• Mental Health

10 Benefits of LGBTQ+ Affirming Therapy

Published: January 30, 2025
Updated: January 30, 2025
4 mins

Therapy has grown in popularity over the past decade. More people are interested and not ashamed to try therapy. While the stigma against getting therapy is diminishing, finding a therapist that’s right for you can still be challenging. 

An effective therapist should be able to understand the cultural background of the person receiving treatment. This is especially true for people of color and those in the LGBTQ+ community. 

People in the LGBTQ+ community tend to seek out mental health services more than heterosexual and cisgender individuals.

LGBTQ+ affirmative therapy is when a mental health professional has an informed understanding of people in the queer community and the challenges they face. This makes the provider more effective in providing guidance and mental health support.

What Issues Does LGBTQ+ Affirming Therapy Address?

Individuals in the queer community do not have to exclusively see an LGBTQ+-affirming therapist. However, mental health providers for LGBTQ+ individuals need to understand the complexities of people with a queer identity to best support them.

Therapists with training in LGBTQ+ care can help a queer person open up about life concerns related to:

• Relationship issues

• Discrimination based on sexual orientation

• Stress related to discrimination

• Family stress about acceptance and understanding

• Mental health conditions

• Parenting

• Division of labor within relationships

• Grief related to the loss of a loved one

How is Couples Therapy for LGBTQ+ Couples Different?

Couple therapists often specialize in LGBTQ+ affirming therapy to better understand how to care for LGBTQ+ couples. While there are many similarities between queer couples and heterosexual/cisgender couples, there are also some key differences.

Queer couples may have additional stress because of the lack of validation in society of their identity. This may add a strain on how a queer couple expresses themselves in public environments with less queer representation and protection. Queer couples may also have different experiences with family planning.

What are the Benefits of LGBTQ+ Affirming Therapy?

Those in the LGBTQ+ community are more at risk for health conditions like depression, obesity, and substance abuse.  Seeing an LGBTQ+ affirming therapist can help a young person in the queer community navigate complex emotions around their identity early on.

In the past, discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals reduced the likelihood of older individuals seeking mental health support because of the fear of violence and judgment.

For older individuals in the queer community, LGBTQ+ affirming therapy can give them a safe place to open up about past traumas that may be related to their sexual orientation or gender identity. 

Additional benefits of LGBTQ+ affirming therapists for people of all ages include the following:

1. Therapists who understand the history of LGBTQ+ liberation movements can better inform their care.

A key component of effective therapy is thoroughly understanding the cultural background of a client. 

LGBTQ+ affirming therapists are knowledgeable about the history of queer liberation in the United States and how that may have influenced a person’s upbringing and understanding of queer identity early in their life.

2. Having a therapist who understands the nuance of intersectional identity can increase comfort and promote openness with a therapist.

Many people in the LGBTQ+ community have more than one cisgender or heteronormative identity. A therapist who understands this may help a person address issues and concerns in your life with this possibility in mind.

3. An LGBTQ+ affirming therapist is open to a wide range of gender identity and expression.

While this is discouraged in the field, it’s not uncommon for therapists to bring some of their own beliefs into their practice. 

Some therapists who are not trained in LGBTQ+ affirming therapy may have homophobic views that lead to them rejecting a person’s expressed gender identity or sexual orientation.

4. LGBTQ+ affirming therapy reduces the risk of misdiagnosis based on gender expression and/or sexual orientation.

A therapist who does not understand queer identities may dismiss homosexuality as a mental disorder. 

Homosexuality as a mental health condition is a belief in the U.S. that led to the rise and continued existence of conversion therapy. Conversion therapy is a form of treatment that attempts to reverse a person’s sexual orientation.

5. LGBTQ+ affirming therapy may positively influence confidence and mental health.

Many young people in the LGBTQ+ have a hard time finding confidence in environments that deny the existence of identities and sexual orientations that are not heteronormative. 

6. Therapists who are LGBTQ+ affirming have an understanding of laws that impact the LGBTQ+ community.

Changing legislation for the LGBTQ+ community is a common threat in the U.S. This can directly affect how people express themselves in public without safety concerns.

7. This form of therapy provides emotional and mental health support for LGBTQ+ individuals disconnected from their families.

A common experience of many people who are LGBTQ+ is having to “come out” to friends and family members. Some people may unfortunately experience rejection from their loved ones. A therapist can be a safe place for them to speak openly and receive support.

8. This type of therapy helps avoid the risk of ideology related to conversion therapy.

While people are more open and accepting of the LGBTQ+ community, a belief in conversion therapy is still active in many parts of the country. 

Some therapists may also hold this belief depending on their practice. Denial of a person’s identity can be a dangerous and harmful experience for the person receiving treatment.

9. LGBTQ+ affirming therapy is not attached to religious beliefs.

A common barrier to LGBTQ+ rights is a religious belief that homosexuality is wrong. LGBTQ+-affirming therapists tend to base care more on the life experiences of the person receiving treatment rather than inserting their own beliefs. 

10. LGBTQ+ affirming therapy can help address self-esteem issues related to internalized homophobia.

It’s not uncommon for people in the LGBTQ+ community to have trouble with self-esteem as children. This may be especially true if they grow up or live in environments where there is not a lot of queer representation. 

A habit of repressing their true identity can turn into internalized homophobia. An LGBTQ+ affirming therapist can help you work through trauma related to similar experiences.

What are Some Challenges to LGBTQ+ Therapy?

One of the main challenges with queer-affirming therapy is the lack of representation in mental health research. A good portion of psychotherapy (talk therapy) is still primarily based on a predominantly white and middle-class understanding of romantic relationships.

It may be more difficult to know if a therapist is LGBTQ+-affirming. However, there are non-profit organizations and free online directories of queer-affirming mental health providers based on your location. 

While there may be less availability of LGBTQ+ affirming therapists in rural areas, online therapy provides more accessibility for mental health support.

Where Can I Learn More About Mental Health Services?

Many local organizations may offer mental health support through free counseling. LifeMD can help you learn more about mental health and help you take the first step toward getting mental health support.

LifeMD works with insurance plans that cover mental health services for at least 95% of adults. Still, there are tips and alternate options for care for those without health insurance.

Get started today by learning more about different kinds of mental health support.

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