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LGBT therapists in Santa Monica, CA


Top LGBT-friendly therapists and psychiatrists in Santa Monica, CA
Santa Monica's vibrant LGBTQIA+ community deserves mental health care that truly understands their experiences. Headway offers flexible, judgment-free sessions with providers experienced in supporting gender identity, sexual orientation, and community-specific challenges. With 70+ insurance plans accepted, quality affirming care is more accessible than ever.
I work with adolescents and adults and offer individual, couples, and family therapy. I help individuals identify their goals and make the changes necessary to help them lead more productive and fulfilling lives. I am directive, and I provide a warm, caring and non-judgmental environment to explore the issues and life-events with which you may be struggling.
I’m Thomas Moore, LPCC, a licensed professional clinical counselor providing therapy for individuals navigating anxiety, trauma, emotional overwhelm, identity development, and complex relational patterns. Many of the people I work with feel stuck in repeating cycles such as overthinking, people pleasing, emotional shutdown, intense reactions, or difficulty maintaining stable relationships even when they logically understand what they should do. My goal is to help you translate insight into real change.
My approach is structured and compassionate. I integrate evidence based methods including cognitive restructuring, emotional regulation training, interpersonal effectiveness skills, and trauma informed therapy. Sessions focus on understanding why your brain reacts the way it does and building practical tools you can actually use outside the therapy room. This is not only about talking through problems but learning how to respond differently when they show up in real life.
I work well with clients who want more than passive support and are ready to build skills, increase self awareness, and interrupt patterns that no longer serve them.
What clients should know before starting
Therapy with me is collaborative and active and you will learn strategies rather than only venting. We will work on understanding both the emotional and neurological side of your reactions. Sessions focus on present day functioning while also addressing past experiences that still affect you. I may gently challenge patterns when it supports growth while maintaining a supportive and respectful space. Progress often comes from small repeated changes rather than sudden breakthroughs.
If you are looking for therapy that combines validation with practical change, we will likely work well together.
If you are navigating grief, a serious illness, a cancer diagnosis, or the quiet exhaustion of caring for someone you love, I am here for the full weight of it. I also work with people moving through anxiety, depression, infertility, and major life transitions like new parenthood or a shift in your sense of self. My focus is the place where health, loss, and life change intersect, and I believe that even in the middle of the hardest experiences, people have a remarkable capacity for resilience and connection. I am affirming and welcoming of LGBTQIA+ clients.
Welcome! I’m a licensed psychotherapist who is warm, intellectual, direct, and authentic. Working with me tends to feel insightful, grounding, and nonjudgemental. I have 10 years of experience in mental health and social services in various capacities, including leadership positions. Before becoming a therapist, I went to art school and was a researcher in the public sector. This informs my therapy practice, as I have a deep understanding of intersecting systemic barriers. I’m able to hold deep complexity in an individual and a system and approach my work with creativity. I have my Bachelors of Arts from the University of California, Berkeley and my Masters of Science in Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling from San Francisco State University. I’m a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) and a Certified Vocational Evaluation Specialist (CVE). I've also been extensively trained in EMDR, trauma-informed, existential and person-centered therapy.
Hello, I’m a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, licensed since 2008, with experience working with diverse populations ranging from children to older adults. I provide a warm, safe, and nonjudgmental space where clients can feel supported and understood. I especially enjoy helping individuals navigate life transitions such as starting college, graduating, changing jobs, adjusting to civilian life after the military, or entering retirement. My areas of focus include women’s issues, anxiety, depression, and building self-acceptance. I look forward to supporting you as you move toward growth and balance in your life.
I have 40 years experience in the mental health field in multiple roles, I believe listening and believing in the person is the most important way to practice therapy.
I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with experience supporting adults, teens, and families in medical, community mental health, and addiction treatment settings. I’ve worked with a wide range of concerns, including anxiety, depression, trauma, and substance use. I bring a calm, supportive, and down‐to‐earth style to therapy so clients feel safe and understood. I also teach social work and sociology at the university level, which keeps me grounded in current research and best practices. Most importantly, I care about meeting you where you are and helping you move toward meaningful change.
