LGBTQ people and our families can benefit from professional counseling and support but we need providers who both validate our sexual orientation and gender identify and understand our particular issues. As a start on your own search, check this  information on help lines, provider databases, youth specific support,  general support, and national resources. We encourage you to do your own due diligence on these resources to ensure you find a safe and appropriate fit.

Help Lines

• If you or someone you know is at risk for self harm or suicide call 911 or immediately contact a 24-Hour Crisis helpline.
• For emergency housing and shelter, dial 211 to connect with Washington’s centralized resource for health and human services information and referrals.  This is not 24-hour help line and hold times can be long. See Win211.org for details. 
• For non-emergency support over the telephone, consult Non-Urgent Help Lines.
• For information on preventing youth suicide and finding help, consult Youth Suicide Prevention Program, which works to reduce youth suicide in Washington and points you to resources for LGBTQ youth and their parents.

Provider Databases

For finding a specific LGBTQ-friendly therapist, the GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBT Equality  is the world’s largest and oldest association of LGBTQ healthcare professionals and includes an extensive Healthcare Directory. You might also  consult Therapy Den, online community of mental health professionals seeking to make the experience of finding a therapist easy. While includes all specialties it provides filters specific to insurance providers and areas of expertise with gender identity and sexual identity.

Youth Specific Support

These groups provide specific services  for youth and young adults.  Some LGBTQ youth might also benefit from participating in groups that provide safe and fun spaces to meet and socialize with other queer youth and allies. Consult Safe Space Activities for details.

• Asian Counseling and Referral Service  is a Seattle-based support service for Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI), where clients are served by professional staff who speak the same language and come from the same culture. They offer an array of of child and youth development services.
• Youthside Services (YES) in Bellevue is a lifeline for Eastside youth and families facing challenges.  They offer a range of services for LGBTQ youth, including one-one-one counseling (with a sliding scale) and BGLAD, a free weekly drop-in support open to youth ages 13 to 19 who identify as LGBTQ+  as well as youth who may be questioning or exploring their gender or sexual identities, where they can meet peers, discuss issues, and get support in a safe and confidential environment run by  trained professionals.

General Support

• Asian Counseling and Referral Service is a Seattle-based support service for Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI), where clients are served by professional staff who speak the same language and come from the same culture. They offer adult and youth mental health services.
• The  Ingersoll Gender Center is a Seattle-based organization providing support and education for transgender, trans*, gender variant and genderqueer people, and the people who support them. Ingersoll. They provide a weekly support group and give one-on-one information on healthcare access.

National Resources

These national organizations contain resources and support for LGBTQ people and their loves ones.

• COLAGE unites children, youth, and adults with one or more LGBTQ parents into a network of peers and supports them as they nurture and empower each other.
• Gender Equity Resource Center is a community center located at the University of California at Berkeley that is committed to fostering a safe, equitable and inclusive experience for all.
• Our Family Coalition advances equality and inclusion for LGBTQ families  with children through support, education, and advocacy.
• Straight Spouse Network provides personal, confidential support and information to heterosexual spouses/partners, current or former, of gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender mates and mixed-orientation or transgender/non-transgender couples for constructively resolving coming-out problems.