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Summit Counselling Group Inc, 1702/805 West Broadway, Vancouver, BC (2025)

10/04/2025

Breadcrumbing in Relationships: Why “Just Enough Contact” Hurts More Than It Helps

In modern relationships, there’s a subtle but deeply painful pattern that many people experience: breadcrumbing. It’s when a partner gives you just enough attention, affection, or contact to keep you hooked, but never enough to build a real, nourishing relationship.

As a therapist, I see the devastating emotional impact this has. Clients describe it as “being kept on a string” or “never knowing where I stand.” If you’ve ever waited anxiously for a text, only to receive a vague emoji or a sporadic check-in, you know how confusing and hurtful breadcrumbing can be.

What is Breadcrumbing?

The term comes from the idea of leaving a trail of breadcrumbs—small crumbs of attention meant to keep someone following. In relationships, breadcrumbing looks like:

Occasional late-night texts or “u up?” messages

Compliments without commitment

Reaching out only when it’s convenient for the other person

Inconsistent plans—lots of talk, little follow-through

A cycle of hot-and-cold communication

The result? You’re left emotionally hungry, waiting for more, but only ever receiving scraps.

Why Do People Breadcrumb?

There are many reasons someone might breadcrumb, often linked to attachment styles and emotional avoidance:

Fear of commitment – They like the connection but don’t want to go deeper.

Avoidant attachment – They fear intimacy and keep people at arm’s length.

Need for validation – They enjoy your attention but have no intention of reciprocity.

Power dynamics – Keeping you uncertain can give them a sense of control.

For the person on the receiving end, breadcrumbing activates old wounds of rejection, abandonment, or feeling “not enough.”

The Emotional Toll of Breadcrumbing

Breadcrumbing is not harmless flirting—it’s a form of emotional manipulation that can cause:

Anxiety and obsessive thinking (“Did I do something wrong?”)

Low self-worth (“Why am I only worth crumbs?”)

Confusion about whether the relationship is real or imagined

Trauma bonding, where intermittent reinforcement keeps you stuck hoping for change

Research on inconsistent reinforcement in relationships shows that unpredictability can actually strengthen attachment—even if the relationship is painful (Carnelley & Rowe, 2010). This is why breadcrumbing can feel so addictive.

How to Respond to Breadcrumbing

If you suspect you’re being breadcrumbed, here are steps to protect yourself:

1. Name it – Recognize that what you’re experiencing is a pattern, not a reflection of your worth.

2. Set boundaries – Decide what kind of contact is acceptable for you, and stick to it.

3. Ask directly – “Are you interested in building something real with me, or just casual check-ins?”

4. Notice your body – If you feel anxious, depleted, or desperate after interactions, that’s a sign.

5. Choose yourself – You deserve more than crumbs—you deserve a whole meal.

Healing Beyond the Breadcrumbs

Healing from breadcrumbing often means reconnecting with your own needs and desires, instead of waiting for someone else to meet them inconsistently. This can be incredibly hard, especially if you’ve had past experiences of neglect, abandonment, or narcissistic dynamics.

Therapy can help you untangle why you’re drawn to people who breadcrumb, and empower you to create relationships where you feel truly seen, valued, and chosen.

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✨ If you’re tired of feeling strung along and ready to build healthier, more secure relationships, I’d love to help.

Book a session with me here

References:

Carnelley, K. B., & Rowe, A. C. (2010). Repeated priming of attachment security influences later views of self and relationships. Personal Relationships, 17(2), 273–289.

Holmes, B. M., & Johnson, K. R. (2009). Adult attachment and romantic partner preference: A review. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 26(6–7), 833–852.

Levine, A., & Heller, R. (2010). Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Find—and Keep—Love. Penguin.

10/03/2025

The Parentified Daughter: Growing Up Too Soon

Some daughters are born children, but raised as adults. I know, because I was one.

To be a parentified daughter means that instead of being nurtured, protected, and guided, you are the one doing the nurturing, the protecting, the guiding. You become the emotional caretaker, the peacekeeper, the helper—the one who grows up far too quickly because the adults around you could not (or would not) hold the role they were meant to.

