In Part One of this listener Q&A, hosts and therapists Renae Johnson (they/them) and Kristen Crowe (they/them) respond to questions from the My Therapist Is Out! community about identity-based harm and what it actually feels like to live inside it. Together, they unpack why so many queer and marginalized folks feel chronically exhausted, disconnected, or unsure whether what they’re carrying “counts” as trauma.

Renae and Kristen explore how identity-based harm shows up in the body, in relationships, and in community spaces — especially when those spaces don’t feel as safe or healing as we hoped. They talk about the tension between wanting connection and needing protection, how to support immigrant and targeted communities without centering ourselves, and what community care can look like when we’re already stretched thin. This episode offers validation, clarity, and permission to name what’s happening — without needing to have all the answers yet.

Takeaways

The conversation highlights the exhaustion felt by queer individuals in today's society.

Understanding the difference between personal trauma and collective trauma is crucial.

Community care plays a vital role in healing from identity-based harm.

Emotional responses can be complex and intertwined with societal issues.

It's important to recognize the impact of social media on our emotional well-being.

Queer Moment of Joy Guest 1: Charlie Montiel He/They @charlieboytattoo

Queer Moment of Joy Guest 2: Rae Hamilton-Vargo They/Them @rae_hv

Host Bios:

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.

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.

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.com

Instagram: @openspacetherapycollective

TikTok: @openspacetherapy

Spotify: @MyTherapistisOut

Apple Podcasts: @mytherapistisout

YouTube: @openspacetherapycollective

Keywords: LGBTQ+ mental health podcast, identity-based harm, queer trauma and healing, community care in LGBTQ+ spaces, hate-based trauma recovery, radical healing for marginalized communities, queer therapists podcast, LGBTQ+ collective healing, trauma-informed community care, storytelling as healing in queer communities

(Therapist Bio Link)

In this episode of My Therapist Is Out!therapists Allison Smith (she/they) and Gio Nigro (they/them) dig into how identity-based harm—like microaggressions, cultural erasure, and systemic exclusion—shows up in LGBTQ+ lives and bodies. They explore why healing doesn’t happen in isolation, the role of therapy in reconnecting us to ourselves and each other, and how community care, mutual support, and shared vulnerability build real resilience. Through a lens that honors cultural heritage and generational strength, this conversation offers practical ways to move from disconnection toward belonging—without asking anyone to shrink, assimilate, or heal alone.

Takeaways

Identity-based harm encompasses violence, discrimination, and microaggressions.

Microaggressions can have a compounding effect on individuals' mental health.

Community support is crucial for healing from identity-based harm.

Therapy can help clients navigate the challenges of identity-based harm.

Building support systems is essential for mental well-being.

Connection with others can mitigate feelings of isolation.

Activism can foster a sense of community and belonging.

Cultural heritage plays a vital role in individual identity and resilience.

Vulnerability is necessary for building meaningful connections.

Practical steps can help individuals engage with their communities.

Queer Moment of Joy Guest 1: Clark He/Him @wondermountaincabin

Queer Moment of Joy Guest 2: Fafa She/Her

Host Bio:

Gio Nigro LCSW (they/them) is a Licensed Therapist with Open Space Therapy Collective. Gio specializes in working with queer adults and older adults who struggle to understand their identity and behaviors and who desire to gain confidence and release shame from their past experiences.

Allison Smith LCSW (she/they) is a Licensed Therapist at Open Space Therapy Collective. Allison specializes in integrating trauma-informed, abolitionist frameworks to support clients in exploring identity, relationships, and cultural connections.

To find more from us visit:

Website: https://www.openspacetherapycollective.com

Instagram: @openspacetherapycollective

TikTok: @openspacetherapy

Spotify: @MyTherapistisOut

Apple Podcasts: @mytherapistisout

YouTube: @openspacetherapycollective

Keywords: identity-based harm, community care, microaggressions, lgbtq herapy, queer support systems, activism, cultural heritage, generational strength, connection, vulnerability

Renae Johnson (they/them) sits down with Jose Rosario (he/him) of Phoenix Empowered for a powerful conversation about identity, storytelling, and mental health as pathways to collective healing. Jose shares his lived experience as a queer Latino man with a disability and how storytelling has become both a personal and political act—one that resists erasure, challenges identity-based harm, and creates space for radical healing. Together, they explore how hate-based trauma and systemic oppression show up in the body and mind, why representation in mental health is necessary but not enough, and how community care and cultural practices can foster real empowerment. This conversation names anxiety not as a personal flaw, but as a rational response to ongoing threats, and invites listeners to engage in community, storytelling, and advocacy as acts of resistance and care. Through the lens of Phoenix Empowered, Renae and Jose remind us that healing doesn’t happen in isolation—it happens when we are seen, heard, and held in community.

Takeaways

Storytelling is a powerful tool for healing.

Identity-based harm includes various forms of violence, not just physical.

Representation in mental health is crucial but not sufficient.

Community support is essential for healing and empowerment.

Radical healing involves understanding systemic oppression.

Cultural practices play a significant role in healing.

Anxiety can be a response to systemic threats.

Engagement in community can be a form of resistance.

Phoenix Empowered aims to amplify marginalized voices.

Mentioned in this Episode: Jose’s Ted Talk

Queer Moment of Joy

Guest 1: Harley He/They @bb.musicstudio

Guest 2: Shauna She/Her @palsbarla

Guest Bio :

José Rosario is a mental health activist, researcher, and clinician and founder of The Phoenix Empowered, a nonprofit that helps organizations develop culturally-informed mental and social health protocols. José’s lived experience as a gay, Latino person who uses a wheelchair has informed both his clinical practice and his consulting work with organizations such as Home Depot, DoorDash, Shell and Johnson & Johnson.

José has spoken at TEDx, Washington State University, University of California Irvine, Arizona State University, ATOP MeaningfulWorld United Nations Affiliate Org, and the National Association of Councils for Developmental Disabilities, among many others.

He has served as an American Psychological Association (APA) Interdisciplinary Minority Fellow and is an active member of the APA’s Division of Trauma Psychology Policy and Anti-Oppression Committees. He also serves on the Community Advisory Board for the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office and the Congressional Advisory Board for former Congressman James Langevin. He has been honored with the Chris Martin Humanitarian Award and the Victoria Lederberg Award for Excellence in Psychology.

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.

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.com

Instagram: @openspacetherapycollective

TikTok: @openspacetherapy

Apple Podcasts: @mytherapistisout

YouTube: @openspacetherapycollective