LGBTQ+ Affirming Therapy in Sherman Oaks and Los Angeles Area

By Patty Flores, MSW, ASW

Call me: (213) 222-8794 or (818) 262-3634

Looking for an LGBTQ+ Therapist in Sherman Oaks or San Fernando Valley?

You may be asking yourself how or where to find an LGBTQ affirming therapist in the San Fernando Valley or Los Angeles. Even when searching for an "LGBTQ therapist near me," it doesn't provide the right results. It could be challenging to find the right fit in a therapist. The majority of people try to find a therapist with lived experience and who has cultural awareness. For many LGBTQ+ folks, therapy hasn’t always been a safe or affirming space - that’s why I’ve made it my mission to create a less hierarchical space that honors all your identities. As an LGBTQ therapist, I am committed to affirming therapy, trauma-informed therapy, and social justice. Affirming therapy means working with someone who respects your pronouns, understands intersectionality, and validates your lived experience. That means I don’t just “accept” your pronouns—I respect and reflect them. I understand how race, class, immigration, disability, and queerness intersect and shape your experience. And I center those realities in the work we do together. This is an affirming therapy space where you can show ALL your colors! I am one of very few LGBTQ+ therapists in Sherman Oaks and Spanish speaking therapist in the San Fernando Valley.

Why LGBTQ+ Affirming Therapy Matters

Throughout history, Psychologists, Doctors, Clinicians and other so-called “experts” have weaponized their knowledge and practices as a way to gain/maintain power and control over marginalized communities. These types of harmful practices have shaped how many queer and trans folks experience therapy today, often with fear, distrust, or the feeling that they must hide parts of themselves just to survive the session. This is why LGBTQ+ affirming therapy is a necessity. It’s about actively creating a space where your identity is respected and affirmed. As a queer therapist myself with lived experience, my therapy honors all of who you are. Many LGBTQ+ individuals face unique challenges - discrimination, family rejection, identity exploration, and trauma. These experiences impact mental health and deserve to be held with care, not judgement.

What I Offer as an LGBTQ+ Therapist in Sherman Oaks and Los Angeles

As an LGBTQ therapist in the San Fernando Valley with lived experience navigating foster care, immigration, and systemic barriers, I bring more than just clinical training to the room—I bring empathy, cultural humility, and real-world insight. As an LGBTQ therapist, I offer a safe, confidential, and non-judgmental space to explore your identity, emotions, relationships, trauma, and goals. My approach is collaborative, empathetic, affirming, and trauma informed. Whether you’re questioning, coming out, healing from trauma, or just want someone to talk to - I’m here to walk with you and support you. I am a therapist who won’t pathologize your identity, but who will recognize the impact that systems of oppression, rejection, or trauma may have had on your mental health. I strive to create a space that feels less clinical and more human; a space where your identity is never pathologized, but always respected and validated. I am also a Spanish speaking LGBTQ+ therapist in Sherman Oaks, San Fernando Valley, and Los Angeles for those who prefer therapy in Spanish which I know it is incredibility difficult to find.

Clients often say they feel safe, understood, empowered, and less alone when we work together. They appreciate that I bring both lived and clinical experience to the room.

I currently offer in-person therapy in Sherman Oaks, Encino, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, and Pasadena. I am also available for online therapy throughout the state of California. If you are looking for a Spanish speaking LGBTQ+ therapist in Sherman Oaks, please reach out. I am here to support you. Whether you’re seeking short-term support or long-term healing, you deserve care that sees and honors all of you. If you live in Los Angeles or the San Fernando Valley and are looking for an LGBTQ therapist near me - call me (213) 222 - 8794.