Issues specific to gay men and women

Sexuality is the drive within us that makes us sexually and emotionally attracted to others.

Despite significant shifts in social attitudes towards homosexuality, lesbian, gay and bisexual people still face many challenges, including workplace bullying, rejection by family or friends, homophobic abuse and religious intolerance. 

Curious or confused?

Some people feel confused about their sexuality. It is not unusual to be unsure whether you are attracted to women, men or both. Perhaps you are feeling unsettled by developing feelings for someone whose gender you’re not normally attracted to. You may feel uncomfortable with the societal pressure to label your sexuality. 

It can be very difficult to make sense of conflicting thoughts and feelings around sexuality. Many people struggle to separate who they truly are inside from who they want to be or who their family and society tell them they should be. 

Coming out or staying in?

Coming out is the process of making your sexuality known to others. Understandably, gay people often fear being rejected for their sexuality and coming out can be really scary. Although sexuality is an important part of all of us, so is the need to be accepted and valued. People should be allowed to come out only when and if they choose, at their own pace and in their own way.

Coming out can mean revealing your sexuality to a handful of carefully-chosen loved ones or it can mean telling the whole world! There is no right or wrong way to come out. This is a personal experience, a personal choice and it is different for everyone.

Our clients have reported great results!

Mr K
“I was attending sessions at One Therapy practice for about 1 1/2 years. I am very happy with the result, sessions there really helped me. I am really grateful to my therapist. Someone recommended him to me as a high professional and it proved right, thank you.”
Mrs M
“I can only provide positive comments on my sessions with (my therapist). This was my first experience with a therapist, and she managed to make me feel comfortable. And I must say that the sessions were helpful and efficient.”
Mrs E
“My therapist was extremely helpful, considerate and understanding. I felt she properly understood what the issues I had were, and their underlying causes, and I feel I benefited considerably from the sessions with her.”
Mrs N
“I immediately felt completely at ease as they were very professional while showing genuine care and interest in helping me. I was able to confront many issues which I had so far chosen to ignore despite their negative effects on my personal relationships and happiness. I would have no hesitation in recommending (One Therapy) to anyone looking to improve their relationships and self-esteem.”
Mrs L
“I learned a lot about myself and about the relationships I make with other people. I was able to see where I was going wrong and I now make better personal choices. Thank you, again.”
Mrs R
“I can’t thank you enough for the help and support I got from my appointments. I would highly recommend therapy to anyone now. Therapy helped me in more ways than I could have imagined. Please tell (my therapist) how grateful I am for her help.”

Everyone deserves to be in a good place

Of course, gay men and women are much more than their sexuality. What they bring to therapy may be nothing to do with being gay.

However, there are some common concerns that gay men and women bring to counselling. These include coming out, rejection by family or friends, shame around their sexuality, conflicts between their sexuality and their religion, sexual issues, low self-confidence, issues around dating, loneliness and concerns around health and HIV. 

Our therapists understand these issues. We have been working with gay and bisexual clients for many, many years. We won’t judge you.

Instead, we will listen to you and understand. We will help you to make sense of what you are going through, resolve inner conflicts and bring about the changes you want in your life. 

Need counselling now?

Some gay clients prefer a gay therapist. You may feel a gay therapist is more likely to understand your situation. This is a personal choice and all our therapists are non-judgmental, understanding and non-discriminatory.  You can book an appointment with any of our therapists online now.

Help for relationship and sexual problems

If your concerns are focused on relationships or sex, one of our relationship or psychosexual therapists may be what you’re looking for.

Our relationship therapists work with couples or individuals who may be experiencing, for example:

  • conflict in a relationship
  • difficulty finding a partner
  • fear of being in a relationship
  • uncertainty over whether to end a relationship.
We also have specialist psychosexual therapists who support clients to resolve sexual problems, such as:
  • loss of sexual desire
  • painful sex
  • erection problems
  • problematic use of porn or chemsex.

You can read more about couples therapy here and psychosexual therapy here.

How does therapy help?

Over the years that I’ve worked as a therapist, I’ve been asked numerous times by prospective clients, “How does counselling help?”  And I’ve yet to come up with a satisfactory answer. Not because I’m in any doubt that it helps, but because the ‘how’ bit is so hard to articulate concisely…

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What do I talk about in counselling?

