My Therapist Is Out!

Open Space Therapy Collective
  • 4.9 (18)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Biweekly

Welcome to My Therapist is Out! An Open Space Therapy Collective Podcast. We are your hub for queer and trans mental healthcare. Each episode therapists from OSTC and guests to deep dive into mental health and community building through unapologetic queer conversations. To book a free consult call with one of our therapists visit: openspacetherapycollective.com/book-appointment

  1. 22h ago

    Whose Shame Is It Anyway? A Q&A on Shame, Relationships, and Queer Life

    It showed up in every single episode. In the conversations about toxic relationships, money, sex, community, and chosen family. Under all of it, the same thing: shame. In this Q&A episode closing out the Queer Hearts Healthy Starts series, Renae Johnson LPCC, ATR-BC (they/them) and Allison Smith LCSW (she/they) sit down to pull it all together. They get into what shame actually is clinically and how it is different from guilt, how to start noticing when shame is running the show versus when you are actually making a choice, and the unexpected places it shows up, including your bank account, your sex life, and your inability to let anyone pick up the tab. They also talk about generosity as a shame response, resentment coming from envy more than anger, and what it actually means to expand your emotional bandwidth instead of just shrinking your world down to what feels safe. Honest, warm, and genuinely useful. This one earns its place as the series closer. Queer Moment of Joy Guest 1: Aja Kai Rowley They/Them @ajakai Queer Moment of Joy Guest 2: Emmie Yk She/Her @emmie.yk Host Bios:  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.  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 board 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

  2. Aug 5

    Built Without Us in Mind: Queering Your Relationship with Money with Patrick Armano-Amato

    We have talked about relationships to ourselves, our families, community, sex, and romance. And we saved the most loaded topic for last: money. In this final full episode of Queer Hearts Healthy Starts: Breaking Toxic Relationship Patterns, Renae sits down with Patrick Armano-Amato, CRPC, AWMA, Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch, for a conversation that is equal parts practical and deeply personal. Because for LGBTQ+ folks, money has never been just about money. They get into the history that explains why so many queer people never learned to plan for a future, how internalized shame shows up in spending, saving, and avoidance, the very real financial cost of being queer when it comes to family building and legal protection, what couples can do right now to safeguard their financial rights as marriage equality faces new threats, and what a healthy, values-aligned relationship with your money can actually look like. This one is grounded, honest, and genuinely useful. Whether you are partnered, single, building a family, or just trying to figure out where to start, this conversation is for you. Queer Moment of Joy Guest 1: Gabriella Layne Her/Hers @strutsocialwithgabby Queer Moment of Joy Guest 2: Casi Schwisow She/They  Guest Bio :  Patrick Armano-Amato, CRPC™, AWMA™, is a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch in Los Angeles who is dedicated to helping LGBTQ+ individuals, couples, families, and community leaders navigate life’s financial decisions with confidence. His practice focuses on creating personalized financial investment strategies that reflect each client’s unique goals, relationships, and definition of family. Beyond his advisory work, Patrick is deeply involved in the LGBTQ+ community. He serves as Vice President and Board Member of the Los Angeles LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce, is a member of the Board of Advisors for APAIT, and serves as Vice Chair of the LA Pride Business Council at Bank of America. Through his professional and volunteer work, he is passionate about expanding financial education and helping people build lasting financial security while supporting the communities they care about.   IG: oliveb0y LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-armano-amato/ Email: patrick.armano-amato@ml.com Website: https://advisor.ml.com/sites/ca/century-city-ca/patrick.armano-amato 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 board 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

