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LGBT therapists in Santa Cruz, CA


Top LGBT-friendly therapists and psychiatrists in Santa Cruz, CA
Santa Cruz's vibrant LGBTQIA community deserves affirming mental health care. Headway provides access to warm, solution-oriented providers across the city who support your journey. Connect with 2,622 licensed therapists with availability as soon as tomorrow.
I have been a licensed MFT for 17 years and have worked in many settings including but not limited to: non-profit, community college, outpatient drug and alcohol treatment, group home and private practice. I got my Masters at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology and I’d definitely describe my orientation as eclectic and I honestly taylor my work to each client.
For the past 20 years, I've worked across private practices, youth development centers, schools, and mental health clinics. My passion is to work with adults navigating major life transitions. Whether you are a college student or approaching retirement, my hope is to walk alongside you during this time of change and uncertainty; to help create the conditions for you to reconnect with your authentic self and remember what lights you up. We can explore ways to recognize and acknowledge your anxiety that moves beyond words. Incorporating expressive arts, guided imagery, and embodied exercises to help you strengthen your awareness with your emotions and rewrite old narratives.
Anxiety and perfectionism have turned your mind into a battleground. Your inner critic nitpicks every interaction, leaving you exhausted by thoughts of “Damnit, why can’t I just be better!” Painful memories get louder, no matter how hard you try to ignore them. Daily invalidations of your Latina, queer, or immigrant identity sting, and you feel isolated as you keep your suffering to yourself. You’ve tried everything: doom scrolling, drinking, and self-help books, but nothing has worked. You're left feeling hopeless and weighed down.
Hello! I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 16 years of experience helping people get unstuck. I specialize in supporting adolescents, men, and women navigating anxiety, depression, anger, grief, LGBTQIA+ concerns, and substance abuse. If you are feeling overwhelmed, anxious about your career, or eager to improve but lacking the tools to make it a reality, you are in the right place. Armed with a Doctorate in Social Work, my goal is to help you identify the root causes of your challenges and empower you to build a more balanced, fulfilling life.
I am a board‐certified clinical therapist with a strong foundation in narrative therapy, helping clients explore and reshape the stories that influence their lives. In recent years, I’ve supported children ages 5–17 as well as adults navigating a wide range of emotional experiences, including anxiety, depression, grief, and gender affirmation.
I HAVE 40 YEARS EXPERIENCE WORKING IN MENTAL HEALTH. I HAVE TRAVELED THE WORLD STUDYING CULTURES AND RELIGIONS AND HAVE A LIFETIME OF PERSONAL EXPERIENCES THAT GIVES ME A CLEAR INSIGHT INTO WHAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH. I WILL BE THERE FOR YOU 24/7 AND I ACTUALLY CARE. I AM INTERESTED IN YOU AS A WHOLE PERSON AND NOT JUST A CURRENT PROBLEM, MY GOAL IS TO GET YOU FEELING BETTER QUICKLY AND ENRICHING YOUR LIFE FOR A FUTURE FILLED WITH POTENTIAL AND JOY.
I'm Dr. Jack Sample, a licensed clinical psychologist in Los Angeles offering psychodynamic, depth-oriented therapy at my office in Hollywood. My practice is informed by training and education in psychology, cultural anthropology, and nonfiction storytelling. I believe therapy is an opportunity to address the roots of suffering and support enduring change. My approach aims to cultivate capacities for thinking, feeling, and creativity to foster a greater sense of agency and aliveness.
I create a warm environment to work collaboratively on achieving your objectives. I've been a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist for over 20 years. I specialize in relationships, anxiety, depression, fears/phobias, couples work, creativity, career enhancement among other goals. I have an eclectic treatment modality including psychodynamic, self-psychology, cognitive-behavioral, hypnotherapy and NLP.
Hello, my name is Tamra Smith. I am a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in Sacramento, CA. I have over 20 years of experience in the field of Mental Health Services, especially providing therapy and consultation. My practice name is Path to Wellbeing Therapy Services, and I truly lead each person on a path to their own emotional health and wellbeing.
Reaching out for help can be challenging for many. As psychotherapy aims at positive changes you desire, I am honored to provide a safe place for your self-exploration and reflection in which you can gain your inner peace and change you long for. Being specialized in trauma, PTSD, sexual abuse and domestic violence, I can offer some resolution in your trauma work. Trauma can penetrate not only your emotional well-being but also almost every facet of your life.
About our LGBTQIA+ affirming therapists in Santa Cruz, CA



- 100%LGBTQIA+
- 98%Anxiety
- 94%Depression
- 89%Stress management
- 86%Trauma

- 98%Aetna
- 80%Carelon Behavioral Health
- 75%Cigna
- 73%Anthem Blue Cross California
- 64%Blue Shield of California

- 97%English
- 15%Spanish
- 2%Farsi
- 1%Mandarin
- 1%Assamese

- 89%Online only
- 11%In-person or online

- 74%Woman
- 24%Man
- 3%Non-binary

- 46%Licensed Marriage/Family Therapist
- 29%Licensed Clinical Social Worker
- 9%Nurse Practitioner
- 8%Clinical Psychologist
- 7%Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor

- 100%Individual therapy
- 40%Family therapy
- 28%Couples therapy
- 17%Child or adolescent therapy
Frequently asked questions


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