LGBT Issues therapists in Oak Grove, Missouri MO
LGBT Issues
Merritt Posten Benz
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LSCSW, CDWF, MCLC
People are people, couples are couples and therapeutic work is open to everyone but/and if you identify within the LGBTQI community, there are circumstances and struggles that you must uniquely face. Navigating a healthy and full life is challenging for all of us, and everyone experiences times of struggle and challenge and the added stress and isolation of being a member of the LGBTQI within a heteronormative and often unsafe world, can make the harder things harder. It's crucial to know and have a therapist that is not only open and affirming but can also speak to the experience of being LGBTQI in a world that does not consistently have your interests or experiences in mind and often works intentionally to silence, shame and subdue you and your rights.
21 Years Experience
LGBT Issues
Dr. Ann Becker-Schutte; Healthy Balanced Life Psychology, LLC
Psychologist, Ph.D.
I began working to understand LGBTQIA+ experiences as a volunteer at a crisis hotline during college. As a graduate student, I was part of a team who developed a scale to measure ally development. Throughout my private practice, I have worked to make sure that my office is a supportive space for individuals of all orientations.
21 Years Experience
LGBT Issues
Dr. Sophia Aguirre
Psychologist, Ph.D., CGP, F-AGPA
I believe everyone deserves a judgment-free space to feel understood and to heal. I am passionate about creating an affirming and empowering therapeutic space that affirms all facets of your sexual and gender identity. I understand that members of the LGBTQ+ community face many of the same mental health concerns as the general population, but they also have a set of unique challenges that other communities don’t. Our queer and trans communities face unique stressors from living in a stigmatizing, heteronormative society. Living authentically in a world that’s not built for queer and gender diverse people can feel overwhelming — even impossible — at times. My goal is to create creating a safe and inclusive environment where you can focus on the concerns that bring you to therapy without fear of judgment, invalidation, or discrimination. I utilize bring an anti-oppressive approach to therapy that emphasizes the importance of understanding the effects of power, privilege, and oppression on the lives of our clients and our communities. With the use of culturally-affirming practice, I hope to empower you to be your most authentic self and to develop a deeper understanding and acceptance of your unique intersecting identities.
15 Years Experience
LGBT Issues
Jayson L. Mystkowski
Psychologist, Ph.D., ABPP
Affirmative Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (ACBT) is an individualized, active and goal-oriented type of psychotherapy, with evidence-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy interventions targeting SGM-specific stress and concerns. Topics addressed in Affirmative Cognitive Behavioral Therapy include the following:
Stress management (e.g., coping skills, substance abuse and recovery)
Gender identity (e.g., evaluations for medical transition and supporting documentation, non-binary)
Coming-out (e.g., concerns about one’s family, religion, culture, and workplace)
Sexual health (e.g., safer sex, STIs, sex positivity)
20 Years Experience
LGBT Issues
Philip Cooke
Psychologist, PhD
Providing LGBT-affirming psychotherapy and assessment services has been a core part of my training, research, and clinical practice for the past 8 years. My doctoral research and post-doctoral fellowship focused on the psychological well-being of queer men and LGBTQ-affirmative health care. I continue to teach in graduate programs and provide consultation on working with LGBTQ-identified individuals and couples. I have substantial expertise in the psychological effects of discrimination, the intersection of race and gender/sexuality, identity exploration, ethical nonmonogamy, psychosocial and medical gender transition, queer men’s issues, and queer relationship concerns.
As a clinician, my practice has consistently focused on the needs of queer people, particularly those who may be on the margins of the LGBTQ community, including trans and nonbinary folx, non-monosexual people (e.g., bisexual, pansexual), queer people of color, and polyamorous and non-monogamous individuals and relationships. I work to understand the effects of other identities (race, class, ability, age, etc.) on my patient’s concerns and tailor treatment accordingly.
10 Years Experience