The Gay Therapy Center was founded on the belief that it is healing for LGBTQ+ people to work with LGBTQ+ clinicians. Therapy is one place you don’t want to have to educate someone about the basic aspects of your identity.
When you work with a lesbian therapist it is more likely you will feel seen, understood, and supported in a way that might be harder to achieve with a therapist who does not share your sexual orientation.
A lesbian therapist can draw on her lived experience to create a stronger therapeutic alliance. This helps you feel safer to open up and be more honest about your feelings and experiences.
Lesbians in Therapy: Common Issues
While every human is different there are some common themes that often emerge in therapy with lesbian clients. Here are some concerns that our lesbian clients explore in therapy:
- We explore gender expression and identity, such as butch, femme, non-binary, gender fluidity, and other non-conforming identities. We also examine how societal expectations of gender roles impact lesbian identities and relationships.
- We work on building self-esteem and overcoming internalized homophobia.
- We address dealing with discrimination or misunderstanding, and the impact of lesbian invisibility, both within and outside the LGBTQ+ community.
- We explore options and cope with challenges related to starting a family.
- We develop skills to express needs and boundaries effectively.
- We help lesbian clients navigate the dating scene and build healthy relationships.
Lesbian Relationships: Issues for Couples Counseling
The core of any good couples counseling is learning how to communicate vulnerable feelings to your partner in way that brings you closer to her rather than further apart.
There are frequent themes that can emerge with lesbian couples in couples counseling. Here are a few:
- We work on addressing sexual issues specific to lesbian couples, including struggles in communicating needs, mismatched libido, sexual trauma, body image, and ethical non-monogamy.
- We address “fusion” or over-closeness found in some lesbian relationships.
- We guide couples in navigating gender roles and expectations, such as exploring and respecting each partner’s expression of butch, femme, or other lesbian identities within the relationship.
- We support couples in navigating non-traditional family planning and parenting decisions.
- We assist in managing family dynamics and acceptance issues from both partners’ families.
- We help couples navigate different stages of coming out within the relationship.
Lesbian Therapy: Research-Informed
Our approach is grounded in research on lesbian mental health and relationships. Some key findings that inform our practice include:
- Studies indicate that open sexual communication is often less common in lesbian relationships due to social stigma and internalized homophobia. This can lead to misunderstandings and reduced sexual satisfaction (Frost & Meyer, 2009). https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2009-00624-018
- Research has highlighted the importance of community connection in fostering resilience (Meyer, 2015). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5846479/#:~:text=Communities that do not have order to experience community resilience.
- Studies have shown the significant impact of minority stress on mental health in lesbian individuals (Hatzenbuehler, 2009). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2789474/
- Studies have examined the psychological impact of lesbian invisibility and strategies for increasing visibility (Eliason & Schope, 2007). https://www.researchgate.net/publication/226519485_The_Health_of_Sexual_Minorities
- Research has identified unique strengths of same-sex relationships, including increased equality and flexibility in roles (Umberson et al., 2015). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4294225/
- Research has explored the diverse meanings and expressions of butch and femme identities in contemporary lesbian culture (Levitt & Horne, 2002). https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2002-06778-002
We stay updated on current research to provide you with the most effective, evidence-based care.
Where can I find a Lesbian Therapist Near Me?
When you reach out to us we can match you to a lesbian therapist that best meets your specific needs. Read about a few of our lesbian therapists below.
