
Meet your therapist
Tara Lombardo
She/Her · M.A., LMHC, Executive Director, Director of Graduate Training, Clinical Supervisor, Senior Staff Therapist
Tara Lombardo is the Institute for Human Identity’s executive director. She also serves as IHI’s director of graduate training, as well as a clinical supervisor and staff therapist. Ms. Lombardo served as IHI’s associate director from 2012 - 2019 before assuming the executive director position. Her practice at IHI includes working from psychodynamic and existential perspectives with adults within the LGBTQ+ community. She is an alumnus of Brooklyn College with a master of arts in mental health counseling (2011) and was the recipient of the Department of Psychology's Rasha Shamoon Memorial Scholarship. Ms. Lombardo also received a master of arts degree from New York University's Gallatin School for Individualized Study in 2006 and a bachelor of science in psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2001.
Ms. Lombardo has been featured in national media including People.com for a piece entitled “How to Be a Supportive Adult to LGBT+ Youth" and Them.us’s feature “What Does it Mean to Be Asexual?”. Her work was also highlighted in NYU’s alumni publication of “From Pandemic to Pride: Tara Lombardo (GAL ‘06) [she/her] Leads the First and Longest Running LGBTQ+ Mental Health Organization.”
Ms. Lombardo is an active speaker and advocate for LGBTQ+ issues. She ran a quarterly panel discussion on issues related to the lesbian community in New York City from 2008 to 2010 and had also served on the Grant Committee for the Men Having Babies Financial Assistance Program from 2014 - 2017. In 2015, GO Magazine named her one of its “100 Women We Love” in a story focused on her therapy practice.
Areas of focus
Our clinicians address the full range of sexuality + gender identity exploration, and mental health support.
- 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