Affirming Therapy
“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare”
Audre Lorde
Are you a member of the LGBTQ2S+ community seeking affirmative counselling support? Want a counsellor who goes beyond “acceptance" or "tolerance"?
If you’re a queer or trans person frustrated with having to explain your sexuality or gender identity to a well meaning but uninformed therapist, we get it. It can be hard to find a counsellor who really understands the queer Canadian experience. Your mental health needs matter and the therapists at The Dot are here to support you from a place of compassion, knowledge, and understanding. Whether you’re looking for counselling specifically to explore your gender or sexuality, or if you are hoping to heal from trauma and just want to make sure all aspects of who you are is respected and affirmed, we are here for you.
Queer mental health matters.
You are both safe and welcome here. We offer truly affirming therapy for folks who are trans, genderfluid, gay, bisexual, lesbian, two-spirited, or a-sexual. Our clinic is dedicated to giving the affirmative therapy support that you need and deserve. This means that everyone in our clinic is aware of how to respect all aspects of your humanity. Our administrators know to use your chosen name, even if your insurance paperwork has a different name. Your therapist won’t make heteronormative assumptions about your romantic relationships. The counsellors at The Dot are aware that sexuality and gender are fluid, and that you may need to come out of the closet more than once in your life (and we’re here to support you with that process). We also know that intersectionality impacts mental health, and if you’re also a part of the BIPOC community, that part of who you are also needs to be supported and affirmed in therapy.
You deserve sex positive and queer affirming therapy, our counsellors bring it!
When seeing a therapist, you should be able to talk to someone who you can be totally yourself with, without filters, explanations or justifications. If you’ve had bad experiences before with therapy, it’s understandable if you feel nervous about trying counselling again as a queer person. That’s why we offer a free, 20-minute video consultation, so that you can make sure that the therapist you see at The Dot feels like the right person for you to get support from.
We promise to nurture a space where you feel safe and valued - as you are - so you can explore what you want from your future with no judgment or fear of failure.
We view counselling as a joint process between you and your counsellor as we work towards a common goal — to empower positive change and improve the quality of your life — both now and in the future.
As mental health care professionals, our purpose is to help you identify your obstacles that are causing anxiety. We promise to serve as your guide, helping you find your path and discover opportunities for growth along the way.
We will look at your current situation more in-depth to help you understand what’s holding you back and what’s causing you to feel so overwhelmed. From there we will get to the heart of your difficulties, make a plan, and help you develop the skills you need so you can better manage or resolve what’s troubling you.
Our goal is that by the end of our sessions you will not only have found relief, but you will feel empowered to boldly grow forward towards the life you want.
Or, let us help you find that right therapist fit.
The form takes less than 60 seconds to complete, and we’ll reach out with a couple of options for a free 20 minute consultation.
Online Therapy Guide
It’s important to acknowledge that you might be feeling extra stress at the notion of starting therapy. This is completely normal and a sign that you care about your mental health. The best way to relieve your worry is to prepare ahead of time. That’s why we’ve created our FREE Online Therapy Guide and put together some helpful tips so you can see whether online therapy is right for you.