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LGBT therapists in Sherman Oaks, CA


Top LGBT-friendly therapists and psychiatrists in Sherman Oaks, CA
Finding an LGBTQIA-affirming therapist in Sherman Oaks is easier with Headway's network of 2,537 licensed providers trained in gender and sexual identity support. Sessions are flexible, covered by insurance, and patients save an average of 75% through Headway's partnerships.
I’m Elba Alvarado, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. My work is rooted in the belief that healing begins in relationships — with ourselves, with others, and with the stories we carry. I hold space for people navigating the quiet weight of expectations, the complexity of identity, and the patterns that shape how we show up in the world.
I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Vanguard University and my Master’s in Clinical Psychology from Azusa Pacific University and I have been providing therapy since 2018.
Hey there! You being here is huge, and I am honored to partner with you on your journey toward wellness. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and U.S. Navy veteran, having earned both my BA and Master of Social Welfare from UCLA. My professional background includes extensive experience with the Department of Veterans Affairs and Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, specializing in helping individuals navigate complex psychosocial needs, trauma, and substance use. Ultimately, I am deeply committed to helping you break down life's barriers, adapt to major transitions, and successfully reclaim your stability
I’m Chinenye Udoh, MSN, PMHNP-BC, FNP-C, a dual board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and Family Nurse Practitioner. I work with adolescents and adults navigating ADHD, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, trauma-related concerns, schizophrenia, and other mental health challenges.
Many of the people I work with have spent years knowing that something doesn’t feel quite right but struggling to put it into words. You may be having difficulty focusing or completing tasks, experiencing overwhelming anxiety, struggling with motivation, noticing significant changes in your mood, or simply feeling exhausted from trying to manage everything on your own. My goal is to provide a space where you feel heard rather than judged and understood rather than rushed.
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.
Hi! I'm Aliyah Simcoff, LCSW! I received my MSSW from UT Austin in May 2020, and have since worked primarily in community mental and behavioral health with stints working in the carceral system.
People say I am a good listener so I will get to know you and the goals you bring to therapy
I enjoy working with all age ranges, with most mental health issues. I genuinely share the experience with my client, I get in their shoes, and I feel what they feel. The beauty about therapy is knowing that you are there to actually work on yourself, no matter the process. I hope to help many become better people and create better futures for themselves.
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California with ten years of experience. I completed my Master's in Counseling Psychology at CSU Stanislaus and have worked within county mental health, non-profit organizations, school districts, and private practice. I am based in Sacramento and work exclusively via telehealth, with availability on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. My focus has centered on helping people recover from difficult or unhealthy relationships, navigate anxiety and life transitions, and understand the patterns that keep showing up in how they relate to others and themselves. I am LGBTQ+ affirming, and I try to bring both warmth and humor to the work I do.
I work with people who are thoughtful, self-aware, and a little tired of the usual answers. My practice draws from existential therapy, Buddhist psychology, and Gestalt three traditions that share one core idea: that lasting change comes from understanding yourself more deeply, not managing yourself more efficiently. I wrote a book about this, Growing Through Crisis, because I believe that the moments that crack us open are often the ones that matter most. I work with individuals and couples, including those navigating LGBTQ+ identities, non-traditional relationships, and kink or sex-positive lifestyles. I hold a trauma professional certification and bring that lens into grief work, relationship ruptures, and major life transitions.
Hello, I am excited to meet you and start the wild adventure that therapy can be. I have experience working with people of many ages from shy teenagers, to spicy adults in their 70s. I have worked with individuals, as well as couples and families. The majority of my experience was learned at a trauma recovery center. I gained skills for addressing PTSD, Depression, Anxiety, as well as exploring concepts of self, identifying other forms of trauma such as religious trauma, shame, and recognizing ways for experiencing empowerment. As a bi-sexual therapist who has lived overseas, was raised in a conservative religious house hold, I believe that I have a unique way of sitting with people in the complexities of cultural differences, trauma, faith, spirituality and sexuality.
Hello! My approach is centered in the belief that authentic connection with ourselves and others heals. Therapy is an opportunity to dive deep, to develop greater self knowledge, to come into wholeness, accepting and integrating all of our parts and aligning our lives with our Truth and the fullness of who we are. I look forward to the opportunity to support you.
Hi, I’m Gigi — a fat-positive, queer therapist with over 15 years of experience in mental health, and a deep commitment to creating space for healing, exploration, and radical self-acceptance.
I believe therapy is for anyone seeking growth, clarity, or peace — especially those who’ve been told they were “too much” or “not enough.” I specialize in working with clients navigating identity, gender, sexuality, body image, and nontraditional relationships.
My goal is to help you reconnect with your most authentic self and build a life that feels like it belongs to you.
My work is rooted in curiosity, humility, and compassion. I draw from a variety of approaches, including CBT, DBT, narrative therapy, and attachment-based work — all through a feminist and socially conscious lens. I also recognize the complex systems of power that shape our experiences, and I aim to make therapy a collaborative space where your voice is centered and respected.
What matters most to me is that you feel seen, heard, and supported. I know what it feels like to move through the world feeling unwelcome or unseen — and I’m here to offer something different. Together, we’ll explore the patterns that no longer serve you, celebrate what makes you beautifully unique, and find ways to move forward with more confidence, self-love, and ease.
You are the expert in your life. I’m here to offer tools, perspective, and a steady hand — not to fix you, but to walk alongside you as you build the life that feels like home.
As an immigrant woman growing up in America, I have seen and personally experienced the challenges of being a minority woman. Through resiliency and perseverance, I am now the clinical director of an outpatient program at a non-profit. I have been working in the community mental health field serving low-income individuals and families for over 15 years. I specialize in trauma treatment, especially sexual trauma. I use a trauma- and cultural-informed lens to look at the issue.
I’m so glad you’re here! I provide therapy for individuals navigating life’s most challenging moments. I support individuals facing depression, anxiety, grief and loss, caregiver stress, and major life transitions. My goal is to create a supportive space where healing and self-confidence can grow.
Often times people consider engaging in therapy when life may feel unbalanced. Sometimes this may be due to emotions that are not manageable or needing support to get through challenging situations. My goal is to help you live a more authentic life that can be enjoyable and meaningful to you. I have a clinical background in supporting individuals and families who have experienced trauma, relationship challenges, or may be experiencing a current crisis that is impeding their daily life.
About our LGBTQIA+ affirming therapists located within 20 miles of Sherman Oaks, CA



- 100%LGBTQIA+
- 100%Anxiety
- 96%Depression
- 95%Relationship issues
- 89%Stress management

- 98%Aetna
- 67%Carelon Behavioral Health
- 51%Anthem Blue Cross California
- 44%Providence Health Plan
- 38%Cigna

- 93%English
- 20%Spanish
- 4%Armenian
- 4%Portuguese
- 2%Farsi

- 100%In-person or online

- 53%Woman
- 45%Man
- 2%Non-binary

- 58%Licensed Marriage/Family Therapist
- 22%Licensed Clinical Social Worker
- 7%Clinical Psychologist
- 7%Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor
- 5%Nurse Practitioner

- 100%Individual therapy
- 44%Family therapy
- 20%Couples therapy
- 18%Child or adolescent therapy
Frequently asked questions


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