LGBTQ+ Affirming Therapy in Portland, Oregon

You’re tired of carrying shame that was never yours to begin with. You grew up being told (directly or indirectly) that something was wrong with who you are. Maybe it came from your family, school, religious community, or society at large. You internalized that judgment, and even now, after all the work you’ve done to accept yourself, that shame still lingers.

Rationally, you know your gender or sexual identity isn’t something to be ashamed of. But that doesn’t stop the haunting voice inside. That inner critic (the one that echoes past bullying, rejection, or religious trauma) feels like it's always waiting to tear you down or stopping you in your tracks when you want to move forward. And sometimes, you find yourself believing it.

The Anxiety Follows You Everywhere

You carry a low-grade fear or discomfort almost all the time. At work. On the street. In friendships. Even in Queer spaces, you feel like you’re not doing it “right,” like everyone else has figured out how to be confidently themselves, while you’re still stuck second-guessing everything.

You might catch yourself using the same harsh language toward yourself that others once used. You worry that even people who love you might leave if they really knew you. Shame is heavy, and it’s everywhere. It can affect your relationships, your job, your confidence, and your sense of belonging.

Recent political attacks, anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation, and hate in the media only make that sense of fear and otherness worse. It’s exhausting. You feel like you’re trying so hard, and still… stuck.

You Don’t Have to Navigate This Alone

Hi, I’m Eric Goodwin, a Licensed Professional Counselor and therapist in Portland, OR. I’m also a Queer, Gay, and Non-Binary human. I know what it’s like to move through a world that wasn’t built for us—and I also know how powerful it can be to reclaim your voice, your identity, and your sense of self-worth.

I provide LGBTQ+ affirming therapy in Portland for people who are carrying shame, struggling with self-criticism, or feeling lost in their identity. Whether you’re working through internalized homophobia or transphobia, past trauma, depression, anxiety, or just the grind of surviving in an invalidating world—you deserve support that gets it.

A Queer-Affirming Space to Heal, Explore, and Grow

Therapy with me is a space where you can show up fully and authentically, without having to explain or defend who you are. It’s a place where you’ll be seen - not just tolerated, but deeply affirmed.

Together, we’ll:

• Explore how past experiences of judgment or rejection are still impacting you today

• Challenge internalized messages that don’t align with your truth

• Work mindfully with your inner critic instead of letting it run the show

• Cultivate joy

• Develop tools to manage overwhelm and stay grounded

• Navigate coming out, dating, Queer relationships, or just figuring out what it means to be and embody you.

My style is calm, affirming, and steady. I show up as a real person in the room—someone who’s walked some of the same paths, and who’s here to walk with you now.

Real Change Starts With Self-Acceptance

Clients who work with me often start weekly sessions feeling unsure of how to move forward and slowly begin building a new way of relating to themselves. With time and support, they start to:

• Feel less shame and more clarity

• Build healthier, more secure relationships

• Speak to themselves with kindness

• Set boundaries with growing confidence

• Finally feel like they belong, to themselves, and to their communities

This work isn’t about fixing you. It’s about freeing you from beliefs and fears that were never yours to carry.

Let’s Begin This Work Together

Let’s make space each week for you to take your life back, from shame, fear, and self-doubt.

If you're in Portland or the state of Oregon and are looking for LGBTQ+ affirming therapy, I’d love to talk.
Call me at 971.533.5590 or contact me here to book your free 15-minute phone consultation.

You’ve worked hard to survive. Let this call be your next step in thriving.

FAQs – LGBTQ+ Affirming Therapy in Portland, OR

1. What does LGBTQ+ affirming therapy mean?
It means this is a space where your gender, sexuality, and identity are not just accepted but affirmed as essential and valuable parts of you.

2. Can I talk about things beyond just my identity?
Absolutely. Identity may be part of your story, but therapy is a place to bring all of you—your relationships, work stress, anxiety, depression, or anything else on your mind.

3. I’m not out to everyone. Is that okay?
Of course. You get to decide how and when to share your identity. Therapy is a safe place to explore that at your own pace.

4. What if I still struggle with internalized homophobia or transphobia?
That’s exactly what this space is for. We’ll work with those internalized beliefs together with compassion and care.

5. I’ve tried therapy before and didn’t feel understood. How is this different?
As a Queer and non-binary therapist, I bring lived experience as well as professional training focused on LGBTQ+ Affirming Care. You won’t have to educate me about basic concepts or worry about being judged.

6. Do you help with relationship and dating concerns?
Yes! Whether it’s navigating Queer dating, polyamory, or communication challenges, we can explore whatever’s relevant to your experience.

7. Do you offer therapy for LGBTQ+ youth or young adults?
Yes, I work with adults and older teens (18+) navigating identity, family dynamics, and the challenges of growing up Queer or Trans in a non-affirming world.

8. Do you offer virtual LGBTQ+ affirming therapy?
Yes, I offer online therapy for clients anywhere in Oregon.

9. What tools or approaches do you use?
We may use mindfulness-based tools, grounding practices, self-compassion, and a trauma-informed lens that centers your experience and values.