  3. Jul 22

    Sex, Shame, and Survival: A Conversation with Alex Garner

    Thirty years of living with HIV. Twenty years of global queer advocacy. And a perspective on shame, sex, and survival that you are not going to hear anywhere else. In this episode of our series Queer Hearts Healthy Starts: Breaking Toxic Relationship Patterns, Renae sits down with Alex Garner (he/him), Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives and Communications at MPact Global, for a conversation that moves between the deeply personal and the unmistakably political. Because for Alex, those two things have never been separate. They get into what it actually felt like to come of age as a gay man during the AIDS epidemic, why HIV was, for many men of his generation, a matter of when and not if, and what it took to move from fear and stigma into a life built around joy and self-possession. They talk about what queer rage can do when it gets channeled into something, what parents of queer teens need to unlearn, how MPact is choosing to expand rather than retreat in a moment when so much is being stripped away, and why the dance floor has always been, and still is, a form of resistance. This one goes deep. And it lands somewhere hopeful. Queer Moment of Joy Guest 1: Ronan Mayock He/Him @ronanmayock Queer Moment of Joy Guest 2: Lara Etzen She/Her @laraetze Guest Bio :  Alex Garner is a writer, artist, and community advocate dedicated to advancing queer visibility and health equity. He currently serves as Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives & Communications at MPact Global Action and previously led sexual health innovation and global campaigns as Senior Health Innovation Strategist at Hornet. With over 25 years in community organizing and two decades as a writer, Alex uses storytelling, art, and advocacy to humanize queer experiences and destigmatize conversations around sex, HIV, and identity. Born and raised in Southern California, Alex is a proud Chicano, gay/queer, and male-presenting person who embraces fluidity and authenticity. Living openly with HIV for 30 years, he shares his personal journey including his time as a sex worker and performer to challenge stigma and inspire others. Links:  https://www.instagram.com/alexgarnerla/  www.mpactglobal.org  https://www.instagram.com/mpact.global/ https://www.facebook.com/MPactGlobalAction/ 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 board member of the LA Queer Coalition, creating spaces where queer and trans people can gather, heal, organize, and celebrate.  To find more from us visit: Website: https://www.openspacetherapycollective.com Instagram: @openspacetherapycollective  TikTok: @openspacetherapy  Spotify: @MyTherapistisOut  Apple Podcasts: @mytherapistisout YouTube: @openspacetherapycollective Keywords: queer health, HIV, sexuality, community, impact global, LGBTQ+ activism, mental health, global health, queer joy, advocacy

  4. Jul 8

    Embodied and Unscripted: A Queer Conversation About Pleasure and Consent with Anna Mayer

    You have done the work of figuring out who you are. But have you done the work of figuring out what you actually want? In this episode of Queer Hearts Healthy Starts, OSTC Clinical Director Kristen Crowe (they/them) sits down with queer somatic sex and relationship therapist Anna Mayer (she/her) to talk about what it really means to queer your sex life and your relationships. Not in the sense of following a new script, but in the sense of questioning every script you were handed and building something that actually fits. They get into embodied consent, the difference between uncomfortable and unsafe, why so many of us are still following rules we never agreed to, and how your body has been trying to give you information this whole time. They also talk about where to start when you genuinely do not know what you want, and why that is a completely valid place to be. This one is honest, practical, and genuinely liberating.  Queer Moment of Joy Guest 1: Cejae Escudero She/Her @zzjaescudero Queer Moment of Joy Guest 2: Sam Weller He/Him @yeahsamweller Guest Bio :  Anna Mayer, MA, LPC, R-DMT (she/her) is a queer somatic sex therapist and relationship counselor based near Boulder, Colorado. She uses embodiment, humor, a liberatory mindset, and practical tools to empower anyone who feels cut off from their pleasure and passion. She especially loves working with queer folks, recovering people-pleasers, couples, and polycules. At its core, her work centers around helping people connect more deeply to themselves – body, mind, heart, and spirit – and move through anything that is keeping them from expressing their genuine desires and embodying their most vibrant life. Website: http://www.annamayercounseling.com Instagram: @every.body.loves.counseling Host Bio:  Kristen Crowe (they/them), BC-DMT, LPCC, CST, is the Clinical Director of Open Space Therapy Collective, a LGBTQIA+ group practice rooted in community and care in Los Angeles. A somatic therapist and certified sex therapist, Kristen works with individuals and people in relationship, and provides clinical supervision to junior therapists through an affirming, anti-oppressive, and anti-racist lens. They bring that same embodied, justice-forward approach to the classroom as an adjunct professor in the Expressive Arts Therapy program at California Institute of Integral Studies.  Outside the therapy room, Kristen is the founder of Soul on Fire Dance, a queer-friendly adult dance studio built on the belief that movement, inclusivity, and community are acts of liberation. Whether in session, the classroom, or on the dance floor, Kristen is deeply invested in helping people come home to themselves. To find more from us visit: Website: https://www.openspacetherapycollective.com Instagram: @openspacetherapycollective  TikTok: @openspacetherapy  Spotify: @MyTherapistisOut  Apple Podcasts: @mytherapistisout YouTube: @openspacetherapycollective Keywords: queer relationships, embodied consent, pleasure, sexuality, relationship therapy, self-discovery, LGBTQ+

