But beyond the rainbow flags and parades, Pride also holds space for deep reflection. For many, it's a reminder of both identity and survival. In therapy, I often meet individuals who carry silent burdens including rejection from families, trauma from systemic discrimination, or the quiet ache of not feeling safe to be seen.
Pride Month gives us an opportunity not only to affirm and support the LGBTQIA+ community, but also to explore how identity, trauma, and healing intersect.
According to The Trevor Project’s 2023 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health, 41% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, and nearly two-thirds reported symptoms of anxiety or depression. These aren’t just numbers—they reflect real people navigating a world that doesn’t always meet them with safety or compassion.
When someone experiences chronic invalidation of their identity, whether through microaggressions, family rejection, or societal exclusion, their nervous system responds as though it’s under constant threat. Chronic minority stress, a term coined in psychological research, explains how prolonged exposure to stigma and discrimination contributes to mental and physical health disparities in LGBTQIA+ individuals.
As therapists, we don’t treat “disorders” in a vacuum. We hold space for the systems that shape our clients' lived experiences.
Pride Month can be therapeutic in itself. It’s a collective affirmation. You belong. You matter. You’re allowed to take up space. When someone has internalized years of shame, these messages, whether seen in a parade, a flag, or an ally’s words, can be a powerful counter to shame-based narratives.
In session, I often encourage clients to explore what “Pride” means to them personally. For some, it’s reconnecting with community. For others, it’s working through trauma. For many, it’s the act of simply showing up, which includes being authentically, imperfectly, and bravely YOU!
Therapeutic work during Pride might look like:
- Processing internalized homophobia or transphobia
- Healing from religious or cultural rejection
- Learning boundaries in relationships that haven’t felt affirming
- Reclaiming joy after years of survival
Creating an affirming therapeutic space is not an option, it’s essential! Research shows that LGBTQIA+ individuals who have at least one accepting adult in their life are 40% less likely to attempt suicide. That statistic alone tells us how crucial it is to be that adult, friend, therapist, or ally.
Affirming care isn’t just about using the right pronouns (though that matters, deeply). It’s about letting clients lead the way in telling their stories. It’s about not pathologizing identity. It’s about holding trauma with tenderness, while nurturing empowerment and resilience.
If you are reading this and you’re part of the LGBTQIA+ community, I want you to know this:
You are not too much.
You are not broken.
You are allowed to rest.
You are allowed to heal.
Your identity is not a diagnosis. Your existence is not up for debate. You are already worthy of love, of peace, of joy.
This Pride Month, I hope you find moments of stillness, bursts of celebration, and spaces where your truth is met with warmth and welcome.
