LGBTQ Identity and Minority Stress
Let’s be honest—being LGBTQ can be hard, especially when you’re navigating cultural, religious, or familial worlds that don’t always understand or accept you.
Many factors shape how you experience your identity:
I’ve spent over a decade helping LGBTQ individuals work through identity integration, family dynamics, and the long shadow of minority stress. My research and clinical experience supporting queer Jews from Orthodox backgrounds have also made me attuned to the broader experiences of LGBTQ people navigating faith, culture, and identity.
Therapy in this space often means exploring how to make peace with your past, define what belonging means to you now, and decide what kind of relationship you want with your community and family of origin. Together, we can help you live more fully as your whole, integrated self—without having to leave parts of you behind.
Many factors shape how you experience your identity:
- Environment: Workplaces, family homes, synagogues, and community spaces all send messages that can either affirm or diminish you.
- Cultural background: What were you taught about LGBTQ+ people growing up? Were they accepted? Ignored? Condemned?
- Intersecting identities: Maybe you’re Jewish, Black, an educator, a first responder—each identity adds its own layer of meaning and complexity.
- Your unique temperament: Some people are naturally more sensitive, anxious, or approval-seeking—these traits aren’t flaws; they just shape how stress and rejection land.
I’ve spent over a decade helping LGBTQ individuals work through identity integration, family dynamics, and the long shadow of minority stress. My research and clinical experience supporting queer Jews from Orthodox backgrounds have also made me attuned to the broader experiences of LGBTQ people navigating faith, culture, and identity.
Therapy in this space often means exploring how to make peace with your past, define what belonging means to you now, and decide what kind of relationship you want with your community and family of origin. Together, we can help you live more fully as your whole, integrated self—without having to leave parts of you behind.