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A digital collection of community research and photo archives celebrating the Central Coast's most pro-choice allies, including Women's March, Planned Parenthood, Generation Action, and Diversity Collective.
 

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LGBT-Friendly Therapists: A Curated Directory for Ventura, Santa Barbara & San Luis Obispo Counties


The pro-choice movement to protect health and bodily autonomy is inseparable from the LGBT movement. LGBT people continue to face higher stress and trauma – yet when LGBT patients try to access health services, 24% report discrimination. So we developed this directory of queer-friendly therapists for the Central Coast!

Psychology Today is the most popular platform for finding therapists. Whilst one can search therapists with "LGBTQ+" as an Expertise, we set a higher bar with two criteria: A therapist must 1) explain explicitly in their profile how they support LGBT patients, and 2) prove they live in Ventura, Santa Barbara, or San Luis Obispo County by offering in-person sessions.

The two criteria above are simple but set an unexpectedly high bar. For example, of the 400 search results for Ventura County who claim "LGBTQ+" as an Expertise, a mere 4% explain how they support queer communities and offer in-person sessions! Luckily we update the directory below each quarter, most recently Q3 2024.


Westlake Village

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Samuel C. Morrow
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT (he, him)
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"Sam is passionate about working with the LGBTQ+ community, adolescents, adults, high-achievers, and male mental-health, utilizing strength-based, cognitive behavioral therapy, and humanistic approaches to counseling."
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Cameron Reis
Marriage & Family Therapist, MS, LMFT

"I have experience working with Individuals, Families, Couples, Teens, LGBTQ+, & Trauma."

 


Lindsey Cooper
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT (she, her)

"If you're dealing with relationship stuff, navigating neurodivergence, or facing anxiety, depression, or LGBTQ+ stressors, you're not alone."

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Lauren Marshall
Marriage & Family Therapist Associate, AMFT , MA (she, her)
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"I have built solid navigating tools and hope to help you in these and many other complex areas: divorce, blended families, rethinking infidelity, coparenting, LGBTQIA challenges, gender and sexual identity, romantic relationship challenges, performance pressure, creative challenges, neurodivergent experiences and trauma."

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Dr. Jami Kerr
Psychologist, PsyD (she, her)
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"Looking for a therapist who truly gets you—someone sex-positive, LGBTQIA+ affirming, poly and kink-savvy, who also understands the complexities and nuances of OCD?"


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Thousand Oaks

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Darilyn McElfresh
Marriage & Family Therapist, MS, LMFT
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"With sexually related issues, they can show up as relationship problems, infidelity, arousal discrepancy, or LGBT matters."


Sarah Alethea De Los Santos
Psychologist, PsyD, BCBA-D (she, her)

"I have expertise in anxiety, stress, anger, social skills, autism, ADHD, self-esteem, life transitions, LGBTQ+, trichotillomania, highly sensitive people, relationships, parenting and behavior management."


Audrey Hu
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, ASW

"I also provide LGBTQ+ affirmative therapy."

 


Azy Aarons
Marriage & Family Therapist Associate, MA, AMFT (she, her)

"I am a LGBTQIA ally and support individuals and their families during transitional times."

 


Camarillo


Meredith Linden
Associate Professional Clinical Counselor, MA, APCC, AMFT (she, her)

"I specialize in working alongside clients from the LGBTQIA+ communities to navigate systemic and personal conflict, stigma, and oppression."


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Ventura

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Melanie Moir
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT, LPCC, MA (she, her)
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"I specialize in LGBTQ+ and gender identity counseling, Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, Voice Dialogue and child play therapy."

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Ojai


Rowan Octavia Lommel
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT, C-IAYT

"I also support folx in the LGBTQIA+ community."


[INTENTIONALLY BLANK]


 


Santa Barbara


Dahkotahv Beckham
Marriage & Family Therapist Associate, MA, AMFT (he, him)

"As an openly transgender therapist, I know it can be difficult to find the right person to confide in."
 


Bren J Fraser
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT

"LGBTQ: I have extensive experience working with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender clients and their families."

 


Nayelhi (Nelly) Ramirez
Marriage & Family Therapist Associate, AMFT

"As a queer Latinx, I strive to make therapy accessible by advocating for YOUR health and insight."


 


Natalie Alderson┃Trauma & Codependency Recovery
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT (she, her)

"I support adults and couples/partnerships with navigating addiction recovery, trauma, anxiety, LGBTQ+, infidelity, codependency, polyamory, ethical non-monogamy, and communication skills."


Yolanda Yturralde
Marriage & Family Therapist, MS, MFT, LPCC, KAP (she, her)

"LGBTQ & Bicultural clients welcome."

 

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Sam Urena
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT (she, they)
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"I specialize in LGBTQ+ issues, recovery from religious trauma, and couples therapy."


Kattie Bachar
Marriage & Family Therapist, BFA, MA, LMFT (she, they)

"I specialize in providing LGBTQ+ competent psychotherapy, with a focus on transgender adolescents, adults, and the families/friends that love them."


Shennie Smith
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT (she, her)

"I have extensive experience working with with issues ranging from general anxiety to addiction, to exploring and identifying sexuality and gender and the LGBTQ+ community."


Jenn Kennedy
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT, CSAT, EMDR

"I also have significant experience in working with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender clients and their families on a variety of issues including coming out, building identity, strengthening intimate relationships and finding community."

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Darren M Del Castillo
Psychologist, PhD (he, him)
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"I have extensive university counseling experience, especially with graduate students, those with identity concerns (LGBTQ)."
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Talia Tzouris
Marriage & Family Therapist Associate, MA, AMFT (she, her)

"I am a queer gender-affirming and sex-affirming therapist who sees adults, couples, and families."


[INTENTIONALLY BLANK]




 


Goleta


Amanda Halloway
Marriage & Family Therapist Associate, AMFT (she, her)

"I provide person-centered, trauma-informed, LGBTQ-affirmative, and feminist therapy to clients of all genders and ages."


[INTENTIONALLY BLANK]





 


Arroyo Grande


Brianna Larsen
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT

"As an inclusive therapist, I seek to help any and all adolescents ages 12 to 18 and adults from ages 18 to 65 ( LGBTQ+ friendly)."

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Grover Beach


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San Luis Obispo


Mai Timberlake
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT, APCC (she, her)

"I’m sex-positive, kink, poly, trans, and queer affirming."

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Kimberli Andridge

Psychologist, PsyD (she, them)

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"Queer, and gender-fluid, I have extensive experience working with queer, trans, polyamorous, and kinky clients, who make up the bulk of my practice."


Thrive San Luis Obispo
Psychologist

"We are a queer woman-owned practice."

 

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Erin K O'Farrell

​​Marriage & Family Therapist Associate, AMFT

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"I am open to any and all clients who are seeking therapy. I am LGBTQIA+ informed, good with people with attachment issues, teens, and women in menopause"


Paso Robles


Lauren Phelps
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT (they, them)

"I offer compassionate support for individuals navigating the LGBTQIA2+ spectrum, empower families to best support their queer loved ones, assist those affected by developmental and shock trauma in finding healing, and provide heartfelt guidance towards holistic well-being."


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