  5. Jun 24

    All Hands In: The Real Work of Building Queer Community with Yinka Freeman

    Building queer community sounds beautiful in theory. In practice, it is messy, political, deeply personal, and one of the most radical things we can do right now. In this episode of Queer Hearts Healthy Starts, host and Open Space Therapy Collective founder Renae Johnson (they/them) sits down with Yinka Freeman (she/her), executive producer of Know Other Festival and founder of Triple Pocket Events, to talk about what it actually takes to build large-scale queer community that holds everybody. Not just the people who look the same, love the same, or show up the same way. They get into the difference between community and a social scene, what inclusive really means versus how it gets thrown around, red flags hiding behind rainbow logos, how repair works when something goes sideways, and why the young queers coming up are giving Yinka real, grounded hope. This one is for every queer person who has ever walked into a space that said it was for everyone and immediately knew it wasn't. Queer Moment of Joy Guest 1: Marci Rosenblum She/Her @palmspringspromote Queer Moment of Joy Guest 2: M Torres They/Them @erikaklash Guest Bio :  Yinka Freeman, founder of Triple Pocket Events, brings over twenty years of experience as an accomplished event producer. Her expertise in event planning, coordination, design, and event technology enables her to craft unforgettable experiences, including virtual events. She serves as executive producer of Know Other Festival and as producer and vice president of the board for San Diego Black Pride. Yinka is vice president of the San Diego Equality Business Association and co-chair and director of events for Pride Point Network, fostering inclusivity and community engagement. Known for her meticulous attention to detail, creative flair, and infectious enthusiasm, Yinka's coordination style reflects her extensive background in hospitality and sales. In 2024, Eventex recognized her as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the Events Industry in the United States. Beyond her professional endeavors, Yinka finds solace in travel and nature exploration. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yinka.freeman.5 / https://www.facebook.com/triplepocketevents LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yinka-freeman/ Instagram: @yinkagenevieve / @triplepocketevents 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 board member of the LA Queer Coalition, creating spaces where queer and trans people can gather, heal, organize, and celebrate.  As a community builder, 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: queer community, community building, inclusivity, event production, queer spaces, trauma, repair, green flags, intergenerational, activism

  6. Jun 10

    More Than a Partner: Building Queer Friendships That Actually Hold You

    We talk a lot about romantic relationships in queer spaces. But what about everything else? In this episode of Queer Hearts Healthy Starts, OSTC therapists Kristen Crowe, LPCC, BC-DMT (they/them) and Raven Juergensen, APCC, ATR-BC (she/her) get into the queer social friendscape: what it actually takes to build meaningful friendships, why it's so much harder than anyone prepares you for, and what gets in the way for so many of us. They dig into the pressure to make one person be everything, how cishet norms around friendship leave queer folks without a roadmap, what it means to find community when you've spent years masking, and how to start trusting your own nervous system to tell you who your people are. This one is personal, practical, and deeply relatable. Especially if you've ever Googled how to make queer friends and meant it. Sound Bites "We need to let ourselves be nourished by each other in ways that aren't inherently romantic" "No one teaches you how to have healthy friendships, you're just kind of thrown in the deep end" "That's so much to put on one person" "To share yourself with others, you have to know who you are first" Queer Moment of Joy Guest 1: Sig Levin She/Her @twinhighmaintenancemachines Queer Moment of Joy Guest 2: Joselyn Romero They Them @josyfeocy Hosts’ Bio:  Kristen Crowe LPCC, BC-DMT, CST (they/them) Is Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, Board Certified Dance/Movement Therapist, Certified Sex 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. Raven Juergensen, APCC, ATR (she/her) is an Associate Professional Clinical Counselor and Registered Art Therapist. Raven works with teens, couples, and adults, drawing on creativity and geek culture to help clients process their internal experience and bring intuitive creativity into daily life. To find more from us visit: Website: https://www.openspacetherapycollective.com Instagram: @openspacetherapycollective  TikTok: @openspacetherapy  Spotify: @MyTherapistisOut  Apple Podcasts: @mytherapistisout YouTube: @openspacetherapycollective Keywords: queer friendship, chosen family, community building, social isolation, attachment styles, cishet norms, decentering romance, queer social life, authentic self, code switching, nervous system, body awareness, ACT therapy, late bloomer, masking, intersectionality, mixed relationships, secure attachment, queer community, boundaries, communication, values, intuition, social landscape

