Therapy For LGBTQIA+ in Austin TX
Services available virtually throughout the state of Texas & in-person sessions available for those in the ATX area.
Lesbian
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Gay
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Bisexual
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Transgender
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Queer
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Questioning
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Intersex
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Asexual
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Non-binary
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Lesbian 🦢 Gay 🦢 Bisexual 🦢 Transgender 🦢 Queer 🦢 Questioning 🦢 Intersex 🦢 Asexual 🦢 Non-binary 🦢
You’ve spent enough time shape-shifting to make other people comfortable. Shrinking yourself in rooms that were never built for you. Explaining your identity, your relationships, your pronouns, your existence — only to leave feeling more unseen than when you walked in. Yeah… we’re not doing that here.
As a queer therapist and part of the LGBTQIA+ community myself, I know how exhausting it is to constantly assess whether a space is actually safe before you can fully exhale. LGBTQIA+ affirming therapy with me means you don’t have to educate me, translate yourself, or brace for judgment disguised as “concern.”
You get to show up exactly as you are — questioning, confident, messy, evolving, closeted, out, somewhere beautifully in-between — and be met with curiosity, compassion, and genuine understanding. No correcting. No weird pauses. No making yourself smaller to fit the room.
Just a space where you can finally take up all of it.
Wondering if you might benefit from Queer affirming therapy?
Does this sound like you….
✓ You’ve been in a therapist’s office and found yourself doing more work managing their reactions and comfort level than actually getting support for your own healing.
✓ You’re asking yourself questions around your gender, sexuality, or relationship structure, and you need a space where all of that can be held with care—without judgment, confusion, or needing to over-explain yourself.
✓ You’re carrying the weight of rejection, shame, or invalidation that never really had room—or safety—to be processed and healed.
✓Even in spaces that are meant to feel safe, you still catch yourself holding parts of who you are back or staying half-visible just in case.
✓You’ve absorbed so many messages about who you’re “supposed” to be that it can be hard to tell where those expectations end, and your own beliefs actually begin.
✓You feel pulled between wanting to show up fully as yourself and the fear of being seen as “too much,” “not enough,” or somehow not queer enough to belong.
When you work with me, we focus on exploring and affirming your LGBTQIA+ identity while gently unlearning patterns shaped by shame, rejection, or pressure to hide who you are. We move at a pace that feels safe, supportive, and grounded—without forcing you to justify, defend, or over-explain your experience
LGBTQIA+ Therapy in Austin Texas Can Help!
What if you could go from:
⟡ Questioning your identity
➜ To feeling confident and grounded in your identity
⟡ Carrying shame, guilt, or rejection issues from the past
➜ To feeling worthy and authentic
⟡ Silencing yourself
➜ To unapologetically expressing your truth
⟡ Fearing vulnerability
➜ To building relationships that feel safe and real
⟡ Feeling overwhelmed with labels, expectations, or roles
➜ To trusting your own inner narrative
Meet your ATX LGBTQIA+ Therapist.
SHELBY ORVEDAL, LPC-A SUPERVISED BY CYNTHIA NETTING, LPC-S
If you’ve been hurt in spaces that were supposed to help, I want you to know that isn’t on you—and it won’t happen with me.
I’m Shelby, a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate, and I specialize in working with queer and questioning adults and teenagers who are navigating identity, shame, and the long-term impact of not being fully seen or affirmed. That might come from family rejection, religious harm, or the slow exhaustion of never quite feeling like you fit anywhere. Whatever you’re carrying, you deserve care that actually sees all of it.
In our work together, your identity isn’t something to explain away or work around—it’s part of the foundation. My approach is warm, direct, and grounded in the belief that healing happens when you finally get to be honest about who you really are.
You don’t have to shrink here.
Step 1.
From the very first session, you don’t have to edit yourself or perform for the room. No assumptions about who you are, what you believe, or how you’re “supposed” to show up. Just space to say what’s actually true for you—without scanning for judgment, discomfort, or having to translate yourself along the way.
Step 2.
We start making sense of your story. Together, we look at how past experiences—whether that’s family rejection, religious harm, or years spent in survival mode—have shaped how you show up in your life and relationships today. Not to get stuck in the past, but to understand the patterns that were formed there, and what it could look like to gently loosen their grip so you can move forward with more ease.
Step 3.
You begin building a life that feels yours authentically. We focus on strengthening self-trust, developing clear and sustainable boundaries, and deepening your connection to your identity and your body in a way that is affirming and grounded. The goal isn’t just symptom relief or feeling “better,” but creating a sense of freedom, stability, and alignment—so you can move through the world with more confidence, clarity, and a deeper sense of self that feels steady and real.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Being misgendered, having your identity misunderstood or treated as the “issue,” or sitting with a therapist who had good intentions but just didn’t fully get it—those experiences are real, and they can leave lasting impact.
This space was created with that in mind. Your identity isn’t something to question, dissect, or cautiously navigate here—it’s respected and affirmed from the start. There are no hidden expectations about who you should be, and no need to manage my reactions while you’re trying to be honest.
I can’t promise perfection. What I can promise is openness. If something feels off, we talk about it. Your comfort and sense of safety in this space matter, and that includes being able to say when something isn’t working for you.
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Of course, there are many intersections to work with. We can work with whatever is coming up in your life right now: anxiety, trauma, relationship patterns, family dynamics, or anything else that feels present and impactful. This space is flexible and centered around what you need, so our work together follows your goals, not a fixed agenda.
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Questioning is a completely valid place to be. Whether you’re just beginning to explore, have been out for years, or are still unpacking and redefining things, therapy is a space to stay curious and supported through it all. You don’t need certainty to start—just a willingness to show up as you are.
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Yes. I affirm and support clients in polyamorous, consensually non-monogamous, chosen family, and other non-traditional relationship structures. Your relationships don’t have to look “traditional” to be valid, healthy, or deeply respected in this space.
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YES. Many LGBTQIA+ folks carry layers of shame, fear, or confusion shaped by religious or spiritual upbringing. I specialize in supporting clients as they navigate these intersections, especially when faith traditions have felt harmful, conflicting, or hard to reconcile with their identity. Whether you are looking to deprogram or revisit your spiritually, I am happy to support you.
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My fee is $150 for a 50-minute individual therapy session. I also offer sliding scale therapy spots for clients who may need additional financial flexibility. Sliding scale availability is limited and cannot always be guaranteed, but you’re welcome to ask about current openings during your consultation call.
I believe trauma therapy, LGBTQIA+ affirming therapy, and culturally responsive mental health care should feel accessible and supportive, especially for clients navigating systemic stress, identity-based trauma, sexual trauma, or complex PTSD.
I am currently an out-of-network therapist and do not directly bill insurance companies. However, I can provide a monthly superbill that you may submit to your insurance provider for possible reimbursement through your out-of-network mental health benefits. Many clients are able to receive partial reimbursement depending on their plan.
Working with an out-of-network trauma therapist can offer several benefits, including:
More personalized, trauma-informed care tailored to your specific needs and goals
Greater privacy and confidentiality without needing to share diagnoses or therapy notes with insurance companies
Freedom from insurance-imposed limits on the number or length of therapy sessions
More flexibility in treatment approaches, pacing, and ongoing support
The ability to focus fully on your healing process—not just what insurance providers deem “medically necessary”
My goal is to provide a therapy space that feels collaborative, affirming, and centered around your long-term healing and emotional well-bein
Get in Touch
