced throughout the 1900s. 698,000 LGBTQ adults in the United States have already been subject to conversion "therapy." According to a 2019 report, another 16,000 youth will likely be subject to the treatment in the 32 states that currently do not ban the practice. Unfortunately, legislation in several states over recent years has not only failed to protect LGBTQ youth, but has made it more difficult for them to access necessary care.

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Everyone has life struggles they are dealing with, but being part of the LGBTQ+ community can unfortunately come with additional stress, such as bullying, prejudice, and lack of understanding.

You deserve a space to feel heard, accepted, and understood.

What is LGBTQ therapy?

While overt discrimination in medical and mental healthcare has decreased, it is not gone. 16 percent of LGBTQ adults in one 2019 study reported discrimination in health care encounters. LGBTQ individuals have the right to competent, accepting healthcare, including therapy.

Today, many therapists are open to working with a variety of clients. But LGBTQ affirming therapy is more than being open to clients of diverse identities. It is about:

  • acknowledging rather than dismissing the challenges of LGBTQ clients

  • understanding that a person’s sexual orientation and/or gender identity is not the root cause of problems

  • knowing that LGBTQIA+ identities are valid and cannot be changed

  • recognizing that while the LGBTQ community shares social struggles related to marginalized identities, each group has its own specific needs and concerns

Affirmative counseling tailors sessions to the individual needs of LGBTQ clients while providing support and acceptance. Wherever you fall on the spectrum of gender and sexuality, LGBTQ therapists can help you address your unique challenges.

Meet Lindsey Bass, LGBTQIA+ therapist in Dallas

You are the expert on your own life, and I want to help you find your own answers for how you can be your most authentic self. I am Lindsey Bass, a Licensed Professional Counselor in the Dallas, Texas area. As an LGBTQ therapist, I specialize in working with LGBTQ individuals to help them address and cope with the stress that comes with being queer in our current society. My counseling approach validates and advocates for the needs of my clients. I recognize that it is difficult to have any form of marginalized identity in our society, including LGBTQIA+ identities. Together with my LGBTQ clients, we:

  • examine how culture, environment, history, trauma, and intersectional identities have shaped one's life experiences

  • acknowledge and challenge the biased societal messages embedded in everyone's lives

  • determine the best strategies for you to cope with stigma and embrace your identity

Some of the concerns that I often explore with LGBTQ clients include:

  • Identity Exploration

    A supportive therapist can provide a safe and non-judgmental space and help you explore and understand your identity. This can involve discussing experiences of self-discovery, examining internalized homophobia or transphobia, navigating family dynamics, or coping with discrimination.

  • Coming Out Process

    Coming out can be a significant and sometimes challenging experience. It is your decision who, when, and how to share your identity. I can help you explore concerns, develop strategies, and address potential challenges when disclosing identity to family, friends, or other social circles.

  • Relationship and Family Challenges

    All relationships are complicated regardless of who is involved. Many people seeking therapy need a safe, neutral space to work through relationship challenges. This might include exploring dating concerns or addressing changes in family dynamics. Therapy can help in developing healthy relationship skills and improving communication.

  • Mental Health Support

    Due to societal or internalized stigma, LGBTQ individuals may experience higher rates of mental health concerns. These concerns include depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. You deserve a space where you can openly discuss your experiences and receive the support you need to thrive.

What does therapy look like?

There are many different approaches to therapy. My approach is always humanistic, collaborative, and affirming. I may integrate techniques from different modalities based on your needs and preferences, and there are various ways that we can work together to address your needs. Some people enjoy talking through problems, while others may prefer another way to process their concerns. I am trained in different modalities to best meet my clients' needs, including:

Talk Therapy

Talk therapy is what most people think of when picturing therapy. In talk therapy, clients can express their thoughts, feelings, and concerns in a safe and confidential environment. As a therapist, I then help clients gain a deeper understanding of themselves and their experiences. Together we figure out what is and is not working for you and how to develop new strategies to increase wellbeing.

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Expressive Arts in Therapy

Sometimes there aren't words for what someone is experiencing. When words aren't enough, using art, sand tray, or music can allow people to figure out what they need. With training in utilizing expressive arts in therapy, I can help my clients express themselves and find solutions when more traditional methods may not work.