  7. May 27

    What "Toxic" Actually Means, and Why the Word Alone Isn't Enough

    The word "toxic" is everywhere. But what does it actually mean, and when does throwing it around start to work against us?  In this episode of Queer Hearts Healthy Starts, OSTC therapists Allison Smith, LCSW (she/they) and Ernesto Martinez, AMFT, APCC (he/they) get into the real definition: not just what's present in a harmful relationship, but what's missing. They break down the difference between genuine power and control dynamics and the everyday friction that comes with being in relationship with other humans. They talk about gaslighting, love bombing, isolation, and the ways that queer folks navigate all of this inside systems that were never designed to protect them. This one goes deep, and it goes there with care. Join us for the second episode in our Queer Hearts Health Starts: Breaking Toxic Relationship Patterns series. Sound Bites: "Confusion and inconsistency are really potent things that make us very driven and attached" "To acknowledge something doesn't mean to endorse it" "The person who loves me also hurts me" "It's not just what is present, it's also what is missing" "What was I left carrying that isn't mine" "Our relationship with our government is an abusive relationship" "We start in this world of secrecy and isolation" "We're social creatures, we're made to be in a village" "Try to invest in your friendships and your communities" Queer Moment of Joy Guest 1: Asia Brooks - She/Her - @samuraiasia Queer Moment of Joy Guest 2: Madi - She/Her - @clicksbymadi Hosts Bio:  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.  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.com Instagram: @openspacetherapycollective  TikTok: @openspacetherapy  Spotify: @MyTherapistisOut  Apple Podcasts: @mytherapistisout YouTube: @openspacetherapycollective Keywords: queer relationships, toxic relationships, intimate partner violence, power and control, emotional codependence, minority stress, attachment, gaslighting, love bombing, isolation, intergenerational trauma, healthy love, community care, LGBTQ+ relationships, heterocentric norms, systemic oppression, nervous system, repair, incompatibility, chosen family

  8. May 13

    Series Intro: Queer Hearts Healthy Starts: Breaking Toxic Relationship Patterns

    Welcome to the series Queer Hearts Healthy Starts: Breaking Toxic Relationship Patterns! Queer people know how to love hard. We also know how to stay too long, give too much, and call it devotion. In this intro episode of Queer Hearts Healthy Starts, OSTC therapist Terra Friedman, AMFT, opens the conversation we actually need to have — what makes a relationship toxic, where those patterns come from, and why queer folks carry more than most. Terra breaks down the definition of toxic relationships (hint: it's about power and emotional codependence, not just bad vibes), traces the historical and systemic forces that shape how we love, and takes on the myths that paint queer relationships as inherently unstable or uniquely evolved. Spoiler: neither is true, and both do damage. This one's the foundation. Tune in so the rest of the series lands the way it should. Sound Bites "Toxic relationships are based in power and emotional codependence" "Systemic models of health are rooted in white, hetero, binary norms" "Trauma and systemic stress influence relationship patterns" Mentioned in this Episode: Evelyn Hooker - The Adjustment of the Male Overt Homosexual My Therapist is Out! Can You Have Healthy Relationships If You Only Saw Toxic Ones Queer Moment of Joy Guest 1: Fox Woods He/They @fox_kendall_woods Queer Moment of Joy Guest 2: Bex She/Her @bexbourgeois  Host Bio : Terra Friedman AFMT (she/her) is an Associate Therapist with Open Space Therapy Collective. Terra specializes in working with high achieving womxn who experience anxiety. Terra also works with couples and partners who are currently in or exploring non-monogamous relationships. To find more from us visit: Website: https://www.openspacetherapycollective.com Instagram: @openspacetherapycollective  TikTok: @openspacetherapy  Spotify: @MyTherapistisOut  Apple Podcasts: @mytherapistisout YouTube: @openspacetherapycollective Keywords: queer relationships, toxic relationships, mental health, community connection, systemic prejudice, healthy love, attachment, LGBTQ history

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4.9
out of 5
18 Ratings

About

Welcome to My Therapist is Out! An Open Space Therapy Collective Podcast. We are your hub for queer and trans mental healthcare. Each episode therapists from OSTC and guests to deep dive into mental health and community building through unapologetic queer conversations. To book a free consult call with one of our therapists visit: openspacetherapycollective.com/book-appointment

Information

  • Creator
    Open Space Therapy Collective
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    111
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Open Space Therapy Collective
  • