Support from a counsellor who understands what it means to search for a therapist who will not need queerness explained to them.
If you have spent time looking for a therapist and quietly wondering whether you will need to educate them, or brace for a well-meaning but clumsy question, you are not alone in that fatigue. Naomi Kolinsky, M.Ed., RCC, offers LGBTQ+ affirming counselling in Vancouver for adults who want therapy that starts from acceptance, not explanation.
Tired of Vetting Your Own Therapist?
Maybe you have sat through an intake call trying to read whether a counsellor is actually safe, or maybe you have simply given up and settled for “good enough.” Maybe a past therapist treated your identity as background information instead of something that shapes how you experience the world, your relationships, and your body.
That extra layer of vigilance, on top of whatever brought you to therapy in the first place, is its own kind of exhausting. You deserve a space where your identity does not need a preamble.
What Is LGBTQ+ Affirming Counselling?
LGBTQ+ affirming counselling means your identity is treated as a fact of your life, not a topic to be managed or a lens the therapist has to squint through. It is trauma informed, feminist, and grounded in the understanding that minority stress, family dynamics, and past experiences of being dismissed or misunderstood are real clinical considerations, not side notes.
This kind of support is a fit if you are:
- Looking for a therapist who will not need your identity explained or justified
- Working through trauma, anxiety, or relationship patterns that are shaped by your experience as a queer person
- Navigating disclosure, family reactions, or community belonging
- Seeking support around a gender affirming care transition
Naomi’s Approach to LGBTQ+ Affirming Care
Naomi is a queer, neurodivergent counsellor with lived experience in the communities she works with. She identifies as lesbian, and that lived experience sits alongside more than 20 years of clinical training in EMDR, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, and Internal Family Systems.
Her intake process includes fields for pronouns and sexual orientation, so this information is gathered with care from the very first step, not left for you to bring up and hope it lands well. Naomi has also written letters of support for clients pursuing gender affirming care, and understands the weight that process can carry.
Because trauma so often lives in the body, Naomi’s approach moves beyond talk therapy alone. Sessions may draw on:
- EMDR for single incident trauma, such as a specific harmful experience or incident of discrimination
- Internal Family Systems for more complex or repeated experiences, including family rejection or long term masking
- Somatic, body based work for the physical toll of chronic vigilance and minority stress
Read more about Naomi’s training and background on the About page.
What to Expect
- A first conversation. You share what brought you here, whether that is a specific event, a relationship, or a longer pattern you are ready to work through.
- A plan built around you. Naomi draws on trauma informed, feminist, and affirming approaches to shape sessions around your goals, not a generic script.
- Ongoing, grounded support. Sessions combine emotional processing with practical tools, so therapy feels useful, not just reflective.
Ready to take the first step? Contact Naomi to book your first session.
Life After Finding a Therapist Who Gets It
- A space where you do not have to explain or defend who you are
- Less energy spent bracing for a misstep that never comes
- Support for the specific trauma tied to minority stress, rejection, or discrimination
- A therapist familiar with the realities of gender affirming care and disclosure
- Room to bring your whole self into the room, not an edited version
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be “out” everywhere in my life to book a session? No. Many clients are out in some parts of their life and not others. That is common, and you set the pace here.
Is this therapy specifically for gender affirming care, or broader than that? Both. Naomi supports clients around gender affirming care, including letters of support, as well as broader work on trauma, anxiety, relationships, and identity.
Do you only work with LGBTQ+ clients? No, but LGBTQ+ affirming care is a core part of Naomi’s practice, alongside her trauma informed and neuroaffirming work.
Are sessions covered by extended health benefits? Many extended health plans cover sessions with a Registered Clinical Counsellor. Check your specific plan, and contact Naomi directly with fee questions.
Do you offer virtual sessions? Telehealth is available for local clients. Contact Naomi to confirm current availability.