For me, this began in childhood, in a family overwhelmed by loss, silence, and unprocessed grief. My own needs quickly became secondary. My worth was measured in how well I could keep things together, manage my mother’s moods, and step into shoes that never should have been mine.

The Invisible Weight

The burden of parentification is largely invisible. From the outside, you may look like the “good daughter”—responsible, mature, competent, perhaps even high-achieving. Inside, however, you carry loneliness, exhaustion, and the ache of not being allowed to simply be.

The message internalized is often this: Your needs don’t matter. Other people’s comfort is more important than your well-being. This pattern can ripple into adulthood—showing up in relationships where you over-give, over-function, or find yourself drawn to people who take more than they give.

Research in family systems theory has shown that children who are placed in adult roles too early often struggle with boundaries, self-worth, and receiving care later in life (Jurkovic, 1997; Hooper, 2007). But these struggles aren’t destiny—they are survivals skills that can be unlearned, with compassion and support.

Healing the Parentified Self

The first step in healing is recognition: naming what happened. To say, I was parentified. I was asked to carry what was not mine. That truth matters.

From there, the work is twofold:

Grieving what was lost. The carefree childhood, the sense of being truly seen, the chance to lean instead of always holding others up.

Reclaiming your right to receive. Allowing yourself to be cared for, to set boundaries, to ask for what you need without shame.

In my own life and in my therapy practice, I’ve seen how transformative it is to step out of the “good daughter” role and begin to honour the child within who still longs for safety, tenderness, and rest.

You Deserve to Rest

If you recognize yourself as a parentified daughter, know this: your worth is not in what you do for others. You are not only lovable when you are useful. You are lovable because you exist.

The healing journey is about laying down burdens that were never yours, and finally giving yourself the care you deserved all along.

✨ If this resonates with you, you don’t have to carry it alone. Therapy offers a safe place to untangle the impact of parentification, grieve what was lost, and learn new ways of being in relationship—with yourself and with others.

📞 Contact me, Linda Williams, M.A., RCC, Clinical Director of Summit Counselling Group Inc., Vancouver, BC.
Let’s begin the deep dive into your healing journey together.

References

Hooper, L. M. (2007). Expanding the discussion regarding parentification and its varied outcomes: Implications for mental health research and practice. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 29(4), 322–337.

Jurkovic, G. J. (1997). Lost Childhoods: The Plight of the Parentified Child. Brunner/Mazel.

10/03/2025

Shame: The Hidden Emotion That Needs a Witness

Shame is often called the master emotion. Unlike guilt, which is about what we do, shame is about who we are. It whispers, “I am wrong, unworthy, unlovable.” While all humans experience shame, many carry it silently for decades, never realizing how much it shapes their choices, relationships, and even their nervous systems.

What Is Shame?

Psychologist Gershen Kaufman described shame as “the most disturbing affect” because it strikes at the core of identity (Kaufman, 1992). Brené Brown, whose research has brought shame into mainstream conversation, defines it as “the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging” (Brown, 2006).

Shame thrives in secrecy and silence. When left unspoken, it festers—driving perfectionism, overachievement, addictions, people-pleasing, and self-isolation.

Where Shame Comes From

Shame often originates in childhood, when caregivers fail to respond with attunement and empathy. A harsh look, mocking laughter, neglect, or abuse can all lodge shame deeply in a child’s body. John Bowlby’s attachment theory suggests that when secure bonds are broken, a child will often internalize the rupture as “something is wrong with me.” Over time, this crystallizes into core shame.

Generational shame is also common. Families may pass it down silently through unspoken rules: “Don’t cry,” “Don’t be too much,” “Don’t talk about that.” These injunctions carry powerful messages that one’s authentic self is unsafe.

The Impact of Shame in Adulthood

Unchecked, shame can shape entire life patterns:

Relationships: It can fuel cycles of over-giving and under-receiving, choosing partners who replicate early wounds.