Welcome, and thank you for considering me as a partner in your wellness journey! My therapeutic style is warm, gentle, and supportive, while also being direct and accountability focused. I believe meaningful change happens when compassion and honesty work together. In our time together, we will explore what’s getting in the way of your well-being and identify practical, sustainable ways to improve your daily functioning and overall quality of life.
With over a decade of experience in the mental health field, I bring a grounded, steady presence to the therapeutic space. I support clients through life transitions, emotional challenges, and periods of feeling stuck, always meeting you where you are while helping you move toward where you want to be. Therapy with me is collaborative, intentional, and centered on your goals, your values, and your lived experience. Together, we’ll work toward clarity, resilience, and growth at a pace that feels both supportive and empowering.
I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with extensive experience in trauma-informed care, crisis intervention, and long-term psychotherapy. I work primarily with adults navigating anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, identity concerns, and the lasting impact of trauma.
My professional background includes service in military and veteran-support settings, as well as work in community mental health, medical and hospital-based environments, and outpatient therapy. This breadth of experience allows me to support clients across a wide range of life circumstances—from acute stress and major transitions to deeper, long-term personal growth.
My practice is grounded in a collaborative, nonjudgmental approach that integrates evidence-based and relational therapies. I believe therapy works best when clients feel supported, understood, and appropriately challenged, with the goal of not just symptom relief, but meaningful, lasting change in how clients relate to themselves and others.
Shara Ally, DNP, PMHNP-BC, is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner providing evidence-based medication management for adults (18+) via telehealth. As an author and TEDx speaker, she translates complex research into clear, practical care plans that help patients feel informed and supported.
Shara specializes in mood and anxiety disorders, trauma-related conditions (PTSD), adult ADHD, OCD, bipolar spectrum disorders, and women's mental health across the reproductive lifespan—including perinatal and postpartum mood disorders, PMDD, and menopausal transitions. Her practice is medication-focused and highly collaborative, with education, skills coaching, and supportive check-ins integrated into visits. She coordinates closely with therapists, primary care providers, OB-GYNs, and other clinicians to ensure cohesive treatment.
Patients can expect a comprehensive evaluation reviewing history, symptoms, prior treatments, and goals. Shara practices thoughtful prescribing with transparent discussion of options, benefits, and side effects so decisions are truly shared. She uses measurement-based care—structured symptom tracking—to guide adjustments and reduce trial-and-error. Her whole-person approach integrates sleep, nutrition, movement, and stress management when relevant, with streamlined access through secure telehealth and clear after-visit summaries.
Shara's style is warm, direct, and person-centered, grounded in shared decision-making. Her care is trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and rooted in current clinical evidence. Beyond clinical practice, she serves as a nurse educator and academic mentor, shaping future psychiatric clinicians through evidence-based teaching. An international fellowship in India enriched her global perspective through research and teaching in hospital and university settings.
For up-to-date availability, please visit us or call/text us at 415-968-6515.
I am Tony Gunn, a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker and Licensed Clinical Social Worker. I am also a Substance Abuse Professional and a board certified transgender care therapist. I value connection, trust, and respect.
I work with adults, teens, families, and couples. My focus areas include LGBTQIA+ clients, gender nonconforming clients, transgender care, sexual health concerns, trauma, grief, mood concerns, and major life transitions.
You receive care grounded in empathy, cultural awareness, and collaboration. Sessions center on clear goals, practical skills, and meaningful insight. I create a space where you feel heard, supported, and understood without judgment.
I provide services through in-person and telehealth settings. My approach blends evidence-based practice with care shaped around your needs, values, and lived experience. My goal centers on supporting clarity, stability, and long-term well-being through an affirming therapeutic relationship.
Frequently asked questions


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