LGBTQ+ therapy · Dupont Circle
LGBTQ+ Affirming Therapy in Washington, DC
Therapy should be a place where you can talk openly about what is going on in your life, without worrying about having to explain or defend who you are.
At North Star, Paddy Loftus, M.A., works with LGBTQ+ adolescents and adults on anxiety, relationships, identity questions, family stress, and life changes.
Therapy where you do not have to over-explain
LGBTQ+ affirming care where your identity is never the problem.
Many LGBTQ+ clients want support for anxiety, depression, trauma, relationships, family stress, grief, or substance use without having to educate their therapist first. Therapy with Paddy offers space to talk about what is painful, confusing, hopeful, complicated, or still hard to name. If family rejection is part of your experience, read our guide to LGBTQ+ family rejection and therapy.
Therapy may help with:
- Coming out, identity development, and self-acceptance
- Anxiety, depression, shame, grief, or loneliness
- Dating, relationships, family stress, and boundaries
- Trauma, identity-based harm, and substance use
- Intersectional identity, including race, culture, faith, class, gender, and community
Who we support
Affirming therapy for gay, lesbian, bisexual, queer and questioning clients
Some clients are open about their identity and simply want a therapist who understands the realities of dating, relationships, work, family, and community. Others are questioning their sexuality, considering coming out, or navigating different expectations at home and in public. You do not need a label, a coming-out plan, or a specific identity-related concern to begin therapy.
For LGBTQ+ clients, anxiety or depression can be shaped by rejection, isolation, identity-based stress, and past experiences of not feeling safe or understood. Paddy makes room for these experiences while also addressing the concerns that bring you to therapy, whether or not they are connected to identity.
Topics you can bring to therapy
- Questioning sexuality, coming out, or coming out later in life
- Family expectations, religious or cultural pressure, and boundaries
- Dating, relationships, trust, intimacy, and loneliness
- Self-acceptance, shame, discrimination, and minority stress
- Anxiety, depression, grief, and life changes
Why fit matters
Finding an affirming therapist can make it easier to start and stay with care.
LGBTQ+ people are not more vulnerable because of identity itself. Stress, stigma, rejection, discrimination, isolation, and barriers to affirming care can make support harder to access.
Needed mental health care
KFF reported that 67% of LGBT+ adults said they needed a mental health service in the past two years, compared with 39% of non-LGBT+ adults.
Source: KFF Mental Health Care Needs and Experiences Among LGBT+ People.Needed care but did not get it
KFF reported that nearly half of LGBT adults said there was a time in the past three years when they needed mental health services but did not receive them.
Source: KFF Survey on LGBT Adults and Health Care Experiences.Had trouble finding a relatable provider
Among LGBT adults who received or tried to receive mental health care, KFF found that about half said it was difficult to find a provider who could relate to their background and experience.
Source: KFF Survey on LGBT Adults and Health Care Experiences.Areas of support
What Paddy can help with
Anxiety and overthinking
Support for worry, social anxiety, perfectionism, fear of judgment, rumination, and pressure to appear okay.
Depression and shutdown
Help for numbness, disconnection, low motivation, loneliness, shame, and feeling unlike yourself.
Identity development
Space to explore self-acceptance, authenticity, coming out, community, and parts of yourself that have felt hidden.
Relationships and family stress
Support for dating, communication, boundaries, chosen family, rejection, conflict, and attachment concerns.
Trauma and grief
Care for painful experiences, family rupture, community loss, identity-based harm, trust, safety, and emotional overwhelm.
Substance use and coping
Nonjudgmental support for understanding coping patterns and building more flexible ways to handle stress or pain.
How Paddy works
Open-minded, curious, strengths-based therapy.
Paddy’s style is collaborative, patient, and grounded in a supportive therapeutic relationship. Sessions may include practical coping skills, deeper self-understanding, values work, and space to explore the parts of life that feel hard to discuss elsewhere.
Training and background
Paddy earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and trained at the University of Southern California. He is currently pursuing his doctorate in Clinical-Community Psychology at George Washington University.
- CBT-informed skills for thoughts, behaviors, and coping patterns
- ACT-informed work around values, flexibility, and self-acceptance
- Affirming support for LGBTQ+, BIPOC, adolescent, young adult, and adult clients
- Care that considers identity, community, culture, and resilience
Finding the right fit
How do I choose an LGBTQ+-affirming therapist in DC?
Look for a therapist who can talk openly about affirming care, respects the language you use for yourself, and takes your concerns seriously without making assumptions. Ask about experience with the challenges you want to address, how sessions work, qualifications and supervision, appointment availability, and cost.
Paddy is a supervised doctoral extern, not an independently licensed psychologist. His work is informed by CBT and ACT, and he is currently supervised by Dr. Aimee Caramico. A free consultation is a chance to see whether his approach and training fit your needs.
At North Star in Dupont Circle, sessions with Paddy are listed at $75. If you are looking for a gay therapist in DC or LGBTQ+ counseling near you, you can ask about in-person options or virtual care where appropriate.
