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Oakland Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, & Queer Therapist Therapy

Matt Lindgren is deeply honored to offer therapy to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, and Queer communities of Oakland as an individual and couples therapist.

Oakland Therapy that Supports the LGBTQ Community

I am deeply honored to serve the needs of lesbian women, gay men, bisexual people, transgendered people, and gender queer individuals in Oakland.

Many of my LGBTQ clients tell me of horrific experiences with previous therapists. They tell me of being told that they were "confused", or of therapists who encouraged them to try and live a heterosexual lifestyle.

Unfortunately we live in a world where many people are afraid of people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and queer. Although times are changing and a great deal of progress has been made, we still have a very long way to go until people respect the right of LGBTQ people to not only exist, but also have loving committed relationships.

I am proud to serve the mental health needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and queer people in Oakland. I have a great deal of experience doing so, particularly in the area of couples counseling. I hope that you will consider working with me.

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Support for Marriage Equality in Oakland

I wish I could say that the fears and experiences of homophobic therapists were a thing of the past, but it is unfortunately quite clear they are not.

My profession as a marriage and family therapist has been through a great deal of controversy in the past year due to the failure of the association which oversees my profession to make a statement in favor of marriage equality.

The California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, or CAMFT, has struggled to make a statement in favor of marriage equality concerning the contentious Proposition 8 which past last year. Every other professional mental health association made an unequivocal statements in favor of marriage equality, including the American Psychological Association and the National Association of Social Workers.

Instead, CAMFT published a series of offensive articles against same sex marriage that cited biased and inaccurate research to suggest such things as same sex marriage could have adverse affects on children. After a great deal of pushing back, CAMFT has finally made statements of apology and affirming marriage equality.

Though I am glad that CAMFT changed it's statements, I am shocked, appalled, and embarrased that it took a significant struggle to do so. I did not realize that there was so much homophobia and fear among my colleagues. I have lost a great deal of faith in the judgement and morals of those who are leaders in my profession.

Consequently, I strongly suggest that my LGBTQ clients who are working with a therapist question their therapist's beliefs about marriage equality, and I want to make it very clear that I am in favor of marriage equality.

I am proud to have helped many same sex couples in couples therapy to save and nurture their relationships.

Matt Lindgren is a member of California Therapists for Marriage Equality.

Call 415-820-1487 for a free phone consultation.

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