Questions People Ask First
Wanting a therapist who shares or deeply understands your identity is not picky. It is one of the most reasonable things you can ask for.
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Guiding Growth.
Restoring Hope.
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The relationship with your therapist is one of the strongest predictors of whether therapy helps. For many people, especially Black, Indigenous, and people of color and LGBTQIA+ people, feeling understood without having to explain your culture or defend your experience is a big part of that.
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Read therapist bios for the populations and experiences they name specifically, not just a list of every possible concern. Look for language about culture, identity, and lived experience. Notice whether the practice as a whole talks about inclusion, or only one page does.
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Have you worked with people who share my background or identity? How do you bring culture into therapy? What would you do if I felt misunderstood? It is completely fine to ask these directly, and a good therapist will welcome them.
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Guiding Hope is intentionally building a diverse team with different backgrounds, identities, specialties, and lived experiences, so people can find a therapist who truly fits. Mallori Thompson focuses on high-achieving African American women, Ashley Gutierrez specializes in LGBTQIA+ and neurodivergent clients and signs fluently in ASL, and Janell Goler brings her experience as a veteran and a mother.
Your free consultation is a place to say what matters to you in a therapist, and you will be matched with that in mind.
Meet the Team
AdultsSupport for the pressure beneath achievement and the transitions of motherhood.
Pregnancy & Postpartum · High Functioning Anxiety · High-Achieving African American Women · Grief & Loss · Trauma · Depression
Practicing under the supervision of Dr. Desiree L. Stephens, LPC-S.
Teens & AdultsAffirming, accessible therapy in spoken English and fluent ASL.
LGBTQIA+ · Neurodivergent · Anxiety · ASL · Deaf & Hard of Hearing · Trauma · Depression · Relationships
Daytime, evening, and weekend availability
Practicing under the supervision of Dr. Bernadette H. Solórzano, PsyD, LPC-S.
Teens & AdultsWhole-person support shaped by compassion, collaboration, and practical hope.
Stress · Anxiety · Depression · Life Transitions · Trauma
Evening and weekend availability
Practicing under the supervision of Dr. Gerald Pennie, PhD, LPC-S.
Common Questions
Start by looking at each clinician’s profile and the communities and concerns they work with. A free consultation gives you space to ask about fit and what matters to you.
Guiding Hope is in network with Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and UnitedHealthcare. Coverage varies by plan, and superbills are available for out-of-network reimbursement.
You share a little about what is bringing you in, ask any practical questions, and talk through which clinician may fit. It is a conversation, not a commitment.
Please call 911 if you are in immediate danger, or call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Guiding Hope offers scheduled outpatient therapy and is not an emergency service.
A free consultation can help you ask questions, share what you are looking for, and consider whether one of our clinicians feels like a fit.
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