🏳️‍🌈   LGBTQ+ Communities

For LGBTQ+ individuals, living with psychosis or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can be complicated by stigma, discrimination, or feeling unseen in healthcare settings. These added stressors may worsen symptoms, increase anxiety, and create barriers to seeking help.

At TRACE Behavioral Health, I provide person-centered treatment that integrates identity, culture, and context into care. I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for psychosis (CBTp), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to reduce effects of stigma, ease anxiety, and build resilience. I incorporate an individually-tailored cultural competence assessment—an approach I have taught to clinical teams at UC San Diego, Sharp HealthCare, and Bayview/Paradise Hills—to ensure therapy reflects each client’s lived experience.

What the research shows:

• LGBTQ+ individuals respond well to evidence-based therapies when care is delivered in a culturally competent and supportive environment.
• Studies show improvements in symptom reduction, self-acceptance, coping skills, and quality of life when stigma and minority stress are directly addressed in treatment.
• Evidence supports that inclusive CBT- and ACT-based approaches lower depression and anxiety, reduce compulsive behaviors, and improve recovery outcomes in LGBTQ+ populations.

Here, therapy is not just about managing symptoms—it’s about helping LGBTQ+ clients reclaim balance, strengthen identity, and move toward recovery with confidence and authenticity.