Play Therapy

Children explore their gender and sexual identities too! Play therapy is a developmentally responsive form of child therapy. Since children are still learning language, I use play to connect with and help young children express themselves. If you'd like to learn more about my child therapy services, please visit Child Therapy to learn more.

FAQs

  • Finding an affirming therapist may require some effort, but it is worth it to find a professional who can meet your needs. You deserve to receive supportive and culturally competent care. You should be able to call or email to get an idea of what a therapist is like. You may consider asking questions about their experience and training in LGBTQ therapy is. You can also ask about their commitment to creating an affirming therapeutic environment.

    If my services are not a fit for your needs, there are a few different strategies that you can use when trying to find LGBTQ therapists, including:

    • Use online directories that specialize in LGBTQ affirming therapists. Inclusive Therapists is one directory focused on providing LGBTQ clients with affirming therapists. Providers must answer questions before being added to ensure that they are committed to providing LGBTQ+ affirming therapy.

    • Ask for referrals or recommendations from other LGBTQ individuals. If you don't know of anyone personally, reach out to local LGBTQ support groups or online communities for recommendations.

    • For those seeking therapy near Dallas, the Resource Center provides both mental health and primary care services. Providers through the Resource Center are in network with most major insurance providers. They may also be able to offer an affordable self-pay rate.

  • LGBTQ affirming therapists have specialized knowledge and understanding of the specific challenges faced by LGBTQ individuals. They are familiar with the coming out process, LGBTQ relationships, discrimination, and other issues affecting the community. With this knowledge and understanding, LGBTQ therapists:

    Promote Mental Health

    Affirming therapists understand the impact of societal stigma and work to counteract it. They help clients challenge internalized homophobia, transphobia, or negative beliefs about their identities while assisting individuals in coping with the depression, anxiety, or self-esteem issues. Research indicates that LGBTQ youth with at least one accepting adult are 40% less likely to report a suicide attempt. Therapists can provide strategies to manage stress, build resilience, and develop self-care practices.

    Facilitate Personal Growth

    LGBTQ affirming therapy provides a space for clients to explore and better understand themselves. This includes their personal identity, values, strengths, and resources. It may also include challenging internalized negative beliefs and attitudes towards increased self-awareness and self-acceptance.

    Enhance Overall Well-Being

    By addressing mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, or trauma, therapy can help individuals feel more confident and capable. Working to repair negative experiences and enhance internal resources helps you feel more empowered to advocate for yourself and your community. 

  • Most things in therapy will be kept confidential. If I am working with a child or teenager who has not disclosed their identity to parents, I will not out them. I can work together with them to find ways they may want to share their identity with others if they feel safe and comfortable enough to do so.

    I do collaborate with parents about what they can do to support their child. These meetings are typically pretty general and focus on parenting skills, such as active listening and limit setting. While you as a parent may be concerned about your child, a level of confidentiality is important. Imagine how you would feel if you went to counseling and your parents showed up. You probably would be pretty upset with your counselor if they told your parents what you talked about. It does not mean that you do not trust and love them, just that people in general value their privacy. I will always inform you if I believe that there is something you need to know to protect your child.

    Specific situations where I may have to talk to a parent or other entity include:

    • A client states that they have a plan to complete suicide.

    • A client indicates that they are engaging in risky behavior that could result in significant harm.

    • A client seriously threatens to harm another specific person.

    • A client discloses that they are being abused or know of another minor who is being abused.

    In these cases, I will reveal as little as possible in order to keep you or someone else at risk safe. I will discuss these situations with the client beforehand if possible so that they can know what to expect when I speak with someone else.

LGBTQIA+ therapy in Dallas is a safe space where you can be yourself without judgment. 

You deserve to feel heard, accepted, and understood. LGBTQ affirming therapy is a safe space where you can openly explore your experiences and receive the support you need to thrive. My belief is always that you are the expert on yourself and I am here to help you figure out the best answers for you. Together we can identify and strengthen the resources you have within yourself so you feel more confident and empowered.

Want to learn more about my LGBTQIA+ therapy services or ready to schedule a session? Reach out today for a free consultation to learn more and get started.