Providing affirming therapy for the LGBTQ community in California

LGBTQ+ affirming therapy in
san francisco

I’m a LGBTQ+ therapist who supports individuals in the queer community to go from feeling like an outsider to living a full, confident, and open life.

Even living in progressive California, being part of the LGBTQ+ community can be beautiful, exciting, challenging, and heartbreaking which makes finding a LGBTQ+ friendly therapist that much more important. You might be questioning your sexuality. You might wonder where you fit in. You might simultaneously love your queer life, but feel like an outsider from your biological family or the rest of the world. You might be mislabeled or misgendered by others and it’s painful to not be seen for who you are. Being part of the LGBTQ+ community might only be one part of who you are and it might not be why you’re coming to therapy at all.

As a queer identified therapist I recognize all those parts of you. I want to help you hold all those identities, contexts, and the impact of “isms” while exploring what brings you to therapy. My work is body positive, sex positive, and I embrace and understand ethical non-monogamy.

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how therapy
can help

Working with a LGBTQ+ therapist gives our work a unique perspective, because you don’t have to explain those parts of you to me. While my own identity and story will be different from yours, I also understand what it’s like to be queer in a heteronormative world. I can help you feel less alone, support you in finding a life that feels authentic to you, and make the world feel less overwhelming. When you’re with me, you’re not an outsider, I’m on your side.

During our sessions, I use different tools including mindfulness techniques, somatics (body-based work), brainspotting, and trauma-informed therapy. I’ve been told that I’m easy to talk to and my style is direct and collaborative. So while, I’m a really good listener (isn’t that part of how to be a therapist 101?), I really like our sessions to be more of a conversation where we’re both in the weeds together.

You don’t have to feel like an outsider.
You can find a queer community.
Your queerness may or may not be why you’re therapy.
You can find a partner/partners you connect with and who see you for who you are.
Living in a heteronormative world doesn’t have to be so overwhelming.
You can find confidence in who you are and your identity.

Hi, I’m Emily, a LGBTQ+ friendly therapist in San Francisco.

I’m a queer identified therapist in the Bay Area of Northern California. I love working with the LGBTQIA+ community not only because I’m part of it, but because I know how important it is to find a lgbtq friendly therapist. I discovered all these parts of my identity through my own journey with therapy. As part of the LGBTQ+ community, you don’t have to be alone in the coming out process, in finding a queer community, and in discovering this beautiful part of yourself that deserves to be seen. You don’t have to be an outsider anymore.

Emily Pellegrino, LCSW LGBTQ+ friendly therapist in San Francisco

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LGBTQ+ affirming therapy FAQs

+ How do I find a therapist I connect with?

Finding a therapist you connect with - in particular a LGBTQ affirming therapist is so important. Research shows that the more connected you feel in your relationship with your therapist, the more likely lasting change will happen. I always recommend to start with a free 15 minute consultation call with any therapist so that you can ask them any questions you have and also so they can learn more about your needs. A good therapist will let you know whether or not they think they can help, or if they are a good fit or not. If they aren’t usually they can provide you with a few referrals for other folks who might be.

+ How do I find a LGBTQ+ friendly therapist near me?

A great place to start is Gaylesta or PsychologyToday. Gaylesta specifically connects individuals with therapists who are LGBTQ friendly therapists or part of the LGBTQ community. If you know that seeing a LGBTQ therapist is important to you, then it’s ok to ask the therapist if they are part of the community, and if not do they have any referrals.

+ What if I'm not sure I'm lesbian/gay/bi/transgender/queer?

That's more than ok. You don't have to know, and therapy can be an amazing place to explore that. A lot of people come to me not knowing, and together we dive into that and look at all the complexities of your identity. It might feel exciting, scary, relieving, uncertain - and all of those feelings are ok and welcome.

+ Do you see people who aren't part of the LGBTQ+ community?

Absolutely! I see folks with all sexual and gender identities.

+ Sure, I'm part of the LGBTQ community, but that's not why I'm coming to therapy. How can you help?

That's ok too. I hold your sexual and gender identity as only one part of who you are. For some people that's a big part, and for others it's a smaller part. I can help you with whatever is coming up for you specifically.

+ Why does it matter if my therapist is queer or part of the LGBTQ community?

It doesn't really matter unless you want it to matter. For some people within the queer community they don't want to have to explain "it" to a therapist. The "it" being what it's like to live in a heteronormative society, how scary it can be to come out, how it is to live in partnership with another queer person, how it is to pass/not pass in society, and what it's like to be judged for holding the hand of the person/people you love. As a queer person/therapist, I can hold the context of all those areas and for some people that matters, and for others it doesn't. It just depends what is best for you.

+ Do you work with folks who practice polyamory/kink/BDSM/ethical nonmonogamy?

Absolutely. I work with folks who have all types of relationships structures.

LGBTQ+ affirming therapy in san francisco