Empowering you to live your best life.
Navigating life’s challenges together, empowering you to reach your full potential.
Navigating the Unique World of LGBTQ+ Issues
Finding your identity is difficult for everyone, but for LGBTQ+ folks it’s a whole different world. While society is becoming more accepting in some ways, in today’s politically-charged environment it looks like everything is going in reverse and it can be absolutely overwhelming.
At Craig Smardan Therapy, you won’t need to worry about feeling uncomfortable or like you’re being judged. That’s because Craig Smardan is part of the LGBTQ+ community himself, so you’ll be working with someone who knows about the unique challenges for LGBTQ+ individuals from firsthand experience.
Progressive Therapy for Modern LGBTQ+ Issues
Cookie-cutter therapy clinics can sometimes overcomplicate an issue, dragging sexuality or identity issues into the equation when they might not be factors at all. Treatment needs to come with the understanding that each member of the LGBTQ+ community is just a normal human being.
While one’s identity or sexual preferences can certainly complicate a problem, assuming that they are a factor in every case is starting things off on the wrong foot. Relationship issues, work stresses, substance abuse problems, grief — Anyone can suffer from these things – and for LGBTQ+ folks it can be frustrating when a therapist always seems to be going back to one aspect of their lives.
At Craig Smardan Therapy, we take a holistic approach to treatment, treating the whole of the person rather than symptoms or individual traits, and bring unique experience to the table in regards to treatment and specific LGBTQ+ issues like gender dysphoria, exploring one’s identity, finding a support network, and getting along with judgmental family.
Simply put, we have the most progressive therapies available to help you, tempered with firsthand understanding of the unique issues we face in the LGBTQ+ community.
A Place of Healing - Not of Judgement
At Craig Smardan Therapy, you’ll leave feeling that the healing is beginning, rather than feeling judged. Craig Smardan knows a thing or two about what life is like in the LGBTQ+ community and it’s no wonder. Having lived in 3 countries, Craig found the love of his life in Africa and they are married and currently raising their adopted son together.
One of the biggest LGBTQ+ problems is getting help from someone that can understand what the world is like when everyone thinks you’re different. In some cases, people simply looking for help come away feeling like they are being judged and weighed against religious or antiquated standards that belong in a dusty book from the 1800s.
At Craig Smardan Therapy, you’re not going to feel that way at all. We can help you to get started on your journey of healing and you can rest assured that you’ll never feel unwelcome, judged, or misunderstood.
Sometimes All You Need is to Simply Be Heard
While we have therapies that we can put at your disposal, such as mindfulness techniques, breathing exercises, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, there’s no guaranteeing that you’ll even need those. Some people avoid getting help for the simple fact that the biggest problem they’re experiencing is the simple feeling that they’re not being heard.
It comes from misconceptions about therapy and while that can make for interesting (and sadly, often damaging) depictions in Hollywood, that’s not what holistic treatment is all about. Your therapy is ultimately about getting to know yourself. While that sounds easy, it’s not, because everyone tends to get in their own way when it comes to dredging up the past and decisions that we might not be proud of.
Therapists help you to unlock yourself – Craig Smardan won’t even be telling you what to do. Rather, through conversations about your life, mental exercises, and mindful exploration you’ll be laying out the challenges you are facing on your own and Craig will help you to find the right path by simply nudging you along.
That’s because ultimately, the only one that can truly understand and heal you is you!
Don’t get us wrong – There are certainly techniques that Craig can teach you to help manage unhealthy habits or emotional inclinations that you want to control. We just want to make it clear that there’s nothing to be scared of when it comes to therapy – You’re simply using a tool to better understand yourself.
FAQ
What questions should I ask my LGBTQ+ therapist?
When you are looking for an LGBTQ+ therapist, the first thing that you want to ask is how long they’ve been in practice, followed by ‘what is your approach to therapy?’. Depending on your needs, you may also want to ask if they have had any specialized training in regards to sexual assault survivors.
While it is awkward, it’s best to be blunt about what you need, to make sure that your therapist is up to the task and that they understand your unique needs. If they don’t, then find a clinic that does such as Craig Smardan Therapy – Treatment from someone who isn’t prepared can be frustrating at best and damaging at the worst, so you need to ensure that you are going somewhere your problems will be understood.
Does Cognitive Behavioral Therapy work for LGBTQ+ individuals?
Yes! Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can be very effective for LGBTQ+ individuals, as it is focused on giving you the tools you need to manage negative thoughts, behaviors, and feelings. While it won’t appeal to everyone, for many LGBTQ+ individuals it can be a real game-changer.
Why should I choose Craig Smardan Therapy to help deal with LGBTQ+ issues?
At Craig Smardan Therapy you won’t have to worry about getting a therapist that only has book-knowledge about LGBTQ+ issues. Craig actually has personal experience in the unique challenges that face the LGBTQ+ community every single day.
Your therapist needs to understand what life is like for you in order to be 100% effective and Craig Smardan brings a lifetime of experience, along with science-backed holistic therapy and mindfulness technique to the table to help you in your journey of healing in a way that many others simply can’t.
Give us a call and you can see for yourself firsthand – Your journey of healing starts with understanding and Craig Smardan will give you that and help you every step of the way!