Work: It can drive relentless striving and perfectionism while making success feel hollow.

Identity: It can cause people to split parts of themselves off, hiding q***rness, sensitivity, creativity, or vulnerability.

Research in interpersonal neurobiology (Siegel, 1999) shows that chronic shame activates the nervous system’s threat response. The body learns to expect rejection, even in safe contexts, which makes intimacy and authenticity hard to sustain.

Healing Shame: Why We Need a Witness

The antidote to shame is connection. Shame cannot survive empathy. When another human being sees us in our most vulnerable places and responds with compassion instead of judgment, shame begins to loosen its grip.

Healing steps include:

1. Naming Shame – Bringing it into words disrupts the silence. Journaling, therapy, or speaking it aloud helps.

2. Finding a Witness – A trusted therapist, friend, or group can serve as the compassionate mirror we never had.

3. Practicing Self-Compassion – Kristin Neff’s research (2003) shows that self-kindness reduces shame and builds resilience.

4. Re-parenting the Self – Inner child and parts work (Schwartz, 1995) allow us to meet shamed parts with curiosity rather than exile.

5. Embodied Healing – Somatic therapies like sensorimotor psychotherapy or EMDR help process shame stored in the body.

Shame in the Light

Shame is universal, but it doesn’t have to define us. When brought out of the dark, witnessed with care, and held in compassion, shame can actually become a doorway to deeper authenticity. As Brown notes, “If we can share our story with someone who responds with empathy and understanding, shame can’t survive.”

References

Bowlby, J. (1988). A Secure Base: Parent-Child Attachment and Healthy Human Development.

Brown, B. (2006). Shame Resilience Theory: A Grounded Theory Study on Women and Shame. Families in Society, 87(1).

Kaufman, G. (1992). Shame: The Power of Caring.

Neff, K. (2003). Self-Compassion: An Alternative Conceptualization of a Healthy Attitude Toward Oneself. Self and Identity, 2(2).

Schwartz, R. (1995). Internal Family Systems Therapy.

Siegel, D. (1999). The Developing Mind: Toward a Neurobiology of Interpersonal Experience.

If you are struggling with shame, therapy can help you bring it out of the dark and into the light of compassionate connection.
📌 Book a session with me at SummitCounselling.ca.

10/02/2025

Do Ya Think I'm S*xy?
Women’s S*xual Wellness and S*x Toys: A Q***r-Inclusive Guide

For women—straight, q***r, le***an, bis*xual, or questioning—s*xual wellness is a vital part of overall health. And yet, conversations about women’s pleasure, especially le***an and q***r women’s pleasure, are still limited by stigma and misinformation.

S*x toys are not a sign of loneliness or “not having a real partner.” They are tools for exploration, empowerment, and deepening intimacy—whether with yourself, a same-gender partner, or across diverse identities. As a therapist, I see how embracing pleasure can heal shame, strengthen relationships, and create more embodied self-acceptance.

Why S*x Toys Matter for Women and Q***r Communities

1. Affirming Pleasure as a Right
Pleasure is not optional. It’s a fundamental human experience that supports mental health, resilience, and intimacy. For le***ans and q***r women—who often grow up without inclusive s*x education—s*x toys can be a bridge to exploring what feels good without scripts centered on heteros*xual in*******se.

2. Mental Health Benefits
Or***ms release oxytocin and dopamine, easing stress and lifting mood (Brody, 2010). For those navigating PMDD, menopause, or depression, regular s*xual self-care can be an important wellness practice.

3. Relationship Enhancement
Research shows that couples (including same-s*x couples) who use toys together report greater s*xual satisfaction and better communication (Herbenick et al., 2013). Toys are not replacements; they’re bridges to creativity, novelty, and trust.

4. Healing from Shame, Trauma, and Minority Stress
Q***r women, especially le***ans, often grow up absorbing messages that their desires are “wrong” or invisible. Exploring with toys can be a way to reclaim agency, reframe intimacy, and connect with erotic joy on one’s own terms (Diamond, 2008).

