Supporting LGBTQIA+ Mental Health in Maryland: Affirming Care in Challenging Times
“If you feel safe and loved, your brain becomes specialized in exploration, play, and cooperation; if you are frightened and unwanted, it specializes in managing feelings of fear and abandonment”
As a licensed mental health clinician and art therapist in Maryland, I have been in the private practice therapy world for five years. When I entered this field, I made a conscious decision not to be just another neutral, "blank canvas" therapist. Instead, I chose to be vocal about my beliefs, my values, and my standpoint. I am loud (and proud) to be a gender-affirming provider- someone who actively supports and uplifts the LGBTQIA+ community and all marginalized identities.
In the wake of recent political events, the uncertainty facing our LGBTQIA+ community has grown more pronounced. While this tension has been building over years, the most recent election has shone a harsh light on the growing hostility and political rhetoric targeting our rights. Figures in positions of power are vocal about their desire to dismantle the protections that ensure LGBTQIA+ individuals are safe from discrimination, harassment, and violence.
A recent drawing I made to express my emotions in motion. Oil pastels, acrylic paint, and collage magazine materials.
This shift has real, profound effects on the mental health and well-being of queer individuals, particularly the youth. For many, the weight of this political climate adds layers of fear, anxiety, and trauma to an already complex lived experience. The community, especially LGBTQIA+ youth, is facing more than just external pressure- they are experiencing a direct attack on their right to exist freely, fully, and safely.
Collage made with magazine, altered book materials, oil pastels.
As a therapist, this past week has reignited my commitment to providing not just support, but active advocacy. My work has become even more urgent. I have reached out to other identity-affirming organizations, services, and spaces, seeking collaboration to amplify our efforts in meeting the unique needs of our queer clients, their families, and our larger community. The external forces trying to strip away rights cannot be minimized- they must be recognized, addressed, and resisted.
We must move in the opposite direction: toward providing more care, more protection, more safety for our children, teens, and families.
We need a society where LGBTQIA+ youth can grow up knowing they are worthy, loved, and seen for who they are. We need to ensure that the policies and protections that safeguard their rights are not stripped away. More than ever, we need to be allies and advocates for queer youth, and we need to model the kind of acceptance and compassion they deserve.
For LGBTQIA+ youth to thrive, they need role models and adults who are willing to understand, validate, and expand their worldviews. When we see powerful figures pushing policies that dismantle these protections, it harms our youth. It sends a message that their identities are not valid, that their voices do not matter, and that they are expendable.
As an art therapist and as someone within the LGBTQIA+ community myself, I understand the importance of creating a space where individuals can express themselves freely, without fear of judgment or dismissal. My role as a therapist goes beyond providing emotional support; it is about actively creating an environment where my clients feel truly seen, heard, and validated. I am committed to not just listening to their struggles, but also to creating conversations around the challenges they are facing in this climate.
Mixed media collage I made with magazine, oil pastels, and acrylic paint.
