LGBTQ+ Affirming Therapy in NYC

Compassionate, knowledgeable support for LGBTQ+ individuals navigating identity, relationships, mental health, and life transitions in New York.

Finding a therapist who truly understands LGBTQ+ experiences—who won't make you explain yourself, who affirms your identity without question, and who gets the unique challenges of being queer—is harder than it should be.

You deserve therapy where you can show up as your full self. Where your pronouns are respected from day one. Where coming out, gender exploration, relationship challenges, or navigating family rejection are understood as the complex, meaningful experiences they are.

We provide affirming therapy for LGBTQ+ individuals in Manhattan and via telehealth across New York State—for whatever brings you to therapy.

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Who We Help

LGBTQ+ Affirming Services for:

Transgender & Non-Binary Individuals

Gender dysphoria and gender exploration
Navigating transition (social, medical, legal)
Gender-affirming care support (letters for HRT, surgery, name changes)
Relationships and coming out
Managing family responses to transition

LGBQ Individuals

Coming out and identity development
Navigating relationships, dating, and intimacy
Family acceptance and rejection
Internalized homophobia or shame
Finding community and belonging

Navigating Identity & Life Transitions

Questioning and exploring sexual orientation or gender identity
Late-in-life coming out
Identity development in adolescence or young adulthood
Reconciling identity with faith, culture, or family expectations

Mental Health Challenges

Anxiety and depression (higher rates in LGBTQ+ populations)
Minority stress and discrimination
Trauma from rejection, bullying, or violence
Managing microaggressions and daily invalidation
Substance use or coping mechanisms

Relationships & Intimacy

Navigating queer relationships and dating
Communication and conflict in same-sex relationships
Polyamory and non-traditional relationship structures
Intimacy challenges

Family & Social Support

Coming out to family
Managing family rejection or conditional acceptance
Finding chosen family
Parenting as LGBTQ+ individuals
Supporting LGBTQ+ children or partners

The Intersection of LGBTQ+ Identity & Neurodivergence

Many (but not all) of our LGBTQ+ clients are also neurodivergent.

Research shows that autistic and ADHD individuals are significantly more likely to be LGBTQ+ than the general population. If you're navigating both identities, we have deep expertise in how they interact:

LGBTQ+ & Autistic:

Understanding how autism affects gender identity and expression
Social communication challenges in queer spaces
Sensory considerations in transition (clothing, medical procedures)
Masking both autistic traits and LGBTQ+ identity

LGBTQ+ & ADHD:

Rejection sensitive dysphoria amplified by minority stress
Impulsivity in identity exploration or coming out
Executive function challenges in transition planning
Managing multiple marginalized identities

But you don't have to be neurodivergent to work with us. We provide affirming therapy for all LGBTQ+ individuals, regardless of whether neurodivergence is part of your experience.

Learn more about therapy for autism and ADHD

Services We Provide

LGBTQ+ Affirming Therapy

We provide compassionate, knowledgeable therapy for:

✓ Coming out and identity development – Exploring and affirming your authentic self at any age

✓ Gender dysphoria and exploration – Understanding and affirming your gender identity

✓ Anxiety and depression – Addressing mental health challenges common in LGBTQ+ individuals

✓ Minority stress and discrimination – Coping with external pressures, invalidation, and systemic oppression

✓ Trauma and microaggressions – Processing experiences of rejection, discrimination, or violence

✓ Relationships and intimacy – Building healthy queer relationships, navigating dating, communication

✓ Family dynamics – Coming out, managing rejection or conditional acceptance, finding chosen family

✓ Internalized shame and self-acceptance – Healing from internalized homophobia, transphobia, or societal messages

✓ Life transitions – Career changes, moving, relationship changes, identity shifts

We use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), EMDR, and person-centered approaches.

Psychological Evaluations

Autism and ADHD Evaluations for LGBTQ+ Individuals

If you're questioning whether you might be autistic or have ADHD, we provide affirming evaluations that understand the intersection of LGBTQ+ identity and neurodivergence.

Evaluation reports use your correct name and pronouns
Understanding of how LGBTQ+ identity and neurodivergence interact
Affirming, not pathologizing

Learn more about autism evaluations

Learn more about ADHD testing

Gender-Affirming Care Assessments

We provide psychological assessments and letters for:

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
Gender-affirming surgeries
Name and gender marker changes
School or workplace accommodations

These assessments are affirming, not gatekeeping. We support your gender journey.

Why LGBTQ+ Clients Choose HMV

Truly Affirming, Not Just "Accepting"

We actively affirm your identity. You won't have to explain or defend who you are.

Knowledgeable About LGBTQ+ Issues

We understand minority stress, coming out processes, gender dysphoria, and the unique mental health challenges LGBTQ+ individuals face.

Gender-Affirming Care Expertise

We provide assessments for HRT and surgery without gatekeeping.

Experience with Intersecting Identities

Many of our LGBTQ+ clients are also neurodivergent, people of color, or navigating multiple marginalized identities. We understand complexity.

Safe Space for Exploration

Whether you're questioning, exploring, or fully certain about your identity—we provide judgment-free space.

Comfortable Options

In-person in Manhattan or telehealth across New York State

Our Approach

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

ACT is particularly effective for LGBTQ+ individuals because it:

Focuses on living according to YOUR values (not societal expectations)
Helps defuse from internalized shame and negative self-beliefs
Builds psychological flexibility in the face of discrimination
Emphasizes authentic living and committed action

Learn more about ACT therapy

EMDR for Trauma

Many LGBTQ+ individuals have experienced:

Bullying and social rejection
Family rejection or conditional acceptance
Medical trauma from unsupportive providers
Discrimination, violence, or microaggressions

EMDR helps process these experiences and reduce their emotional impact.

Person-Centered & Integrative

We tailor therapy using:

Gender-affirming approaches
Minority stress frameworks
Trauma-informed care
Attachment and relational approaches
Neurodiversity-affirming strategies (when relevant)

Learn more about EMDR therapy

Common Questions

Do I have to be "out" to work with you? No. We work with people at every stage—questioning, exploring, closeted, or fully out.

Will you provide letters for HRT or surgery? Yes, if appropriate. These are affirming evaluations, not gatekeeping.

Do you work with teenagers? Yes. We work with LGBTQ+ teens navigating both identity development and neurodivergence, and provide parent support.

What if my gender identity and autism are connected? That's common and valid. We help you understand how they interact without pathologizing either identity.