LGBTQ+ Affirming Therapists in Traverse City, MI

Similarly to many of you, the pandemic created an opportunity for me to re-evaluate my choices and to step out of that comfort zone and move towards something new. Exploring new paths can be intimidating but it is also exciting. What I hope to provide for each of my clients as we work together: a place where it is safe to be both vulnerable and brave as you work towards healing and towards your own goals. My professional mission is to help each person determine their goals and needs, then build on their strengths to reach them. This is never a linear process but I can provide an open, safe, and judgment free environment.

I began my journey into the helping profession by directly reaching out to individuals experiencing chronic homelessness in the streets, camps, and surrounding areas of Grand Traverse County as a member of a local Street Outreach team. I continued by earning both bachelor and master degrees in clinical social work from Ferris State University, while gathering diverse experience in a range of settings and roles in the Kent County area; including community living supports, family case management, inpatient psychiatric hospitalization, crisis residential, home-based family therapy, outpatient individual therapy, and private practice.

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.- Maya Angelou. This quote speaks to the core of my practice. I want you to feel heard, seen, and understood. I hope to have you leave each session feeling a little better than when you arrived.

Accepting New Clients - Morning and Afternoon appointments available. I have a focus in working with adult individuals, 18 and older, struggling with anxiety and/or seeking support with LGBTQ+ related concerns, such as sexual orientation, sexual identity, and dysphoria. If you, or someone you know, is seeking an LGBTQIA+ affirming counselor who also identifies under the spectrum, or is seeking help with substance use related concerns, ADHD, racial identity, grief, or depression, please contact the office and ask for an appointment with Ryan Townes by texting 6162872283, or you can also email me

Are you struggling with connecting to yourself or your partner? Does your ADHD or neurodivergence make things feel more difficult? Do you feel anxious or depressed? Are you and your partner feeling like you're at a loss on figuring out how to communicate? These are all experiences I would love to work with you on. Together, we’ll create goals that will lead you to the peace and security you seek within your life. This could look like addressing low self-esteem, increasing social skills, understanding the impact of neurodivergence within your relationship, and/or navigating life transitions within relationships.

Are you being bullied and feel the urge to harm yourself? Are you struggling with anxiety and dissociative issues? Are you a member of the LGBTQIA2-S+ community and feel misunderstood? I can help you improve relationships, overcome challenges, cultivate personal growth and gain the self-confidence you need to thrive. I specialize in working with teens and LGBTQIA2-S+ individuals struggling with trauma, sexuality or gender identity, as well as those who struggle with dissociation and neurodivergent disorders. I make therapy a safe, comfortable, and productive place to be. No judgment. Just clear communication and understanding.

Hi! I’m Christina. I'm Certified in Neuropsychotherapy, an LCSW in NC, an LMSW in MI, a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, and IFS & EMDR informed. Does liberation from past barriers, realization of your true potential and finding meaning/purpose in your life feel authentic in your individual growth? If so, I’d like to walk with you. Let’s explore your individuality, beauty, and unique strengths to improve your self-image, and repair your interpersonal relationships through healthy attachment and behavioral patterns to facilitate neuroplasticity.

Whether you want to break old cycles that aren’t working, gain insight into your relationships and behaviors, or build a more positive relationship with yourself, I’m your enthusiastic co-voyager. Through talk therapy and the arts, I support clients in telling their story while harnessing their innate strengths and creativity.

Mental Wellness Counseling is a Northern Michigan Counseling Practice. Our counselors use their passion, experience and specialties to help clients heal from traumatic experiences, address symptoms related to anxiety and depression, help strengthen relationships and help guide you through the journey of finding the best version of yourself. When you call we try to make the best fit for you based on your needs and goals. We offer face to face and virtual sessions to best meet your needs. We now have 3 locations! Two in Traverse City and a new office in Manistee!

A trusting relationship is the most important part of working with a counselor. When we feel heard, understood and empathized with, we can begin to self-reflect and grow. It is a part of the human experience to suffer, struggle and be challenged! It is through relationship with others that our stories can be witnessed and healing can occur.

We believe every person deserves to feel, heal, and evolve. In the context of warm, authentic relationships, we provide therapy based on social science research: treatments that have been proven to help people find real solutions to real problems. In our practice clients are accepted whole-heartedly and become the hero of their own stories. We provide a safe environment, affirming relationships, and science-based therapy. Clients are empowered to make meaning from trauma, compassionately reclaim their relationship with their bodies, and conquer phobias, anxiety, and depression.

As a licensed clinical psychologist, I provide individual therapy for teens and adults experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, relationship issues, stress, and other life challenges. In addition, I conduct ADHD assessments for both teens and adults. I utilize integrative techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and mindfulness. With compassion and empathy, my hope at Good Harbor Therapy is to provide the support and information needed to bring balance to your life. I provide a warm, safe space for you to process what’s weighing on your mind.

“You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop.”-Rumi. You matter. What you think and feel matters. How you are treated matters. What you have been through matters. Perhaps you are a new mom, feeling overwhelmed and scared to admit things aren’t picture perfect. Perhaps you’re going though a hard transition, and feeling alone, lost, or confused. Maybe you’re no longer sure a relationship, or a job, is right for you, and are tired of not feeling seen or heard, valued or understood. Maybe constant worrying, or a hurtful past, is keeping you from living your life the way you want-with laughter, love, and hope.

Hello- thanks for stopping by! In my time as a social worker, I have come to believe in the power of connection in safe, affirming spaces. Life can feel challenging at times, but with the right tools, it can also feel meaningful. Starting the journey to finding those tools might feel confusing and that's ok! We'll tap into your unique experiences and perspectives to shape our approach and help support your individual goals.

I enjoy working with clients of all ages that are motivated and eager to learn and accept positive change. I believe it is important for clients to feel a connection with their therapist, therefore my approach is to provide a safe and comfortable space to allow for disclosure and containment.

Human beings are resilient. They survive unimaginable things through resourceful measures, though these can be incomprehensible to others. Sometimes, the very things people do to get through tough times can result in negative consequences (addictions, people-pleasing, perfectionism, suicidal/self-harming behaviors, procrastination). Some folks seek therapy to explore different ways of coping to decrease disruption in their lives. Some people use therapy to process events from earlier years while others focus on adjusting current behaviors. There is no wrong way on the path toward healing - it's all about learning what works for you.

I practice Integrative Psychotherapy, which incorporates all aspects of the person in the change process. Many people who seek counseling do so as a result of experiencing a problem that they cannot resolve on their own. This creates difficulties in moods, behaviors, and relationships as that problem begins to drain their energy and attention. My goal is to assist you in re-connecting with a sense of balance, or integration, in your life.

Freedom! Ready to get unstuck? You're this far already, reading this. Seeking support proves you haven't given up. It shows you're strong. Heal with talking or spec.-acupuncture. Calm insomnia, ease your body, relieve fatigue or life dissatisfaction. Select TCM methods, or step-by-step techniques to quiet distress, process trauma, soothe anxiety/depression. Suffering alone isn't bravery; you DON'T have to live this way. Break free from diet-culture with intuitive, unconditional eating. Find your natural body size. Change your mood patterns/communication skill. Use a Professional Career Counselor for the job you deserve. Make a plan!

Perhaps you are at a crossroads in life and are struggling to find your path. You are a perfectionist with high achieving tendencies however, feel unable to calm your anxiety, depression, or negative self-talk. Your successes are undermined by a voice in your head stating, “I don’t think I’m good enough or I don’t have anything left to give.” You have successfully navigated many of life’s difficult decisions yet, your self-esteem and confidence are holding you back.