Types of S*x Toys for Women (and Their Partners)

Cl****al Vi*****rs: From discreet bullets to wand massagers, these are often the most reliable path to or**sm.

Di**os: Available in silicone, glass, or steel; can be used solo or with a partner. Many le***ans incorporate them into partnered s*x.

Harnesses and Strap-Ons: Common in le***an relationships; these offer shared pe*******on and intimacy.

Dual Stimulation Toys: “Rabbit”-style toys combine internal and external pleasure.

Couple’s Toys: Designed to be worn during intimacy, suitable for same-s*x or mixed-gender partnerships.

A**l Toys: Plugs and beads can add pleasure for many women, especially when used with l**e.

Pelvic Floor Trainers: Support postpartum recovery, enhance or**sms, and maintain pelvic health.

Q***r-Affirming Tips for Exploration

Start Small, Stay Curious: Pick a toy that feels approachable.

Prioritize Safety: Choose body-safe materials (medical-grade silicone, stainless steel, or glass).

L**e is Essential: Especially for a**l play or menopause-related dryness.

Play Without Pressure: Pleasure is about curiosity, not performance.

Integrate Into Partnered S*x: Invite your partner into the exploration. For many le***ans, toys expand—not replace—the erotic landscape.

Therapy, Shame, and Erotic Healing

For many women, especially those who are q***r, the shame around s*x toys is not about the toy itself but about what it represents: permission to claim your s*xuality. Therapy can be a safe place to process:

The impact of family-of-origin or religious shame

Recovering agency after trauma

Exploring le***an or q***r identity in affirming ways

Learning how attachment patterns shape desire and intimacy

S*x toys can be part of reclaiming your erotic life, but the deeper healing often comes from giving yourself full permission to want, explore, and connect.

Final Thoughts

S*x toys are not about “fixing” you. They are about expanding your capacity for joy, intimacy, and embodiment. Whether you are a le***an, bis*xual, q***r, or straight woman—or exploring somewhere in between—you deserve to feel safe in your body and free in your pleasure.

References

Brody, S. (2010). The relative health benefits of different s*xual activities. Journal of S*xual Medicine, 7(4).

Diamond, L. M. (2008). S*xual Fluidity: Understanding Women’s Love and Desire. Harvard University Press.

Herbenick, D., Reece, M., Schick, V., Sanders, S. A., Dodge, B., & Fortenberry, J. D. (2013). Women’s vi****or use in s*xual partnerships: Results from a nationally representative survey. Journal of S*x & Marital Therapy, 35(1).

Linda Williams, M.A., RCC
Clinical Director, Summit Counselling Group Inc.
Offering in-person and online therapy in Vancouver, BC.

10/02/2025

Ghosted or Cancelled: Understanding the Pain and Finding Your Way Forward

Being ghosted or canceled can feel like an emotional earthquake. One moment you’re in connection—whether with a friend, partner, colleague, or community—and the next, you’re met with silence, exclusion, or sudden withdrawal. No explanation. No closure. Just absence.

For many, this experience is profoundly destabilizing. It can trigger old wounds of abandonment, rejection, or shame, leaving us questioning our worth. As a therapist, I often sit with people navigating these invisible breakups, and together we explore not only the pain but also the path toward healing and reclaiming self-trust.

What It Feels Like to Be Ghosted or Canceled

Ghosting is when someone cuts off contact without explanation. It can happen in dating, friendships, professional settings, or even in therapy. You’re left with unanswered messages and no sense of why the connection ended.

Canceling can look different. Sometimes it’s collective, like being excluded from a group or shamed online. Other times it’s one-on-one—a friend or partner abruptly declaring you “toxic” or “unsafe,” without dialogue or repair.

Examples:

A friend you’ve confided in suddenly stops replying, leaving you wondering what you did wrong.

A partner abruptly blocks your number after weeks of intimacy.

An online community expels you without the chance to clarify or grow.

A workplace quietly sidelines you, replacing inclusion with silence.

