Thinking of coming out?

Coming out is a process of understanding, accepting, and valuing your sexual orientation/identity. It involves both exploring your identity and sharing your identity with others. Coming out can be a gradual process or one that is very sudden. The first step usually involves coming out to yourself, often with a realization that feelings you’ve had for some time make sense if you can define them as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or queer.

Coming out can be a very difficult process. Our society strongly enforces codes of behavior regarding sexual orientation and gender identity, and most people receive the message that they must be heterosexual and act according to society’s definition of their gender. For gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons, there may be a sense of being different or of not fitting in to the roles expected of you by your family, friends, workplace or greater society. Coming out involves facing societal responses and attitudes toward LGBTQ people. You may feel ashamed, isolated, and afraid.

Although coming out can be difficult, it can also be a very liberating and freeing process. You may feel like you can finally be authentic and true to who you are. You may find a whole community of people like you and feel supported and inspired. Even if it’s scary to think about coming out to others, sometimes the reward can be worth the challenge that coming out entails.

Individuals do not move through the coming out process at the same speed. The process is very personal. It happens in different ways and occurs at different ages for different people. Some people are aware of their sexual identity at an early age, and others arrive at this awareness after many years. Coming out is a continuing, sometimes lifelong, process.

Once you accept that you’re lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer, you can decide to be out to others or to stay “in the closet.” You are the only person who can decide when and how it is safe to come out. You may decide to come out in one part of your life and not in another.

Need help with coming out? Let’s chat. Call me at 860-773-5033

About me

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor, and Certified Clinical Supervisor in the state of Connecticut.

The ideal client brings me their heaviest needs and issues with which they cannot find relief in mind, body, and spirit. We would be developing discussions of dreams, goals of what needs to happen immediately, challenges to the immediate, and what is imagined at 6 months, one year, and into the far future! With time, we resource and strengthen self-esteem and self-love. Come find out what no longer serves you in life and let my skills help you bravely face and leave behind those thoughts, feelings, and beliefs that keep you from what you truly want out of your life.

I am currently trained in Coming Out Therapy, Gender Dysphoria, and Sexual Identity Counseling.I will use all available skills to facilitate your growth.

Would you like to learn how Coming Out, Gender Dysphoria and Sexual Identity counseling can help you? Sign up for a FREE Intake Session with me.

Online and in-person therapy are available.
Address: 50 Barbara Ln Hamden, CT 06518