My Therapist Is Out!

 In this first episode of our series, Ernesto Martinez introduces the concept of identity-based harm and the power of community care. Centered on LGBTQ+ experiences, Ernesto discusses the mental health impacts of discrimination, systemic violence, and ongoing political targeting, highlighting how anger can unite rather than isolate. The episode explores the historical roots of mutual aid within queer movements—from 1970s grassroots...

In Part Two of our LGBTQ+ Neurodiversity Q&A, host Renae Johnson (they/them) returns with Mikey Whited (they/them, Psych NP) to dive into the practical side of living as a neurodivergent queer adult. From managing executive dysfunction and workplace advocacy to creating sensory-friendly spaces at home, this episode is packed with strategies to help your neurodivergent brain thrive—not just survive.

They also explore the deeper w...

LGBTQ+ Neurodiversity Q&A (Part One) — Closing Reflections on the Series with Renae Johnson (they/them) & Mikey Whited, Psych NP (they/them)

As we wrap up our Neurodiversity Series, host Renae Johnson and returning guest Mikey Whited sit down to answer your biggest questions about neurodivergence through a queer mental health lens. From how to know if you’re neurodivergent, to navigating communication and emotional regulatio...

In this episode of My Therapist is Out!, Kristen Crowe (they/them) and Ernesto Martinez (they/he) dive into what it really means to navigate the world as queer and neurodivergent. Together, they unpack how neurotypical standards often miss the mark, why compassionate frameworks matter, and how therapy can shift when it’s designed with neurodiverse folks in mind. From the pressures of societal expectations to the beauty of play, exp...

In part two, Mikey and Jennie return with Renae to move from personal stories into professional insight. As a Psych NP and ADHD Coach, they unpack the science of ADHD, the role of brain chemistry, and the ways misdiagnosis and stigma often cloud understanding. The conversation dives into medication, lifestyle strategies, and how neurodivergent brilliance can shine when supported instead of suppressed. From queerness and ADHD overla...

Host and therapist Renae Johnson (they/them) sits down with siblings Mikey Whited, Psych NP (they/them), and Jennie Larsen, ADHD Coach and Teacher (she/her), for an honest look at what it’s like to grow up with ADHD side by side. Together they share stories of navigating childhood, the different ways ADHD showed up for each of them, and what it was like to watch each other’s journeys unfold. From masking and stimming to the ways ge...

In this episode, OSTC therapist Allison Smith, LCSW (she/they), kicks off our new series on LGBTQ+ Neurodiversity by exploring what it really means to live at the intersection of queer and neurodivergent identities. From ADHD and autism to dyslexia and beyond, we dive into how neurodivergence shapes experiences, relationships, and access to care—while also celebrating the strengths, creativity, and resilience of neurodivergent folk...

In this episode, Renae Johnson (they/them) sits down with Charlie Sprinkman (they/he), founder of Everywhere is Queer, to talk about what it really means to build and sustain queer safe spaces. From Charlie’s journey out of a conservative upbringing to becoming a leader in queer visibility, this conversation dives into the power of community, the challenges of creating inclusive businesses, and why visibility matters now more than ...

Sometimes it’s not just rest you need. Sometimes, it’s a radical reimagining of what you’re carrying—and what you need to set down for good.

In this mini summer check-in episode, Kristen Crowe (they/them), therapist and dance/movement therapist at Open Space Therapy Collective, drops in with a soft but honest reflection on what it means when rest stops working. They explore the emotional labor so many LGBTQ+ folks are holding, espec...

While My Therapist is Out! is on a summer break, we're still popping into your feed with bite-sized mental health moments to keep you grounded and connected. In this mini check-in, therapist Terra Friedman (she/her) invites you to rethink how you're resting—and whether it's really working for you.

Drawing from Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith’s 7 types of rest, Terra offers a compassionate reminder that not all rest is created equal. If you...

While My Therapist is Out! is on summer break, we’re popping into your feed with a mini mental health check-in. This bite-sized episode features therapist Ernesto Martinez (they/he), offering grounded reflections on what it means when anger begins to surface — especially for LGBTQ+ folks in healing.

Sometimes when we’re reconnecting to parts of ourselves that have been shut down by trauma, grief, or survival mode, anger shows up fir...

My Therapist Is Out! is taking a little summer break — but don’t worry, we’re not leaving you hanging.

Every two weeks, our queer therapists will still be sliding into your feed with bite-sized mental health check-ins.

Think of it as your gentle reminder to pause, breathe, and take care of your sweet self.

And if you're out there organizing, protesting, showing up in your full activist heart — we see you. Just a reminder: rest is ...

What happens when you mix scissors, stories, and queer magic? You get Folklore—a radically warm and inclusive salon built by community, for community.

In this heartfelt episode of My Therapist is Out!, host Renae Johnson (they/them) sits down with artist, stylist, and community organizer Pony Lee Musgrave (he/they). From cutting hair to cutting through social norms, Pony shares their journey of creating Folklore, a queer-affirming s...

🎙️ My Therapist is Out! Presents: The TGI TownHall – 100 Days In, Our Lives on the Line

What does safety, justice, and visibility look like for trans, gender-expansive, and intersex (TGI) communities under the current administration? We’re 100 days in—and it’s time to take stock.

In this special episode, My Therapist is Out! is proud to present the TGI TownHall, produced by the LA Queer Events Coalition and The Unique Woman’s Coalit...

Let’s get one thing straight (lol jk, never): trauma lives in the body—and queer bodies have been through it. In this raw and real episode of My Therapist is Out!, Renae Johnson (they/them) and Kristen Crowe (she/they) break down how Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) helps us reclaim what the world tried to take from us: our bodies, our joy, our right to feel safe in our skin.

Forget sitting still on a couch trying to intellectualize pai...

What does it mean to come out—not just once, but over and over again—as you uncover more of who you are? In this episode Renae (they/them) sits down with PJ Brescia (they/them), the heart and brains behind Baby Gay, a nonprofit devoted to supporting folks in their coming out journeys.

PJ shares their story of coming out later in life, discovering their non-binary identity, and what it’s like to rewrite your life in real time. From n...

In this episode of My Therapist is Out!, Renae Johnson (they/them) and Terra Friedman (she/her) dive into the lived experience of hypervigilance—a survival response many queer folks know all too well. From growing up in environments where it wasn’t safe to be fully ourselves to navigating today’s political climate, hypervigilance can become second nature. What happens when that constant alertness starts impacting our relationships,...

What does it really mean to lead with authenticity and build an inclusive brand? In this episode of My Therapist is Out!, Renae Johnson sits down with Crystal Whiteaker, founder of Crystal Lily Creative, to talk about how diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) shape thriving organizations and happier teams.

Crystal shares her journey from building a photography business rooted in diversity to creating a values-driven branding and le...

In this episode of My Therapist is Out!, Renae Johnson (they/them) and therapist Ernesto Martinez (he/they) dive deep into the many ways mainstream therapy often falls short when working with marginalized clients — and what we can do to create more inclusive, affirming care.

Ernesto shares powerful insights on the power dynamics in therapy, the definition of marginalized clients, and the importance of meeting people where they are b...