LGBTQIA+ Counselling

Sometimes it can feel important to talk to someone who understands that being part of the LGBTQIA+ community can shape our experiences, relationships and the way we move through the world.

That doesn’t mean your sexuality or gender has to be the reason you come to counselling. You may want to talk about something completely unrelated, while knowing that you won’t have to explain or justify who you are along the way.

For others, sexuality or gender may be an important part of what they want to explore. There’s no expectation that you’ll talk about any particular aspect of your life — what we talk about in your sessions is led by you.

Understanding your experience

As a gay counsellor, I recognise there can be a difference between being accepted and feeling genuinely understood. Sometimes it can be a relief to talk without having to explain terminology, relationships or aspects of your life that might otherwise be misunderstood or met with assumptions.

LGBTQIA+-affirmative counselling doesn’t assume that everyone in the community has the same experiences. Your sexuality, gender, relationships and identity are yours, and my role isn’t to define them for you.

What you might bring to counselling

People come to counselling for all sorts of reasons. Alongside sexuality and gender, you might want to talk about relationships, family, intimacy, self-esteem, loneliness, ageing, loss or changes in your life.

You may be dealing with challenging experiences, navigating a new relationship, the end of one, changes in friendships or family relationships, or questions about where you belong.

There doesn’t have to be a crisis or a clearly defined problem. Sometimes you may just know that something doesn’t feel right and want somewhere to talk it through.