One of the most common worries I hear expressed by people starting counselling is that they won’t know what to talk about. Some people think their problems aren’t significant enough. Others fear they have too much to say, that they might overwhelm the therapist…

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Counselling for individuals

Personal counselling can be about anything that is on your mind.

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Couples counselling

Couples counselling provides space for couples to discuss problems in their relationship and find solutions.

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Our therapists

We have over 30 qualified and experienced therapists to choose from.

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One Therapy London

Counselling, psychotherapy, couples counselling in London since 2006

Annabelle Hird - Therapist
Annabelle Hird

Annabelle is a skilled and compassionate therapist offering support for individuals and couples in Kensington/Notting Hill Her approach is centred around creating a non-judgemental space for clients to explore their thoughts, feelings and relationships It is her belief that with greater understanding comes agency, and this is when powerful change occurs Annabelle works...

Kensington / Notting Hill

Annabel Lear - Therapist
Annabel Lear

Annabel is an integrative therapist offering both short- and long-term therapy Acknowledging that beginning therapy can feel daunting, Annabel establishes a secure and collaborative therapeutic relationship grounded in trust, empathy and genuine understanding Working from a humanistic-integrative perspective, Annabel believes every person has an innate capacity for...

Oxford Circus

Prachi Vij - Therapist
Prachi Vij

As a psychodynamic therapist, Prachi provides a warm and secure space for her clients to explore their world She works collaboratively with clients to uncover the unconscious patterns that shape their feelings, thoughts, and behaviours By making connections between past experiences and current life, clients can gain valuable insights and develop more authentic ways of...

Oxford Circus

Christine Andreasen - Therapist
Christine Andreasen

Christine (she/her) is an integrative counsellor and psychosexual therapist She offers a warm and safe space with room for both tears and laughter Her approach is relational, curious and personal, focusing on understanding what makes each individual unique She works alongside her clients as they explore their emotions, develop new perspectives on behaviours, cultivate...

Oxford Circus

Melinda Shalet - Therapist
Melinda Shalet

Melinda offers both short-term and long-term therapy in a calm, attuned environment where clients can speak freely, make meaningful connections and gently explore the areas of life that feel stuck With a warm, collaborative approach, she encourages clients to slow down, listen inwardly and begin the process of healing Drawing from humanistic, Gestalt and psychodynamic...

Oxford Circus

Geraldine Abberton - Therapist
Geraldine Abberton

Geraldine is an integrative therapist who draws on a range of therapeutic approaches including person-centred, CBT and psychodynamic modalities, to meet each client’s unique needs She believes in her clients’ innate resilience and capacity for growth, and helps them make sense of current challenges and past experiences, to gain the insight and self-understanding...

Oxford Circus

Therapist Yussef Ferguson
Yussef Ferguson

Yussef offers a warm and confidential space to explore life’s challenges He is a psychodynamic therapist and works in a way that explores how past experiences and hidden patterns may shape your present thoughts, feelings and relationships In meetings with Yussef, you can speak freely about whatever feelings, memories or experiences are important to you You will begin...

Oxford Circus

Damla Ciftcioglu - Therapist
Berrak Damla Çiftcioğlu

Damla offers a warm, supportive and confidential space where you can talk openly — perhaps for the first time — about the thoughts, emotions and challenges shaping your life She provides psychodynamic psychotherapy, gently exploring the deeper, often unconscious, roots of emotional difficulties Whether you're feeling overwhelmed, stuck in unhelpful patterns, or...

Oxford Circus

Gregory Hamlin - Therapist
Gregory Hamlin

Gregory is a psychodynamic therapist offering both short-term and longeterm therapy, depending on what feels right for you He understands that starting therapy can feel daunting, and is committed to creating a warm, grounded and genuinely safe space where you can discuss whatever is on your mind Gregory holds a Master’s degree in Psychodynamic Counselling and...

Oxford Circus

James Eve - Therapist
James Eve

James is a psychosexual and relationship therapist who has been in private practice for five years He works with individuals and couples on sexual and relationship difficulties, understanding that these can be significant causes of distress in one's life Prior to working in private practice, James worked for the psychosexual team at Croydon University Hospital He is a...

Oxford Circus