My Therapist Is Out!

Allyship in Action: Supporting Immigrant Communities

In this episode of My Therapist Is Out!, we’re joined by Veronica Velazquez (she/her) from LA Queer Coalition to talk about what real allyship looks like in action—especially as immigrant communities face increasing harm, surveillance, and ICE activity. Together, we explore how LGBTQ+ communities can show up in meaningful, practical ways that go beyond statements of support.This conversation breaks down how to respond to ICE raids, protect community safety, and participate in mutual aid without causing harm or burnout. Veronica shares grounded, accessible strategies for advocacy, organizing, and care—while naming the emotional toll these moments take on queer and immigrant communities alike.Whether you’re looking for concrete steps, clearer boundaries, or ways to stay engaged while protecting your mental health, this episode offers tools for showing up with intention, accountability, and solidarity.In this episode, we cover:What allyship looks like during ICE raids and increased surveillanceHow LGBTQ+ communities can support immigrant neighbors safely and effectivelyMutual aid, community safety strategies, and local organizing effortsNavigating fear, anger, and burnout while staying engagedWhy community care is essential when institutions failThis episode is a call to action—and a reminder that collective care and solidarity are powerful tools for survival and change.🎧 Listen now and learn how to turn care into action.Queer Moment of Joy Guest 1: Devan Rose he/them @dvn_rseQueer Moment of Joy Guest 2: Michael Vandie he/him @minivandicampGuest Bio : Veronica Velazquez (she/her) is the founder of RadCraft Design, where she specializes in usability—making systems easier to navigate—and optimization—making them more effective and efficient. Earlier this year, during the LA fires, Veronica recognized how her skill set could be applied beyond tech to support community care. Since then, she has used her expertise to help build effective mutual aid networks, create accessible information campaigns, and organize events that engage communities in environmental advocacy and collective support.As a Colombian-American, Veronica experiences firsthand the threats facing immigrant and communities of color. As a community organizer and activist, she understands the urgent need for allyship, training, and coordinated action to protect and support those most at risk—especially during times of heightened harm and systemic failure.https://www.icescream.org/https://radcraftdesign.com/@verosoraptorLA Queer Coalition Bio: LA Queer Coalition (LAQC) is a grassroots collective of LGBTQ+ organizations, activists, and community members working to protect, uplift, and mobilize queer and trans communities across Los Angeles. Rooted in intersectionality and collective action, LAQC focuses on community safety, mutual aid, advocacy, and rapid response to systemic harm—particularly at the intersections of queerness, immigration, race, and economic justice. Through coalition-building and on-the-ground organizing, LAQC creates pathways for community care and resistance when institutions fail to protect our most vulnerable.https://www.laqueercoalition.org/@laqueercoalitionTo find more from OSTC visit:Website: https://www.openspacetherapycollective.comInstagram: @openspacetherapycollective TikTok: @openspacetherapy Spotify: @MyTherapistisOut Apple Podcasts: @mytherapistisoutYouTube: @openspacetherapycollectiveKeywords: #AllyshipInAction #QueerAndImmigrantSolidarity #CommunityCare #MutualAid #ICEAwareness #ProtectOurCommunities #LGBTQAdvocacy #ImmigrantJustice #CollectiveCare #GrassrootsOrganizing #CommunitySafety #QueerResistance #MentalHealthInActivism #SolidarityNotStatements #CareAsResistance

Beyond the Wounds: Identity-Based Harm & Community Care

 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 organizing to HIV/AIDS activism—and points to present-day actions shaping community wellness. Listeners are invited to reflect on their role in fostering collective care and imagine the blueprint for future LGBTQ+ mental health and support.Takeaways:Identity-based harm includes discrimination, stereotyping, verbal abuse, and systemic violations of rights.Community-based care encompasses mutual aid, protests, boycotts, harm reduction, and preventive responses.Historical LGBTQ+ movements, including activism during the AIDS epidemic, inform modern approaches to care.Mental health impacts of identity-based harm can manifest as hypervigilance, anxiety, depression, and fatigue.Anger can act as a unifying force when channeled toward collective action.Present-day community care continues to address gaps left by institutions failing under political pressures.Recognizing your role in community care is a step toward shaping inclusive, intersectional wellness practices.Mentioned in this Episode: LA Queer CoalitionPhoenix EmpoweredMTIO Episodes:“Can Rage Be Healthy?” with Debbie Whyte“Decolonize Your Health” with Lynsi Stevens (Crystal Case Apothecary)Queer Moment of Joy Guest 1: Julia she/they @juliamaeabramsQueer Moment of Joy Guest 2: Meredith she/her @pezmerHost Bio: Ernesto Martinez APCC, AMFT (they/elle/he/el) is an Associate Therapist with Open Space Therapy Collective. Ernesto specializes in working with Adults, Teens, & Parents of Gender Expansive Children, Adult Children of (im)Migrants to transform challenges into stepping stones towards self-compassion, fulfillment, and confidence. To find more from us visit:Website: https://www.openspacetherapycollective.comInstagram: @openspacetherapycollective TikTok: @openspacetherapy Spotify: @MyTherapistisOut Apple Podcasts: @mytherapistisoutYouTube: @openspacetherapycollectiveKeywords: #LGBTQCommunity #QueerHealing #CommunityCare #IdentityBasedHarm #MutualAid #HarmReduction #QueerWellness #MentalHealthMatters #CollectiveCare #BIPOCMentalHealth #TransAdvocacy #QueerResistance #InclusiveCare #SocialJusticeWork #HealingInCommunity

