Written by Corby Weeaks, LPC

When I think back on my own journey of growing up in a ranching family in San Angelo, Texas, I often reflect on how much of my life was shaped by the unspoken rules about who I was allowed to be. How powerful it would have been to engage in LGBTQIA+ affirming therapy, or even to have an affirming therapist in my area, to support me in becoming who I always was.

As a queer kid in a deeply traditional environment, I didn’t have the language or the models to name my experience. I just knew that something about me didn’t quite “fit.” I was expressive, sensitive, & curious about people and relationships. But somewhere along the way, I learned to dial that down. I learned how to hide the parts of me that didn’t match masculine expectations.

I didn’t have the words back then for gender expansiveness or queerness or emotional awareness. I just knew I felt different, and different didn’t always feel safe.

Fast forward to today, and I now have the immense privilege of working as a therapist with LGBTQIA+ individuals and couples in Idaho; People who, like me, have had to navigate a world that often doesn’t mirror their truth back to them. People who are trying to live with authenticity, build secure and healthy relationships, and figure out who they are in a society that still sends a lot of mixed (and often harmful) messages.

If you’re reading this and you’ve ever felt like you had conform to others expectations just to survive, I want you to know: I see you.

A Safe Space for LGBTQIA+ in Idaho

Therapy became part of my own healing process before it ever became a career path. Sitting across from someone who not only allowed me to be myself, but actually welcomed my full humanity, was nothing short of transformative. I wasn’t asked to explain my identity, defend my emotions, or sanitize my story. I was simply allowed to be.

That’s the kind of space I try to create for my clients now.

I work with LGBTQ+ individuals, couples, and folks in non-traditional relationships who are craving connection, understanding, emotional safety, and overall, a desire to be seen. Many of them come into therapy after years of feeling misunderstood, judged, or othered. They’ve tried to mold themselves into someone they’re not just to keep the peace with family, with partners, or even within themselves.

But what I’ve found over the years: healing begins when we stop performing and start connecting.

Building Safer and More Meaningful Relationships

In my practice, I help individuals and couples who are feeling disconnected or caught in the same exhausting cycles, whether it’s after infidelity, exploring ethical non-monogamy, or navigating intimacy, identity, and sexual expression. My approach is grounded in the belief that everyone deserves to feel safe, respected, and celebrated as their true selves in their relationships.

Many of my clients, especially queer folks and those exploring kink, polyamory, or sex-positive identities, have been told that their desires or needs are “too much.” Or they’ve had to translate who they are in therapy rooms that didn’t reflect their lived experience – especially if you grew up in a rural part of Idaho.

You don’t need to do that here.

You don’t have to explain the basics of your identity. You don’t have to convince me that your relationship structure is valid. You don’t have to brace yourself for microaggressions or misunderstanding. This is an affirming space, one where we’ll explore the real stuff: your fears, your longings, your patterns, your pain, and your possibility.

Working with Men Who Struggle to Be Vulnerable

I also work with men who have been taught that vulnerability is weakness. Maybe that’s you or your partner, and you’re having trouble working through it on your own. Maybe you’ve been told your whole life to “man up,” to keep emotions in check, to push through and figure it out alone.

The challenge in this is that the inability to express emotions doesn’t mean they go away…it just means they come out in other ways. Anger. Numbness. Shutdown. Distance.

In therapy, we slow things down. We start to understand where those patterns came from whether it’s your family, culture, or trauma, and we build something different. I help clients create a new way of relating to yourself and others that’s rooted in honesty, emotional safety, and mutual respect.

Why LGBTQ+ Affirming Therapy Matters

When you’re part of a marginalized group, it can be hard to know who to trust. Can this person really hold space for me? Will they get it? Will I have to educate them about my life before I can even begin to heal?

If you’re searching for LGBTQ+ affirming therapists in Boise, or LGBTQ+ friendly counselors in Idaho, I want you to know: this is a place where you can exhale and find true healing.

Affirming therapy isn’t just about being “okay” with who you are. It’s about celebrating it. It’s about understanding how systems of oppression, family dynamics, trauma, and resilience shape your story all while helping you reclaim authorship over that story.

Whether you’re navigating questions of identity, seeking deeper intimacy in your relationship, or healing from religious or family-based trauma, you deserve support that honors all of who you are.

My Door Is Open for Everyone in Boise and all of Idaho

The path to self-acceptance and connection isn’t always linear. It can be messy, painful, and uncertain. But it’s also incredibly powerful. And you don’t have to walk it alone.

If you’re ready to explore therapy or even just curious about what it might look like, I offer free 15-minute consultations and have immediate availability for new clients. We’ll talk about what’s going on for you, what you’re hoping for, and how I can help.

You don’t have to have it all figured out. You just have to be willing to begin. Schedule a free consultation with me here.