LGBTQIA+ Affirming Therapy in Cincinnati, Ohio
Connection. Hope. Belonging.
In the 1970’s, a gay man/drag queen named Gilbert Baker traveled from Kansas to San Fransisco. In a society and time when it was illegal to be queer, Baker designed an 8-colored rainbow flag which would become the symbol of LGBTQIA+ pride across the world.
“What I liked about the rainbow is that it fits all of us. It’s all the colors. It represents all the genders. It represents all the races. It’s the rainbow of humanity.”- Gilbert Baker
The rainbow symbolizes connection, hope, and belonging. Unfortunately, many people who identify as LGBTQIA+ struggle to find places where they feel they truly belong, exactly as they are. Living in a society which normalizes heterosexual and cisgender people, LGBTQIA+ individuals face chronic invalidation and endure consistent messages that their identity and lived experience is not acceptable.
Without a sense of belonging, many LGBTQIA+ people experience:
- Shame about who they are
- Pressure to be perfect
- Feeling as if they are a burden or ask too much
- Fear of facing discrimination or being targeted because of who they are
- Anger towards themselves and others
- Feeling hopeless that their family or society will ever truly accept them
Our struggles become our strengths
People in the LGBTQIA+ population experience unique and intense challenges such as coming out to their family and community, a higher rate of suicidality, restricted access to health care, and threats of discriminatory legislation. Amid these enormous difficulties, our struggles become our strengths. As they uncover their identity, LGBTQIA+ individuals develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for who they are, giving them courage to explore and define themselves. The long and rich history of LGBTQIA+ protesters, scientists, artists, and leaders who have shaped the world to be a safer place provides inspiration to continue building a more inclusive and compassionate society.
Often, people who identify as LGBTQIA+ are forced to find islands of safety and acceptance. Cincinnati Center for DBT offers a welcoming, educated, and empowering environment to encourage you to be yourself. The staff and clinicians have training and experience to guide them as they help you learn more about yourself and develop the skills you need to face the challenges ahead of you. The clinicians at Cincinnati Center for DBT continue to attend workshops, trainings, and presentations to stay up-to-date on the current research and treatments for the LGBTQIA+ community. Finding a safe harbor can give you the space you need to continue growing into the person you want to be.
Treatment at Cincinnati Center for DBT offers an avenue for you to define and build a life worth living. DBT encourages clinicians to practice radical genuineness, the act of truly being themselves so they can develop a real and equal relationship with their clients. Some DBT skills can help you learn how to survive the darkest nights and radically accept very painful realities. Other skills can help you stand up for yourself when someone is misgendering you or saying hurtful things. Regardless of whom you love, how you dress, or which bathroom you use, you deserve respect, belonging, and compassion. Finding a place of comfort and empowerment can help you take the next step towards building safety in your relationships and community.
Not ready for therapy yet? Browse these resources and blog posts related to LGBTQIA+ issues.
Because we specialize in working with the LGBTQIA+ community at Cincinnati Center for DBT, our therapists frequently look out for resources and write blog posts related to LGBTQIA+ issues. Here are just a few resources and blog posts from our therapists you might find useful!
Blog: Shame: An Adaptive Response to Trauma
Blog: Understanding Sexual Fluidity
Blog: Parent-Adolescent Gender Identity Conflict
GLSEN: Creating a Better World for LGBTQ Students
Trevor Project for LGBTQIA youth: 866-488-7386
Transform for Transgender Youth: Offers transpeople between 6 and 25 FREE clothes with a personalized shopping experience.
Treehouse Cincinnati: A grassroots, community-focused organization for queer people looking for community.
Living with Change for Transgender Youth and Their Families: Offers a variety of support, primarily for children and their families. Support includes financial support for hormone replacement therapy (HRT), resources for parents, and advocacy in schools, including sports teams.
Lighthouse Youth and Family Services for LGBTQ Youth: Advocates for ending youth homelessness. Their primary service is providing homeless or soon-to-be homeless LGBTQ+ youth between 18 and 24 housing with "foster families" while they work a case plan to get a job and their own place.
Sexual fluidity and the diversity of sexual orientation
Other Therapy Services
Life is complicated. You are more than your gender identity or sexual orientation. You are a unique person facing unique struggles. Our therapists can help with a variety of concerns. We offer mental health services at our therapy office in Cincinnati or online therapy anywhere in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, or any PSYPACT state. Some of our other specialties include: dialectical behavior therapy and borderline personality disorder treatment; individual cognitive-behavioral therapy; depression treatment; anxiety treatment; trauma and PTSD treatment; alcohol, drug, and addiction treatment; and more! You deserve to feel supported and to find the tools to face everything life is throwing at you. When you’re ready, our therapists are here to help.
If you find yourself experiencing intense suicidal thoughts, you should call 911, go to the closest emergency room, or contact one of the following hotlines:
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988
Trevor Project for LGBTQIA youth: 866-488-7386, https://www.thetrevorproject.org
STAY CONNECTED
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SPREAD THE WORD
We are honored to be part of your mental health journey. If our services have made a positive impact on you, we encourage you to share your experience with friends, family, and colleagues who might also benefit. Your referrals are the highest compliment we can receive.
Thank you for helping us make a difference.