The common thread? A sudden rupture in connection, with no opportunity for conversation or closure.

The Attachment Lens: Why It Hurts So Much

Our early attachment experiences shape how we relate to connection and loss. Being ghosted or canceled often reactivates these attachment wounds.

Anxious attachment: Ghosting can feel unbearable. The silence is filled with self-blame, obsessive thoughts, and frantic attempts to re-establish contact.

Avoidant attachment: Being ghosted may stir up anger or dismissal—“I didn’t need them anyway”—while burying the grief underneath.

Disorganized attachment: Ghosting or cancelation can trigger both desperate clinging and intense avoidance, leaving someone feeling chaotic inside.

Secure attachment: Even securely attached people feel the sting, but they’re more likely to acknowledge the pain, seek support, and move on with self-trust intact.

Research shows that ambiguous loss (a loss without clarity or closure) is uniquely painful and often harder to process than an explicit breakup (Boss, 2006). Ghosting is the epitome of ambiguous loss.

Why Do People Ghost or Cancel?

It’s rarely as simple as “they didn’t care.” Often, it says more about the other person’s limitations than about your worth.

Conflict avoidance: They may not have the emotional tools to face difficult conversations.

Shame: They fear being exposed or held accountable, so withdrawal feels safer.

Immaturity or lack of capacity: Ending abruptly is easier than negotiating repair.

Cultural patterns: Cancel culture sometimes prizes cutting ties over dialogue, especially in online spaces.

This doesn’t excuse the harm. But it reminds us: ghosting is usually a reflection of the other’s capacity, not your value.

What You Can Do if You’ve Been Ghosted or Canceled

1. Name the Experience

Use the words: “I was ghosted” or “I was canceled.” Naming reduces self-blame and situates the pain in a larger cultural phenomenon.

2. Acknowledge the Grief

This is a loss. Like any grief, it deserves space—anger, sadness, longing, confusion. Journaling, therapy, or rituals (like writing an unsent letter) can help.

3. Challenge the Self-Blame

Remind yourself: silence is not evidence that you’re unworthy. The lack of communication is about their limits, not your essence.

4. Seek Secure Connections

Reach out to people who can hold you in empathy. Connection with supportive friends, therapists, or communities helps regulate attachment pain.

5. Rebuild Self-Trust

Practice self-validation: “I mattered in that relationship. Their silence doesn’t erase that.” Over time, self-trust becomes your anchor, regardless of how others behave.

Healing Beyond Ghosting

The truth is, we can’t stop others from ghosting or canceling. But we can cultivate resilience. By working with our attachment patterns, grieving what’s lost, and seeking healthy, secure connections, we can move forward without shutting down or giving up on intimacy.

When ghosting or cancelation happens, the pain is real—but so is your capacity to heal, learn, and reconnect.

Therapist’s Note

If you’ve been ghosted or canceled and are struggling to make sense of it, therapy can provide a safe space to explore the grief and reclaim your voice. I work with clients on attachment wounds, relational trauma, and building secure connections.

You don’t have to go through this alone. Reach out for in-person or online counselling sessions at Summit Counselling Group.

References

Boss, P. (2006). Loss, Trauma, and Resilience: Therapeutic Work With Ambiguous Loss. New York: W.W. Norton & Company.

Bowlby, J. (1988). A Secure Base: Parent-Child Attachment and Healthy Human Development. Basic Books.

Fraley, R. C., & Shaver, P. R. (2000). Adult romantic attachment: Theoretical developments, emerging controversies, and unanswered questions. Review of General Psychology, 4(2), 132–154.

10/02/2025

How to Connect with Your Partner.

When couples are struggling, they often try to fix things with communication strategies, conflict-resolution tools, or spending more quality time together. These can help, but they don’t always reach the heart of the problem.

What makes the biggest difference is learning how to send clear emotional signals.

When your partner says, “I don’t feel understood” or “I don’t know if you really care,” it isn’t always because the love is gone. More often, the emotional signals between you are scrambled. If your words, tone, and body language don’t line up, your partner may not trust the message you’re trying to send—even if it comes from love.

