LGBT therapists in Troy, MI

I received my Master's in Social Work from Wayne State University. Most of my work is with individuals who have experienced complex, life-long experiences that have caused difficulties in their current lives. Beyond my Master's, I've received additional training in tf-CBT, DBT, Internal Family Systems, and in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy.

My name is Dr. Llena Carter. I am originally from the southside of Chicago. I have lived in four different states and traveled to over 40; including teaching/traveling abroad for multiple summers. I have been a therapist for over 20 years and have a breadth of experience. I see therapy as a sacred space where trust and nonjudgment are essential. I am specifically passionate about providing support for persons of color and oppressed populations where therapy may be otherwise stigmatized. I would be honored to walk, even a small part of your journey, with you.

In my 20-plus years of clinical experience, I have worked with individuals, families as well as with couples and groups. My experience has stemmed from a variety of settings including domestic violence shelters, psychiatric units, juvenile detention centers, college campuses and private practice. Consulting work has included Suicide Prevention, DEI trainings, Intergroup Dialogue, and Groups geared toward de-stigmatizing mental wellness for communities of color. All are welcome here.

Therapy that helps you feel more like yourself again. Many of my clients are the people others rely on. They are caregivers, professionals, business owners, parents, partners, and helpers who spend so much time taking care of everyone else that they lose connection with their own needs, emotions, and sense of self. On the outside, they may appear capable and high functioning. Internally, they often feel anxious, overwhelmed, emotionally exhausted, or stuck in patterns that no longer serve them.

Good therapy can change your life! In the decade that I've been a psychotherapist, I've accompanied my clients through breaking vicious cycles, reworking toxic patterns, and creating new habits that promote their flourishing. My advanced clinical training makes me especially effective working with clients who self-describe as perfectionists, people pleasers, over-functioning, and/or highly sensitive.

When life gives you lemons...

My education gave me the tools to be a skilled clinician. But it was my own trauma that gave me the insight and depth I bring to this work. I know what it feels like to live in a body that doesn’t feel safe—to question everything, including yourself. I spent over a decade learning how to heal, reclaim my voice, and become the kind of guide I once needed.

In the midst of that long journey, I had a quiet moment of clarity: what I was going through wasn’t just about survival—it was about becoming someone who could walk with others through the dark. That experience grounds my work in both knowledge and deep compassion.

Learning to love the desert

I’ve come to believe that being lost isn’t a problem—it’s part of the path. Like La Loba, the mythical bone-gatherer who wanders the desert collecting what’s been buried and brings it back to life, I help others gather what they’ve lost along the way. That process is sacred, slow, and often surprising—but it’s how we come home to ourselves.

There are parts of you that haven’t died; they’ve just been waiting. And sometimes, when it all falls apart, that’s when the wild, wise parts of you rise again.