Honoring Our History and Building a Future of Healing

October marks LGBTQ+ History Month—a time to honor the resilience, courage, and creativity of the LGBTQIA+ community. It’s also a time to reflect on how far we’ve come—and how far we still have to go—when it comes to access, inclusion, and mental health care that truly affirms who we are.

As I launch this blog for Transformations Counseling, I want to take a moment to share a bit about who I am, why I started this practice, and why creating affirming, evidence-based therapy for our community is at the heart of everything I do.

Who I Am

My name is Dr. Milo Wilson (he/him), and I’m a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and the founder of Transformations Counseling.

I started this practice with a simple but powerful belief: therapy should be a place where you feel seen, heard, and valued—not questioned.

As both a psychologist and a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I’ve witnessed firsthand how healing it can be when someone finally feels fully affirmed in therapy—and how harmful it can be when that’s missing.

Throughout my training and career, I’ve been deeply committed to integrating affirming care with evidence-based practice. Those two elements—affirmation and quality—go hand in hand. Every person deserves access to care that is not only inclusive, but also grounded in approaches that are effective, ethical, and informed by research.

Why I Started Transformations Counseling

For too long, LGBTQIA+ individuals have faced significant barriers to receiving high-quality, affirming mental health care. Many have had to educate their therapists about their identities, navigate microaggressions in sessions, or avoid seeking help altogether out of fear of judgment or misunderstanding.

Transformations Counseling was created to change that.

Our practice was built by and for the LGBTQ+ community. We exist to help people heal from anxiety, depression, and trauma—and to grow and thrive as their most authentic selves.

Every member of our team is trained to provide LGBTQ+ affirming, culturally responsive, and evidence-based therapy. That means we’re not just “LGBTQ-friendly”—we are intentional about creating a therapeutic space where your identity is respected, understood, and celebrated as part of your healing journey.

The name Transformations reflects the process of growth that happens in therapy—the ongoing work of becoming more aligned with who you truly are, finding freedom from patterns that no longer serve you, and building a life guided by your values.

Why Affirming, Evidence-Based Care Matters

Affirming care means more than acceptance—it means understanding how systems of oppression, minority stress, and identity experiences shape mental health.

Evidence-based care means we use interventions that research has shown to be effective—like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Exposure Therapy, or Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)—to help clients develop insight, skills, and flexibility.

When these two approaches come together, something powerful happens. Clients don’t just learn strategies to manage anxiety or depression—they begin to heal from years of invalidation and self-doubt. They rediscover their worth, their voice, and their capacity for joy.

At Transformations Counseling, we hold both: compassion and rigor, warmth and science, affirmation and accountability.

Reflecting During LGBTQ+ History Month

LGBTQ+ History Month invites us to look back at the struggles and triumphs of those who came before us—the people who made it possible for us to live more openly, safely, and authentically today. It’s also a reminder that visibility and progress didn’t come easily; they were fought for through resilience, creativity, and community care.

The history of LGBTQ+ mental health is a complicated one. For decades, queer and trans identities were pathologized and misunderstood by the very systems meant to help. Many of us carry generational scars from those experiences—of being told our identities were disorders, of being excluded from care, or of being treated as something to “fix.”

It’s impossible to separate this history from the present. Even today, LGBTQIA+ individuals experience higher rates of anxiety, depression, and trauma, often linked to stigma, discrimination, and lack of access to affirming providers.

That’s why this work matters so deeply to me. Offering affirming, evidence-based therapy isn’t just about mental health—it’s about justice, healing, and reclaiming care as something that belongs to us.

Building a Future of Affirmation and Growth

As we reflect on our history, I’m filled with gratitude for the generations who paved the way—and determination to continue their legacy by helping people heal, thrive, and live with authenticity.

At Transformations Counseling, we aim to:

• Provide a space where LGBTQIA+ people can explore, grow, and heal without fear of judgment.

• Deliver therapy that integrates compassion with scientifically supported approaches.

• Train and support clinicians to practice affirming care with confidence and integrity.

• Contribute to a larger movement that normalizes mental health care as an act of self-respect and empowerment within the LGBTQ+ community.

This blog will be an ongoing extension of that mission. Here, we’ll share insights, reflections, and resources on topics like anxiety, trauma, emotional regulation, identity development, and the intersection of mental health and queerness. My hope is that these posts will serve as both guidance and affirmation—a reminder that healing is possible and you are not alone.

Closing Reflection

During LGBTQ+ History Month, I’m reminded that the act of caring for ourselves and each other is, in many ways, revolutionary. Therapy—when it’s truly affirming and evidence-based—can be one of the most powerful tools we have for personal and collective transformation.

At Transformations Counseling, we’re honored to be part of that journey.

If you’re looking for a space where your identity is affirmed, your story is respected, and your growth is supported with care and expertise, we’re here for you.

👉 Contact us today to learn more about our services or to schedule your first session.