Why Signals Get Crossed

Research in attachment theory shows that our ability to send and receive clear signals begins in childhood (Bowlby, 1969; Ainsworth, 1978). If emotions were dismissed, shamed, or ignored when you were young, you likely learned to hide them. Maybe you smiled through sadness, got quiet when you were scared, or made a joke instead of showing your pain.

Those coping strategies helped you survive, but in adult intimacy, they create confusion. You might long for closeness but act withdrawn. You might feel hurt but show irritation. You might be afraid but sound cold. Your partner starts doubting the message—not because there’s no love, but because the signals don’t add up.

How Relationships Bring Old Wounds to the Surface

Romantic relationships often stir up our earliest emotional lessons. Emotionally Focused Therapy (Johnson, 2008) describes how partners trigger each other’s attachment wounds—not to harm the relationship, but because intimacy brings those wounds into the light. This isn’t a sign of failure. It’s an invitation to heal.

Where Healing Begins

John and Julie Gottman’s research (1999; 2015) highlights the importance of “repair attempts”—moments when partners risk vulnerability to restore connection. But those attempts only work if they’re clear and congruent.

You can’t change your partner’s signals when you’re in distress yourself. Real repair starts inside.

Try this process:

Pause before reacting.

Ask yourself: What am I actually feeling right now?

Check alignment. Do your words, tone, and body all tell the same story?

Notice if you’re protecting yourself instead of revealing yourself.

Take the risk of letting your real emotions show.

This congruence—letting your outside match your inside—is what Daniel Siegel (2012) calls integration. It creates the felt sense of safety that intimacy depends on.

Imagine the Difference

Imagine arguments that don’t spiral because you both pause long enough to speak from what’s true. Imagine the relief of being trusted and understood without over-explaining. Imagine love that feels safe again because the signals finally match.

Clear signals create deep connection. Love doesn’t disappear when people stop caring—it fades when the signals stop getting through. And when they do get through, love has space to grow again.

If this resonates with you and you’d like support in learning how to send and receive clear signals in your relationship, I offer both in-person and online counselling.

➡️ Book a session at SummitCounselling.ca

References

Ainsworth, M. D. S. (1978). Patterns of attachment: A psychological study of the strange situation. Lawrence Erlbaum.

Bowlby, J. (1969). Attachment and loss: Vol. 1. Attachment. Basic Books.

Gottman, J. M., & Silver, N. (1999). The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work. Crown.

Gottman, J. M., & Gottman, J. S. (2015). 10 Principles for Doing Effective Couples Therapy. Norton.

Johnson, S. (2008). Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love. Little, Brown.

Siegel, D. J. (2012). The Developing Mind: How Relationships and the Brain Interact to Shape Who We Are. Guilford Press.

10/02/2025

Q***r Women’s Mental Health: Breaking the Silence, Building Resilience

Mental health is never a one-size-fits-all journey. For q***r women, the path to well-being is often shaped by unique experiences of identity, community, love, loss, and resilience. While mainstream conversations about mental health are growing louder, q***r women’s voices are still too often overlooked. Yet the truth is this: q***r women experience higher rates of anxiety, depression, trauma, and substance use than their heteros*xual counterparts—largely due to minority stress, stigma, and social invisibility (Meyer, 2003; King et al., 2008).

It’s time to break the silence and speak directly to the challenges—and strengths—of q***r women’s mental health.

Why Q***r Women Face Distinct Mental Health Challenges

1. Minority Stress

The “minority stress model” (Meyer, 2003) shows how systemic oppression, discrimination, and stigma create chronic stress that directly impacts mental health. For q***r women, this often includes:

Fear of rejection from family, friends, or workplaces

Daily microaggressions and erasure in both q***r and straight spaces

Internalized homophobia and shame from growing up in heteronormative cultures

2. Intersectionality Matters

A q***r woman of color, an immigrant, or someone with a disability may face compounded barriers to care. Intersectionality (Crenshaw, 1989) helps us understand that overlapping identities create unique forms of discrimination and resilience.