Questions worth asking
- Will I feel safe and respected in this space?
- Does the clinician have experience with my concerns?
- How is supervision handled?
- Can I attend in person or online?
- What will sessions cost, and what happens next?
Starting therapy at North Star
A simple path to getting support
Reach out
Use the contact form, call, or email to ask about availability, fit, fees, and whether therapy with Paddy may match your needs.
Free consultation
Use the consultation to share what is bringing you in and ask questions about in-person, virtual, or hybrid therapy.
Begin therapy
If it feels like a fit, therapy can focus on your goals, symptoms, identity, relationships, coping patterns, and values.
In-person therapy near Dupont Circle
North Star Psychological Services is located at 1350 Connecticut Ave NW, Suite 203, Washington, DC 20036, directly south of Dupont Circle. The office is convenient for clients coming from nearby neighborhoods, universities, federal agencies, nonprofits, law firms, consulting firms, healthcare settings, and downtown DC workplaces.
Related reading
More on identity, relationships, and emotional well-being
LGBTQ+ Family Rejection: How Therapy Can Help
Explore family conflict, grief, boundaries and finding affirming support.
How to Set Boundaries Without Feeling Guilty
Practical guidance for holding boundaries in difficult family relationships.
Meet Paddy Loftus
Learn more about his approach, training and the clients he supports.
Questions about LGBTQ+ therapy
Frequently asked questions
Is Paddy Loftus an LGBTQ+ therapist in DC?
Paddy Loftus, M.A., is a supervised doctoral extern at North Star Psychological Services with a strong interest in LGBTQ+ affirming therapy. He supports LGBTQ+ adolescents and adults with concerns such as anxiety, depression, identity development, relationships, trauma, grief, substance use, and life transitions.
What does LGBTQ+ affirming therapy mean?
LGBTQ+ affirming therapy means your identity is respected as part of your whole life, not treated as a problem to solve. Therapy may focus on identity directly, or it may focus on anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, relationships, substance use, or life stress while still holding LGBTQ+ identity with care.
Can therapy help with coming out or identity development?
Yes. Therapy can provide space to explore identity, self-acceptance, coming out, family or cultural pressure, dating, community, and what it may mean to live more authentically. You do not have to arrive with the right words or a fully settled identity before starting.
Does Paddy work with LGBTQ+ adolescents and young adults?
Yes. Paddy works with adolescents and adults and has experience in school-based and community mental health settings. He can support young people navigating identity development, anxiety, depression, relationships, grief, trauma, family stress, and self-understanding.
Is lower-fee therapy available?
Lower-fee therapy may be available with doctoral externs at North Star. Fees, availability, and fit can be discussed during the free consultation or when you contact the practice.
Do you offer in-person LGBTQ+ therapy near Dupont Circle?
Yes. North Star Psychological Services is located at 1350 Connecticut Ave NW, Suite 203, Washington, DC 20036, directly south of Dupont Circle. Depending on fit and scheduling, therapy may be available in person, virtually, or through a hybrid approach.
How do I find a gay or LGBTQ+-affirming therapist in Washington, DC?
Start by checking whether a clinician describes an affirming approach and has experience with the concerns you want to address. Ask about qualifications, fees, location, and whether they work with clients who share your life experiences. Paddy Loftus offers LGBTQ+ affirming therapy at North Star in Dupont Circle as a supervised doctoral extern. You can ask about his approach and availability during a free consultation.
Can I start therapy if I am still questioning my sexuality?
Yes. You do not have to identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, queer, or any other label to explore your experiences in therapy. A therapist can help you talk through feelings, relationships, family expectations, and uncertainty without pushing you toward a particular identity or decision. You can set the pace and decide what you want to share.
Can therapy help with anxiety or depression related to family rejection?
Therapy may help you process grief, anxiety, shame, anger, and isolation related to family rejection. It may also provide a place to think through boundaries, find support, and explore what safety and connection look like for you. The goal is not to force reconciliation or coming out, but to support your well-being and choices.
Does my therapist have to be LGBTQ+ to provide affirming care?
No. A therapist’s own identity does not automatically determine whether they can provide affirming care. What matters is respectful, informed practice, awareness of minority stress, a willingness to listen, and relevant clinical training. In a consultation, ask how the therapist approaches identity, family experiences, relationships, and discrimination.
How much does LGBTQ+ therapy cost in Washington, DC?
Fees vary by clinician, credentials, and practice. Sessions with Paddy Loftus at North Star are listed at $75. Paddy is a supervised doctoral extern, and availability or other practical details can be confirmed when you contact the practice. A free consultation can help you understand the next steps before committing to care.
What if I am in crisis?
If you are in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. You can also call, text, or chat 988 for crisis support. North Star is not an emergency service.
Ready when you are
Looking for an LGBTQ+ affirming therapist in DC?
Reach out to ask about availability with Paddy Loftus, M.A., and whether therapy may be a good fit for what you are carrying right now.