Therapy in Vancouver where you don't have to come out twice
2SLGBTQIA+ affirming counselling for individuals and couples — from a therapist who brings knowledge, not just tolerance.
Book a Free ConsultFinding a therapist who is genuinely affirming — not just technically accepting — takes more effort than it should.
There's a difference between a therapist who says "I welcome 2SLGBTQIA+ clients" and a therapist who actually knows the language, understands the specific challenges, and doesn't need you to give an orientation briefing before you can get to the real work.
At Cinnamon Counselling, your identity is not the issue we're here to examine. We're here to support you in whatever you're actually navigating.
Who We Work With
What Brings Queer Clients to Therapy
Coming out and identity
Whether you're coming out to yourself, your family, your workplace, or all three simultaneously — it's a process with real emotional weight.
Family and community rejection
The impact of rejection — explicit or implicit — from family, religion, or community is real and lasting. We work with the grief, anger, and complexity this brings.
Minority stress
Living as a queer person in a heteronormative world takes a toll that is often invisible to people who don't experience it.
Internalized homophobia and shame
Even in affirming environments, many queer people carry internalized messages they didn't ask for. This is deep work, and worth doing.
Relationships and intimacy
Queer relationships face specific dynamics that generic couples therapy often misses — including navigating visibility and chosen family.
Gender identity and transition
Navigating gender — whether that means social transition, medical decisions, or simply understanding yourself — is significant.
Mental health
Anxiety, depression, trauma, and other mental health concerns — supported in a context that understands the queer experience.
Sex and intimacy
Sex therapy for queer individuals and couples, without heteronormative assumptions.
What Affirming Actually Means Here
We use the terminology you use for yourself. We don't default to heteronormative assumptions. We don't treat queerness as a phase, a symptom, or something to resolve. We stay current on evolving language and practice, because language matters and the work is ongoing.
We also won't pretend that all the work queer clients bring to therapy is about being queer. Sometimes it is — and we're equipped for it. Other times it's about a career transition, a parent's death, or anxiety that has nothing to do with identity. Both are fine. You're a whole person.
Aleesa Sutton, RCC (she/they)
Aleesa uses she/they pronouns and brings both professional training and personal understanding to queer-affirming work. They have ongoing investment in professional development related to 2SLGBTQIA+ affirming practice, terminology, and community.
Cinnamon Counselling was founded in part because Aleesa saw too many therapy spaces that claimed to be inclusive without doing the actual work. This practice exists to be something different.
→ Read Aleesa's full bioFAQs
Do I have to explain my identity before we get to the real work?
No. Sessions start where you are. If your identity is central to what you're working on, we go there. If it isn't, we don't treat it as if it is.
Do you work with couples where partners have different identities?
Yes — including mixed-orientation couples, relationships where one partner has recently come out, and all other configurations.
Are you affirming of kink and non-monogamy within queer relationships?
Yes. Kink-affirming and ENM-affirming care extend to queer clients and relationships.
Are virtual sessions available?
Yes — across BC and the Yukon. Virtual sessions also offer additional privacy for clients who aren't fully out in their communities.
Is this covered by insurance?
Many extended health plans cover RCC sessions. We recommend checking with your provider directly.
You deserve therapy that already gets it.
Book a free 15-minute consult and let's talk.
Book Your Free Consult