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IHI Therapy Center
institute for human identity

Institute for Human IdentityExpert Care for Every Identity℠

Changing lives, and history, through expert LGBTQ+-affirming mental health care.

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What we offer

Affirmative Psychotherapy

Affirmative Psychotherapy

We offer an intersectional approach that validates your authentic self, elements such as your sexuality, identity, neurodiversity, and race.

Training

Training

We’ve trained hundreds of clinicians and conducted thousands of therapy sessions every year, investing in everyone who’s part of the process.

Affordable Care

Affordable Care

We accept insurance including UnitedHealthcare, Oxford, and Aetna. We also offer a flexible fee structure to make therapy accessible to all.

Announcement

IHI Competency Courses Spotlight: NY Therapy Practice

IHI Competency Courses recently trained the clinical team at NY Therapy Practice in evidence-based, gender-affirming best practices.

Our therapists

Our clinicians specialize in LGBTQ+-affirming therapy and bring both professional expertise and lived understanding to their work. Explore their backgrounds, approaches, and specialties to find the right fit.

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  • Ash Davis

    they/them

  • Aidan Bunker

    they/them

  • Savannah Turner

    they/she

  • Kirby Given

    she/her

  • Philip Stasko

    they/he

  • Eliza Moss-Horwitz

    she/her

  • Andrea Aviles-Torres

    she/her

  • Daniela Lapidous

    she/her

  • Keegan Campbell

    he/him

  • Find the therapist who’s right for you

Who we are

For over 50 years, IHI Therapy Center has helped define LGBTQ+-affirming mental health care.

Today, our licensed therapists continue that legacy through evidence-based, identity-affirming care.

IHI archival photograph
53 years

Continuous service

IHI in the news

Gay City News

H+H to Train Mental Health Providers on LGBTQ+-Affirming Therapy

NYC Health + Hospitals partners with IHI to deliver advanced clinical training in LGBTQ+-affirming psychotherapy.

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Spectrum News NY1

IHI Executive Director Tara Lombardo, LMHC, on NY1 News

Interview with NY1 anchor Stef Manisero discussing the importance of LGBTQ+-affirming psychotherapy.

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Pride

“When Queer People are in Crisis, AI isn’t a Safe Space”

As anti-LGBTQ hostility rises, chatbots may feel comforting, but neutrality and algorithms can’t replace intersectional, affirming mental health care.An OpEd by IHI Executive Director Tara Lombardo.

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Our Services for Individuals, Couples, and Groups

We address the full range of sexuality and gender identity exploration, and mental health support, including but not limited to:

  • Anxiety
  • Compulsive behavior
  • Depression
  • Eating disorders
  • Grief and bereavement
  • Self-acceptance
  • Overcoming barriers to self-actualization
  • Panic disorders
  • Personality disorders
  • Phase of life issues
  • Phobias
  • Stress
  • PTSD and trauma reaction
  • Relationships problems
  • Substance abuse and
    recovery support
  • Challenges in reaching career goals
  • Validating your sexuality and gender expression
  • Coming out
  • Addressing sexual difficulties
  • Navigating non-traditional relationship styles
  • Working through challenges related to LGBTQ+ family-building and parenting issues
  • Interpersonal challenges and problems relating to others
  • Relating to others who identify as LGBTQ+
  • Locating community under the LGBTQ+ umbrella

Have a question? Contact us

FAQ

Any Questions?

What is affirming care?

Affirming care therapy creates a space where people can explore their experiences openly while recognizing the real impact that stigma, discrimination, and social inequities can have on mental health. It is the foundation of our care.

Shouldn’t all LGBTQ+ therapy be affirming?

Ideally, yes. But LGBTQ+ identities are not always recognized and affirmed as part of the rich diversity of human experience.

Can you tell me more about the treatments you offer?
  • Identity exploration: Sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and coming out (at any stage of life)
  • Mental health: Depression, eating disorders, grief, anxiety, phobias, stress, PTSD and trauma, substance abuse
  • Stress: Navigating systemic discrimination, microaggressions, and identity trauma
  • Relationships of all types: Navigating interpersonal, intimacy, and communication challenges
  • Family and relationships: LGBTQ+ parenting, family-building, and youth advocacy
  • Relationship models and structures: Specialized care for individuals in non-traditional relationship styles, including polyamory and consensual non-monogamy
  • Dedicated therapy groups: Centering on Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, as well as those experiencing grief and loss, trauma recovery, PTSD, depression, couples communication, divorce and separation, and other life transitions
What are examples of the kinds of questions you help people answer?

We engage with broader issues of identity, transition, mental health, coming out, queer relationships, and navigating polyamory. But we also understand and celebrate what makes every person different, helping address questions as diverse as:

  • How do I get divorced as a queer person with kids?
  • How do I deal with the myriad challenges of “second adolescence” in adulthood?
  • Can you provide guideposts as I transition, navigate surgeries, manage my expectations, and work through relationships with family and friends?
  • How and where do I put natural feelings of anger and frustration as I navigate the lived experience of a queer person?
Do I have to identify as LGBTQ+ to receive services?

While many of our clients identify as LGBTQ+, our services are open to anyone seeking affirming, culturally responsive care.

I'm underinsured. Can you help?

We’re here for you. Our cash rates are less than half the average cost of therapy in NYC. You can learn more about our insurance, fee, and care options here.

Do you offer virtual therapy?

Yes, we offer in-person and virtual therapy options for clients located in New York State. Availability varies by therapist.