LGBTQ-Affirmative Therapy in Los Angeles, CA | David Strah, Licensed Therapist
You deserve a therapist who doesn’t need a 10-minute explanation of your identity before you can get to the real work. At David Strah’s private mental health practice in Los Angeles, CA, that’s exactly what you get — a space where who you are is already understood, respected, and fully accepted.
David Strah is a licensed psychotherapist specializing in LGBTQ-affirmative therapy for individuals, couples, and families throughout Los Angeles. Whether you’re in West Hollywood, Silver Lake, Echo Park, Los Feliz, Santa Monica, or anywhere else across the city, in-person and telehealth appointments are both available to fit your life.
What Is LGBTQ-Affirmative Therapy?
LGBTQ-affirmative therapy isn’t just therapy with a rainbow sticker on the door. It’s a specific, trained approach to mental health care that starts from a simple premise: being gay, queer, bisexual, transgender, nonbinary, or any part of the LGBTQ+ spectrum is not the problem. The world’s response to it often is.
In affirmative therapy, your identity is never treated as something to work through or move past. Instead, sessions are built around your actual goals — managing anxiety, healing from trauma, working through relationship struggles, processing grief, or just figuring out who you are and who you want to become.
This matters more than most people realize. Research consistently shows that LGBTQ+ people face higher rates of depression, anxiety, and PTSD — not because of who they are, but because of discrimination, family rejection, social stigma, and what’s called minority stress. The right therapist understands all of this before you walk in the door.
David Strah’s practice is built on that foundation.
Who This Practice Serves
This isn’t a general therapy practice with an “LGBTQ+ friendly” checkbox. David’s work centers specifically on the LGBTQ+ community, including:
- Gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals
- Transgender and nonbinary people
- Those questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity
- LGBTQ+ couples navigating relationship challenges
- Families with LGBTQ+ members
- People dealing with HIV/AIDS-related concerns
- LGBTQ+ parents and those exploring LGBTQ+ parenting
- Anyone experiencing the long-term effects of family rejection, religious trauma, or social stigma
What You Can Work On Together
Every person comes in with something different. Some common reasons people reach out include:
Identity and coming out support — Coming out is rarely a single moment. It’s often a long, complicated process with different layers for different people in your life. Whether you’re at the beginning or decades in and still processing certain relationships, this is a space to work through all of it at your own pace.
Minority stress and internalized homophobia — Years of messages — from family, culture, religion, or just growing up in a world that wasn’t built with you in mind — leave a mark. Internalized homophobia and minority stress are real, they’re common, and they’re very workable with the right support.
Trauma and PTSD — Many LGBTQ+ people carry trauma that’s directly tied to their identity: bullying, rejection, abuse, or experiences of hate and discrimination. David uses trauma-informed approaches, including EMDR, to help you process what happened without having to relive it indefinitely.
Anxiety and depression — These show up for everyone, but LGBTQ+ individuals often experience them in specific ways. The weight of hiding, the fear of rejection, or years of not feeling safe being yourself can fuel both. Therapy can help you understand where these patterns come from and build real tools to change them.
Gender identity counseling — If you’re questioning your gender, exploring what transition might look like for you, or simply trying to understand yourself better, this is a nonjudgmental space to do that work.
Relationship counseling and couples therapy — LGBTQ+ relationships face the same challenges as any relationship, plus a few that are unique. Communication, trust, intimacy, navigating different stages of “outness,” family dynamics — all of this can be brought into sessions. Couples therapy is available for same-sex couples, queer couples, and any relationship structure.
Sexual compulsivity — This is an area where many people feel shame and don’t know where to turn. David works with clients on compulsive sexual behavior in a direct, nonjudgmental way — no moralism, just honest, supportive work.
Grief and loss counseling — Grief looks different for LGBTQ+ people. Sometimes it’s losing a chosen family member. Sometimes it’s grieving the relationship with a biological family that never accepted you. Whatever you’re carrying, there’s room to process it here.
The Therapeutic Approaches Used
Good therapy isn’t one-size-fits-all. David draws on several evidence-based approaches and adapts them to what actually fits each person:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) — helps you spot thought patterns that keep you stuck and build more useful ones
- Psychodynamic therapy — explores how your past shapes your present, particularly useful for long-standing relational patterns
- EMDR — a research-backed approach for processing trauma that doesn’t require you to talk through painful events in detail repeatedly
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) — helps you stop fighting your internal experience and start moving toward what matters to you
- Mindfulness-based approaches — practical tools for managing anxiety, staying present, and reducing overwhelm
- Attachment-based therapy — works well for relationship patterns, intimacy struggles, and the effects of early rejection or inconsistent caregiving
- Narrative therapy — helps you understand the stories you’ve been told about yourself and start writing your own
Why Choosing an Affirmative Therapist Matters
People sometimes wonder if any good therapist would do. Here’s the honest answer: not always.