LGBTQ+ Neurodiversity Daily Life & Identity Q&A w/ Renae Johnson & Mikey Whited

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 work of healing, identity, and self-acceptance: how to tell the difference between protective masking and harmful masking, ways to unlearn internalized ableism, and how to support yourself or loved ones in embracing neurodivergent identity. Together, Renae and Mikey remind us that thriving as a neurodivergent person means finding joy, connection, and authenticity in your daily life.Takeaways:Realistic strategies for managing executive dysfunction when even “basic tasks” feel impossibleAdvocating for yourself in school, work, or social spaces without fear of stigmaRecognizing burnout and creating space to recoverHow to make your home environment sensory-friendly and supportiveDistinguishing between masking for safety and masking that harms mental healthTools to unlearn internalized ableism and shameSupporting loved ones in understanding and accepting their neurodivergent identityWhat thriving looks like beyond coping: embracing strengths, joy, and authenticityPart Two closes out our practical and personal dive into LGBTQ+ neurodiversity, offering tools, insights, and encouragement to navigate daily life, relationships, and self-care with confidence and compassion.Queer Moment of Joy Guest 1: Cornelius He/Him @corneliusjonesjrQueer Moment of Joy Guest 2: Brough She/HerGuest Bio : Mikey Whited RN, MSN, PMHNP-BC (they/them) is a psychiatric nurse practitioner working in Los Angeles, California. Mikey specializes in queer and trans psychiatric medication and mental health care for adults and older teens. Mikey is passionate about changing the psychiatry paradigm and providing quality medication education and care for clients in a way that will ACTUALLY work to help clients achieve their lifestyle goals.Host Bio: Renae Johnson, LPCC, ATR-BC (they/them) is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, Board-Certified Art Therapist, and the Founder of Open Space Therapy Collective, a group practice offering affirming, social justice-driven mental health care for the LGBTQ+ & QTPOC community. With clinical expertise in complex trauma, identity development, and creative expression, Renae blends therapeutic depth with a commitment to equity and inclusion.In addition to their clinical work, Renae produces community wellness events like Queerly Connected and is a founding member of the LA Queer Coalition, creating spaces where queer and trans people can gather, heal, organize, and celebrate. As a speaker, consultant, and activist, Renae is passionate about building systems of care that honor the full humanity of queer and trans individuals—and equipping healthcare and wellness providers with the tools to do the same.To find more from us visit:Website: https://www.openspacetherapycollective.comInstagram: @openspacetherapycollective TikTok: @openspacetherapy Spotify: @MyTherapistisOut Apple Podcasts: @mytherapistisoutYouTube: @openspacetherapycollectiveKeywords: #LGBTQCommunity #NeurodivergentLiving #QueerAndNeurodivergent #ExecutiveDysfunction #WorkplaceAdvocacy #SensoryFriendly #NeurodivergentJoy #AuthenticLiving #MaskingAndUnmasking #InternalizedAbleism #SelfAcceptance #NeurodivergentPride #CommunitySupport #HealingAndGrowth #ThrivingNotSurviving #MentalHealthMatters #InclusiveSpaces #QueerHealing #NeurodivergentStrengths

LGBTQ+ Neurodiversity Relationships & Communication Q&A w/ Renae Johnson & Mikey Whited

