What is IHI?
The Institute for Human Identity Therapy Center (IHI) is a New York City-based nonprofit psychotherapy and training center specializing in gender-affirming mental health care for LGBTQ+, BIPOC, trans, and gender-diverse communities.
Animation made by humans, not AI
What Is Our Mission?
Founded in 1974 by Dr. Charles Silverstein (opens in a new tab), a visionary scholar, writer, and activist in the struggle for gay rights, IHI is the nation's first and longest-running LGBTQ+-affirmative psychotherapy and training center.
Dr. Silverstein is an iconic figure in both LGBTQ+ communities and professional psychology, and his 1973 APA testimony led to the removal of homosexuality as a mental illness from the organization's seminal diagnostic manual.
Over five decades, we’ve worked to build a world where everyone, regardless of their gender identity, sexuality, race, age, disability, or immigration status, can find safety and support through affordable mental health care.
Continual Education and Training of Therapists
Lasting change happens when knowledge is shared, so IHI’s mission goes far beyond the therapy room. We’ve trained hundreds of clinicians, and conducted thousands of therapy sessions every year.
Through our ongoing partnership with NYC Health + Hospitals, we train mental health providers in LGBTQ+-affirming care to bring specialized expertise across the entire system.
Our specialized graduate training program is affiliated with Columbia, NYU, Fordham, Hunter College, and other leading institutions. Through intensive supervision and hands-on clinical experience, we produce therapists who can hold the nuanced complexity of clients navigating multiple marginalized identities.
Through our suite of LGBTQ+ Competency Courses, we provide continuing education and customized training for private practices, agencies, and organizations committed to affirming care.
Our history
Entry 1 of 5: 1973
1973
IHI founder Dr. Charles Silverstein presents before the American Psychiatric Association Nomenclature Committee, which led to the removal of homosexuality from the APA’s list of mental disorders.
Our space
More Room to Grow, Heal, and Connect
We are excited to welcome you into our newly renovated office space! Our expanded office now features a larger waiting area and two additional therapy rooms, allowing us to welcome more clients while creating an even more comfortable and affirming environment for care.
Op-Ed from our director
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.
By Tara Lombardo, January 2026 Op-Ed on Pride.com (opens in a new tab)
The collective mental health (opens in a new tab) of transgender and queer people in the U.S. is under assault. While discrimination and stigmatization are common attacks on our communities, rising anti-LGBTQ+ aggression over the past few years threatens to erode the hard-won progress that has allowed so many to live openly and authentically.
Facing political erasure (opens in a new tab), social backlash, and the disappearance of safe spaces, many LGBTQ+ (opens in a new tab) folks are understandably turning to technology for solace and support. I understand the feeling. I've tried it too.
When it feels like there's no one out there who gets where we're coming from, generative AI platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and others can feel like a light in a dark tunnel. They're a readily available, nonjudgmental presence that listens when few others will. Yet despite its accessibility, AI falls short when someone is in crisis or needs a safe space to explore who they are. A licensed human therapist with specialized training in LGBTQ+-affirmative care remains the gold standard for mental health support for queer and transgender folks… read full article on Pride.com (opens in a new tab)
Thank You
Thank you to CASE (opens in a new tab), ANTONYM (opens in a new tab), and Codearium (opens in a new tab)!
Our website would not have been possible without their invaluable consultation, work, and support.
Our board
John Gordon
Amelia Trumble
Jamie Weiner
Tara Lombardo
Eve Blazo
Benet Hennessey
John Carroll
Jen Fiorentino
Tami Hausman
Dionne Scott
Maggie Beattie Roberts
Matt Flanders
Friends of IHI
Wade Davis
Former NFL player
Blanche W. Cook
Historian
Clare Coss
Playwright
Charles Busch
Playwright and actor
Edmund White
Novelist
Martin Duberman
CLAGS Founder
FAQ
More about us
Who does IHI serve?
LGBTQ+, queer, and trans people of color (QTPOC), and gender-diverse individuals in New York City and beyond. We provide expert care for all those exploring their inner worlds, independent of how they identify.
Is IHI a nonprofit?
Yes, IHI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Does IHI accept insurance?
Yes. IHI is in-network with Aetna, Oxford, and United Healthcare, and works with many out-of-network benefits.
What if I can't afford therapy?
As a nonprofit, IHI is committed to making care accessible through lower-fee options, group therapy, intern-led services, and periodic subsidized programs for QTPOC clients.
Why does IHI emphasize affordable care?
Research consistently shows that LGBTQ+ communities face unique barriers to accessing mental health services. Expanding access to affirming care has been part of IHI's mission since its founding.
Why is therapist training so important to IHI?
IHI believes expanding access to affirming mental health care requires training more clinicians. Through internships and educational programs, IHI helps build the next generation of LGBTQ+-affirming therapists.
Ok, for real, is it true IHI trained Dr. Ruth?
Yes it is! Many prominent therapists and educators have received training through IHI, including the indelible sex therapist and educator Dr. Ruth Westheimer.
Can I support IHI's mission?
Yes, through donations, recurring giving, partnerships, advocacy, and participation in training and community programs. Contributions help to fund affordable therapy options and clinician training.