LGBTQ Affirming Therapist in Austin, TX

LGBTQIA+ affirming therapy is an approach to therapy that respects and supports your identity without treating it as something to question, change or fix. An affirming therapist understands the experiences many LGBTQIA+ people face including minority stress, discrimination and family rejection so you don't have to spend sessions explaining your identity before you can focus on what brought you to therapy.

An LGBTQIA+ friendly therapist is welcoming and accepting, while an LGBTQIA+ affirming therapist has the training and experience to support LGBTQIA+ clients without asking them to educate their therapist or treating their identity as the problem. Affirming care goes beyond acceptance to understanding and competence.

You deserve a therapist who already understands more than the basics so your time can be spent focusing on you, not explaining who you are.

The best way to find an LGBTQIA+ affirming therapist in Austin is to look for someone with training and experience working with LGBTQIA+ clients whose website clearly explains what affirming care means in practice, not just that they welcome everyone.

Directories like Inclusive Therapists and OutCare are great places to start, but don't stop there. Read the therapist's website, schedule a consultation and ask about their training, experience and approach. You deserve to know you'll be understood before your first session.

No, you do not have to be out to start LGBTQIA+ affirming therapy. Many people start therapy before coming out, while they're questioning their identity or sexuality, or when they're still figuring out what they want to share with others and when.

You don't have to come into therapy with a label, an answer or a plan. You get to decide what you talk about, what you keep private and what feels right for you.

Yes, coming out therapy can help you think through if, when and how you want to share your identity with others. It can give you a space to explore your feelings, prepare for different reactions and figure out what support you need before, during or after coming out.

Coming out is different for everyone and there is no right timeline or one “right” way to do it. Whether you’re thinking about coming out for the first time, navigating a difficult reaction or just trying to understand what you want, therapy can give you space to sort through the emotions, fears and questions that come with it.

Yes, I am part of the LGBTQIA+ community and I know how important it can be to work with a therapist who understands that identity is connected to so many parts of our lives.

My lived experience informs the way I show up as a therapist but your story is still your own. Whether you're exploring your identity, navigating relationships, healing from trauma or working through something totally unrelated, we'll focus on what matters most to you.

Yes, I provide LGBTQIA+ affirming therapy for teens ages 13 and up. Teens may come to therapy while exploring their identity, thinking about coming out, navigating relationships or family dynamics or just need a space where they feel comfortable being themselves.

For parents, watching your child figure out who they are can bring up a lot of emotions and questions. Therapy can give your teen a supportive place to talk through their experiences while helping families build more understanding, trust and connection along the way.

Yes, I provide gender-affirming letters of support for adults seeking gender-affirming medical care. You can learn more about my evaluation process and what to expect on the Gender-Affirming Letter page.

Yes, therapy is confidential and being LGBTQIA+ is not a diagnosis. Your identity, gender or sexuality is not something that needs to be “treated” or documented as a mental health concern. If you use insurance, a diagnosis is required for billing but that diagnosis is based on what brings you to therapy, not your identity.

If privacy is especially important to you, private pay therapy means your sessions are not submitted to an insurance company. Some LGBTQIA+ clients choose private pay because it gives them more control over their health information and who has access to their records.

LGBTQIA+ therapy at Cosmic Daisy is $170 per 50 minute session. In Austin, private pay therapy commonly ranges from around $100 to $250 per session depending on the therapist’s experience, specialty, session length and practice setting.

I also offer single session therapy for $150 which is one focused session designed to help you work through a specific concern without committing to ongoing therapy.
If you’re using insurance, your out of pocket cost will depend on your specific plan, deductible and benefits. I can provide superbills for out of network reimbursement and limited sliding scale spots are available when needed.

Yes, I provide online LGBTQIA+ affirming therapy for clients across Texas including Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, El Paso and communities throughout the state. Virtual therapy makes it possible to work with an affirming therapist even if you live somewhere where LGBTQIA+ affirming care is harder to find.

If you’ve had a bad experience with a therapist before, you may be wondering if trying again is even worth it. Especially for LGBTQIA+ clients, a therapist who doesn’t understand your identity or lived experience can make therapy feel exhausting instead of supportive.

A difficult therapy experience does not mean therapy will never help. Sometimes it means you were working with someone who wasn’t the right fit. Finding a therapist who understands you, respects your experiences and creates a space where you feel comfortable being yourself can change the entire experience.