3. Healthcare Barriers

Q***r women are less likely to access mental health care that feels safe and affirming. Studies show LGBTQ+ individuals are more likely to encounter providers who lack cultural competence or who hold unconscious biases (APA, 2021). The result? Delayed treatment, underdiagnosis, or distrust of mental health systems.

Signs Your Mental Health May Need Attention

Q***r women often normalize stress, invalidation, or relationship struggles as “just part of being q***r.” But mental health deserves care. Some signs to look for:

Feeling persistently anxious, low, or disconnected

Withdrawing from relationships or community

Using substances to cope with stress or shame

Struggling with intimacy due to trauma or rejection

Believing you’re “too much” or “not enough” in relationships

Pathways to Healing and Resilience

1. Affirming Therapy

Finding a q***r-affirming therapist makes a profound difference. Therapy that validates your whole identity fosters trust, safety, and growth. Approaches like attachment-based therapy, trauma-informed care, and Internal Family Systems (IFS) can help heal deep wounds from rejection or invisibility.

2. Community Connection

Isolation is a risk factor, while chosen family and q***r community are protective factors. Support groups, LGBTQ+ centers, and online spaces remind you that you are not alone.

3. Addressing Shame

Many q***r women carry shame from religious, cultural, or familial rejection. Brené Brown’s research on shame and vulnerability shows that healing begins with naming shame and bringing it into safe relationships where it loses its grip.

4. Celebrating Identity

Q***r joy is resistance. Pride events, q***r art, literature, and history are more than visibility—they are mental health practices in themselves. When we celebrate identity, we reclaim what stigma tried to erase.

Why This Conversation Matters

Ignoring q***r women’s mental health keeps cycles of silence alive. By naming the challenges and lifting up resilience, we invite healing not just for individuals but for entire communities. Research consistently shows that when q***r women receive affirming, accessible care, their outcomes dramatically improve (National LGBT Health Education Center, 2020).

Therapist’s Note

I’ve been an out le***an since the 1980s, and both personally and professionally, I know what it means to navigate stigma, invisibility, and resilience. As a q***r-affirming therapist, I understand the layered realities of coming out, staying out, and creating safe containers for healing.

Whether you’re navigating trauma, identity, or relationships, you deserve a space where you are not only accepted but celebrated.

I offer in-person and online counselling sessions for q***r women and LGBTQ+ folks seeking deep, transformative therapy. Early in my practice, I facilitated process groups that lasted over 10 years. I am now offering online therapy groups for q***r women to make community healing more accessible.

If you’re interested in individual therapy or group work, contact me today to book a session.

References

American Psychological Association (2021). Guidelines for Psychological Practice with S*xual Minority Persons.

Crenshaw, K. (1989). Demarginalizing the intersection of race and s*x. University of Chicago Legal Forum.

King, M., Semlyen, J., Tai, S. S., et al. (2008). A systematic review of mental disorder, su***de, and deliberate self harm in le***an, gay and bis*xual people. BMC Psychiatry.

Meyer, I. H. (2003). Prejudice, social stress, and mental health in le***an, gay, and bis*xual populations: Conceptual issues and research evidence. Psychological Bulletin, 129(5), 674–697.

National LGBT Health Education Center (2020). LGBTQ Health and Access to Care.

About Me

Linda Williams, M.A., RCC
Clinical Director, Summit Counselling Group Inc.

I am a registered clinical counsellor in Vancouver, BC, specializing in deep-dive therapy for individuals and couples. My work integrates trauma-informed approaches, attachment theory, and parts work to help clients heal from the inside out.

As an out le***an since the 1980s, I bring both lived experience and professional expertise to my practice. My passion is supporting q***r women and LGBTQ+ clients in finding safety, resilience, and joy in their lives and relationships.

🌐 Learn more or book a session: summitcounselling.ca

Summit Counselling Group Inc

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