Accessing LGBTQ+ Identity-Related Counseling
Maggie McCleary, MS, LGPC, NCC
Maggie McCleary, MS, LGPC, NCC (they/them pronouns) is a mental health therapist working in Columbia, MD at Discover Yourself Wellness Center. They have a clinical focus on working with LGBTQ+, kink, and non-monogamous clients. They graduated from Johns Hopkins University’s MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program in December 2018. They co-taught an LGBTQ+ competency course in the same program. Maggie co-founded the Safe Space Program in Howard County through Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center, which focuses on increasing competency working with LGBTQ+ folks and suicide prevention and intervention, and they have presented at the local, state, and national level on the topic as well.
Finding yourself is one of the most difficult, and most rewarding, parts of growing up. Part of this process of finding yourself often looks like exploring sexual orientation and gender identity. When grappling with these aspects of identity, you may experience struggles that look different from other peers who are straight or cisgender. You may be thinking that you don’t belong, that you’re all alone, that there are too many options and labels, that you’re a burden on family and friends. You may be feeling lost, confused, alone, anxious, depressed, among so many other things. Being able to work with a therapist, especially one who is affirming and understanding of LGBTQ+ identities, can be instrumental in having a safe place to explore your identity and the thoughts and feelings that come up. You deserve to have a space that is explicitly for you and your concerns; one that allows you to be and find your complete self.
Many people in the LGBTQ+ community experience mental health struggles. These mental health struggles may look like depression, anxiety, discomfort and confusion around identity, uneasiness around transition, dysphoria, or grief. I want you to know that there is nothing wrong with you if you’re not straight or cisgender. These mental health struggles are not the result of your identity. Rather, it is a result of all of the social and societal difficulties that LGBTQ+ people face: rejection; discrimination; lack of belonging; feeling like a burden; hearing about the shift in politics; not seeing yourself represented in media… You are not alone, and there is nothing wrong with you. Build a support system that reminds you of that, including a therapist!
The journey of identity exploration is not the same for everyone. Don’t feel like your journey has to look like anyone else’s. In a community of constantly-evolving labels and identities, things are always changing. It is okay if that happens for you; if you land on a label for a while and then shift a little. That is all a part of the process! Having a consistent person on your team, like an LGBTQ+-affirming therapist, to support you in what could be an ever-evolving identity can help to you remind of this incredibly normal aspect of identity development.
When searching for a potential therapist, it can be helpful to access websites such as PsychologyToday or TherapyDen. Both websites allow for the option to search for providers who can work with LGBTQ+ issues. Read through their profiles and see which potential therapists offer the support that you’re looking for. You can also access affirmative support in moments of crisis by accessing different hotlines like Grassroots Hotline, Suicide Crisis Line, TransLifeLine, and TrevorLifeline (numbers listed at end of blog).
Therapy can be a crucial aspect of identity exploration. Having access to a non-judgmental, inclusive, LGBTQ+-educated, objective third-party provides you the opportunity to have a space that is just for you and your concerns. There are options out there for you! You are not alone in this process of finding yourself.
Grassroots Hotline: 410-531-6677
Suicide Crisis Line: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
TransLifeLine: 877-565-8860
TrevorLifeline: 1-866-488-7386