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 regulation in relationships, this episode brings together the key themes from across the series—self-understanding, acceptance, and the radical power of community care.Together, they unpack what it actually looks like to live as a neurodivergent queer adult, the nuances of ADHD and autism, and why trauma and chronic stress can sometimes blur those lines. This isn’t just a Q&A—it’s a grounding conversation about belonging, validation, and learning to work with your brain, not against it.Series Takeaways:Understanding how ADHD, autism, and sensory differences overlap and divergeWhy so many LGBTQ+ folks are late-diagnosed and how systemic bias plays a roleThe difference between trauma responses and neurodivergent traitsBuilding communication that centers curiosity over correctionWhy emotional regulation is a practice, not a performanceThe role of community in unmasking, healing, and finding joyThis episode closes out our six-part journey into LGBTQ+ neurodiversity—but the conversation doesn’t end here. Keep revisiting these stories, share them with your people, and remember: your brain is not broken. It’s beautifully, uniquely yours.Queer Moment of Joy Guest 1: Chi, She, @bigchii888Queer Moment of Joy Guest 2: Paige, She/Her, @paigeraycreativeGuest Bio : Mikey Whited RN, MSN, PMHNP-BC (they/them) is a psychiatric nurse practitioner working in Los Angeles, California. Mikey specializes in queer and trans psychiatric medication and mental health care for adults and older teens. Mikey is passionate about changing the psychiatry paradigm and providing quality medication education and care for clients in a way that will ACTUALLY work to help clients achieve their lifestyle goals.Host Bio: Renae Johnson, LPCC, ATR-BC (they/them) is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, Board-Certified Art Therapist, and the Founder of Open Space Therapy Collective, a group practice offering affirming, social justice-driven mental health care for the LGBTQ+ & QTPOC community. With clinical expertise in complex trauma, identity development, and creative expression, Renae blends therapeutic depth with a commitment to equity and inclusion.In addition to their clinical work, Renae produces community wellness events like Queerly Connected and is a founding member of the LA Queer Coalition, creating spaces where queer and trans people can gather, heal, organize, and celebrate. As a speaker, consultant, and activist, Renae is passionate about building systems of care that honor the full humanity of queer and trans individuals—and equipping healthcare and wellness providers with the tools to do the same.To find more from us visit:Website: https://www.openspacetherapycollective.comInstagram: @openspacetherapycollective TikTok: @openspacetherapy Spotify: @MyTherapistisOut Apple Podcasts: @mytherapistisoutYouTube: @openspacetherapycollectiveKeywords:  #Neurodiversity #ADHD #AutismAcceptance #QueerMentalHealth #NeurodivergentVoices #CommunityCare #SelfUnderstanding #EmotionalRegulation #TraumaHealing #Unmasking #Acceptance #SensoryDifferences #LateDiagnosis #Neuroqueer #RadicalSelfAcceptance #HealingJourney #NeurodivergentCommunity #MentalHealthAwareness #YourBrainIsBeautiful

Queer and Neurodivergent: Living Outside the Box

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, experimentation, and self-acceptance, Kristen and Ernesto remind us that thriving means rewriting the rules — not squeezing into them.TakeawaysNeurodiversity encompasses a wide range of cognitive variations.Understanding neurodivergence requires a compassionate and non-pathological lens.Societal standards often fail to accommodate neurodiverse individuals.Communication needs vary greatly among neurodiverse people.Intersectionality plays a crucial role in understanding neurodiverse experiences.Access to care is a significant barrier for many neurodiverse individuals.Self-diagnosis can be a valid and empowering process.Community support is essential for neurodiverse individuals.Therapists should be aware of systemic issues affecting their clients.Exploration and play are vital in understanding one's neurodiverse identity.Mentioned in this Episode: NeeDoh https://myneedoh.com/Queer Moment of Joy Guest 1: Manny They/Them @projectqlaQueer Moment of Joy Guest 2: Sage She/They @e_sage_Hosts Bio: Kristen Crowe LPCC, BC-DMT (they/them) Is Licensed Therapist, Dance Therapist, and Clinical Supervisor with Open Space Therapy Collective. Kristen specializes in working somatically with adults and partners to help heal the mind-body connection so you can feel more grounded and vibrant every day.Ernesto Martinez APCC, AMFT (they/elle/he/el) is an Associate Therapist with Open Space Therapy Collective. Ernesto specializes in working with Adults, Teens, & Parents of Gender Expansive Children, Adult Children of (im)Migrants to transform challenges into stepping stones towards self-compassion, fulfillment, and confidence. 🌈 About Open Space Therapy CollectiveOpen Space Therapy Collective (OSTC) is a queer- and trans-led mental health collective built on the belief that therapy should feel like a place where every part of you belongs. Our team of LGBTQ+ and QTPOC therapists create space for healing that is affirming, justice-driven, and rooted in community care. From navigating identity to unpacking trauma to celebrating joy, OSTC is here for the full spectrum of queer experience.To find more from us visit:Website: https://www.openspacetherapycollective.comInstagram: @openspacetherapycollective TikTok: @openspacetherapy Spotify: @MyTherapistisOut Apple Podcasts: @mytherapistisoutYouTube: @openspacetherapycollectiveKeywords: neurodiversity, neurodivergence, therapy, mental health, queer identity, self-diagnosis, community support, societal standards, communication, intersectionality