Transgender Therapists in Gainesville, FL

My goal in therapy is to help you work through barriers to living your life with direction, vitality, and connection. Old learnings that once protected us can now limit how we perceive the world, our experience of who we are, and our sense of what is possible. You don't have to struggle alone. I want to help you feel grounded and empowered, discover what you care about, and take practical action... so you're able to live your life with greater freedom and fulfillment.

Perhaps you’ve felt like something’s been holding you back from living your best life. Or maybe you keep finding yourself in the same place despite your best efforts to make changes or sustain changes you’ve previously made. We all carry the baggage of our past, all of our hurts, pain, self-doubt, and fear, and survived it the best way we knew how. And although we’ve survived 100% of those worst days, surviving is no longer cutting it.

You’re driven and ambitious, but sometimes find yourself stuck on the couch, overwhelmed by anxiety, procrastination, and perfectionism. Some days you’re on top of the world, and others, you constantly second-guess yourself. You feel the pressure to keep it together, balancing your job, relationships, and life... and you are tired. You get in your own head and escape through mindless eating, drinking, doom scrolling, and sleepless nights, but deep down, you have big goals. The fog of self-doubt and fear of failure makes it hard to get started, and you’re ready for a change.

I appreciate how difficult the decision can be to engage in therapy and believe in the power of having a safe and nonjudgmental space to explore the challenges life often brings. My areas of clinical expertise include crisis and trauma work. As a therapist, I am committed to being genuine and authentic with my clients. I have had the opportunity to work with a diverse range of clinical issues including grief, relational problems, self-injury, suicide, depression, anxiety, suicide loss, trauma, abuse, and other issues that can create disconnection to oneself and others.

"Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful" Joshua J Marine Life is full of twists, turns, peeks, and valleys. That is what makes it such an adventure. Like all adventures obstacles can get in the way, preventing us from moving forward, leaving us confused and feeling alone. Are you finding yourself blocked by circumstances, distressing emotions or challenging personal or professional relationships? Please know that you don't have to go it alone. Allow me to walk with you through those times. Through psychotherapy you can take charge and improve your quality of life.

Counseling is a process to challenge old coping skills and to address suffering that can disrupt a healthy life. A safe and positive relationship is the cornerstone of any healing therapeutic experience. I offer a healing space to safely explore ways to face challenges, overcome trauma, and develop a path towards joyful living. Together we can learn more about the difficulties in your life you want to change and your inherent strengths.

Hi! How we view and tell our stories makes up how we live our lives, and I am here to honor your story. My foundational work with sexual trauma and interpersonal violence showed me that warmth and authenticity are two critical elements that I will prioritize in our therapeutic space, and through that, we can explore anything you feel comfortable bringing. We will discuss your identities and how they intersect and influence your narrative.

I specialize in helping individuals through all of the transitional stages of life, helping navigate through the complexities of ADHD, ASD, depression, anxiety, and trauma. I hope to help mitigate the overwhelming fear and life changes you may be feeling. My approach is neurodivergent, queer-affirming, non-monogamous affirming, chronic illness/pain affirming, and sex-positive affirming. I want to assist you with harm reduction, recognize you as a person, and help create a safe space to give you the tools made just for you.

I specialize in creating a nurturing and restorative environment to help you discover the underlying causes of issues you may struggle with such as depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and relationship struggles. I strive to create an atmosphere of trust and safety where you feel accepted and know your thoughts and feelings are heard and supported. I seek to affirm your personal identity and help you develop a sense of agency and power based on your cultural, gender, and self-identity.

I help people heal their relationship with themselves, which I find to be a core issue causing symptoms of anxiety, depression, relationship distress (conflict/infidelity), life dissatisfaction, and more. Most, if not all of us, have had life experiences that have caused us to internalize negative beliefs about ourselves, create protective mechanisms, and develop strategies to manipulate our environments to feel safer, more secure in the world. All of this distances us from our true selves and leads to inauthentic be-ing in the world. Without authenticity, it is difficult to feel truly safe, satisfied and have healthy relationships.

Trauma, anxiety-related disorders, OCD, phobia, anger, couples therapy, and parenting of teens. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the gold standard treatment for many, many disorders. Learn to feel, think, and engage life in ways you've always wanted. I use research-tested methods and my 18 years' experience as a professional counselor to guide you in building yourself up, breaking free, and finding freedom from limiting beliefs, feelings, and behaviors. You are capable of making the changes you want to see in your life, but everyone needs help sometimes. I'm professionally trained and here to help you now.

I am available to help individuals live the life that they want. I work with folks to assist in building resilience and coping skills. I have specialized training in somatic and DBT practices. My background includes crisis and suicidal ideation, trauma, and substance use. I am an LGBTQ+ affirming therapist. I come from a place of respect and unconditional positive regard when working with folks.

I appreciate you considering me as someone that may stand by you during this difficult time. The focus of my individual clinical work has been with clients experiencing anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, identity crises, childhood trauma, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms, while tackling a plethora of general life issues. I have also worked with couples and families to resolve interpersonal issues. I am passionate about helping people in systemically oppressed groups like those in LGBTQ+, non-monogamy, and kink communities as well as any others that may find it hard to express parts of themselves. All of you is welcome!

Call or text: 352.329.2040 : Welcome to Arena Counseling and Wellness. We are a small private practice located in the heart of downtown Gainesville. We believe in bringing hope, healing, and connection to our community. We provide a wellness based approach to treatment which views symptoms and behaviors as normal responses to abnormal circumstances. We view current ways of functioning as a response to past experiences which may have been useful in the past, but are no longer serving you. Through self-compassion, awareness, and understanding, healing and change are able to happen.

Let's do this together! Appendix Inc. provides compassionate therapeutic support. We are not meant to go through this journey alone. As a therapist, my goal is to assist you in finding the tools to assist you to get through your process.

Hey, welcome. I'm glad you're here. Everyone deserves to be witnessed, heard, and validated when experiencing hardships in life. Through a collaborative therapeutic relationship we will build a safe space to emotionally connect to personal struggles and develop a sense of resilience. We will cultivate a deeper understanding of what lies within emotional pain and how to heal from past traumas.

I vow to always meet you where you are. If you're deep inside of a dark well of despair and pain, at a fork in the road & feeling unsure about where to go, or anything in between, my aim is to sit with you and help you navigate all the feelings- good, bad, and indifferent- that life has to offer. We all come to a point in our lives when talking to friends or family members or anonymous hotlines may not be enough, and we make the decision to start a therapeutic journey. I am here to walk that journey with you, to help you grow, find contentment, achieve wellness, and foster a healthy sense of self.

Being stuck in your problems can feel overwhelming and it becomes difficult to overcome these problems and feelings associated with them on your own. As Albert Einstein once said, “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.“ Allow me to help you navigate your personal and relational struggles through my collaborative therapeutic approach that is tailor made to your personal goals because everyone has a different perspective and past experiences.

There may be times that your life just doesn't seem to be working despite your best efforts and intentions. This may show up in a variety of ways, such as, a sense of meaninglessness or feelings of being stuck in a dead-end job, relationship or destructive habit. Repetitive patterns of thinking and the idea that you should know what to do frequently "holds you in place". In my experience, the fresh insights you are seeking to move you forward in your life can often be discovered when you are given the space, time and support to hear them.