Therapists who aren’t trained in LGBTQ+ affirmative care often don’t realize what they’re missing. They might accidentally use language that doesn’t fit, make assumptions about your relationships or family structure, or treat your identity as a “topic” to explore rather than a core part of who you are. None of that is intentional — it’s a training gap.
Working with someone who has specific training and experience with the LGBTQ+ community means you don’t have to spend sessions educating your therapist. You can just do the work.
David Strah brings years of experience working with LGBTQ+ clients in Los Angeles, with training specifically in affirmative therapeutic approaches, trauma-informed care, and the mental health concerns most commonly faced by queer and gender-diverse people.
Serving the Greater Los Angeles Area
David’s practice serves clients from across Los Angeles and the surrounding communities, including:
West Hollywood, Silver Lake, Echo Park, Los Feliz, Koreatown, Mid-City, Santa Monica, Culver City, Hollywood, Downtown Los Angeles, Atwater Village, Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, and Long Beach.
Can’t make it in person? Telehealth sessions are available throughout California, so geography doesn’t have to be a barrier.
What to Expect When You Reach Out
Starting therapy can feel like a big step, especially if you’ve had experiences with therapists who weren’t the right fit. Here’s what the process looks like:
Free initial consultation — Before anything else, you can schedule a brief call to ask questions, get a feel for whether this is a good match, and talk through what you’re looking for.
First session — This is a conversation, not an evaluation. You’ll talk about what’s brought you in, what you’re hoping for, and what a typical session might look like.
Ongoing sessions — Most people meet weekly, though session frequency is flexible based on your needs and schedule.
Sessions are fully confidential. Insurance is accepted, and sliding scale fees are available for those who need them.
Credentials and Trust
David Strah is a [LMFT / LCSW / LPCC — insert applicable license] licensed by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.
His practice is listed on Psychology Today, TherapyDen, and Inclusive Therapists — directories specifically used by LGBTQ+ individuals looking for affirming care.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to be struggling with my LGBTQ+ identity to work with you?
Not at all. Most people who come in aren’t here because of their identity — they’re dealing with anxiety, depression, relationship issues, trauma, grief, or just a general feeling that something needs to change. Being LGBTQ+-affirmative means your identity is respected and understood throughout our work, whatever the main focus is.
I’ve had bad experiences with therapists before. How is this different?
That’s one of the most common things people mention. A lot of LGBTQ+ folks have been in therapy where they felt like they had to explain or justify who they are. This practice is built differently — you won’t spend sessions educating me or worrying about accidental missteps. The focus is on you and what you actually came in to work on.
Do you work with couples who aren’t in monogamous relationships?
Yes. All relationship structures are welcome, including ethically non-monogamous relationships, open relationships, and polyamorous partnerships. Sessions are judgment-free and work with your relationship as it actually is.
Is telehealth as effective as in-person therapy?
For most concerns, yes. Video sessions are available throughout California and work well for individual therapy, with some couples finding in-person sessions easier. If you’re wondering whether telehealth is a good fit for what you’re dealing with, that’s a great question to bring up in your free consultation.
What if I’m not sure I’m ready for therapy?
That’s a very normal feeling. You don’t have to have your goals perfectly figured out before reaching out. The first call is just a conversation — low pressure, no commitment. A lot of people find that just talking through what’s going on helps clarify whether now is the right time.
Do you work with people who are questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity?
Absolutely. Questioning is a valid place to be, and therapy can be a helpful space to explore that without anyone rushing you toward a particular answer. You’re welcome here whether you have a clear label for yourself or none at all.
Do you accept insurance?
[Insert specific insurance details here.] Sliding scale fees are also available. If cost is a concern, bring it up during the free consultation — most people are surprised by what’s workable.
Ready to Get Started?
Finding the right therapist takes time, and it’s worth getting it right. If you’re in Los Angeles and looking for LGBTQ-affirmative therapy from a licensed therapist with real experience in the queer community, David Strah’s practice is a good place to start.
Schedule your free consultation today and take the first step at your own pace.
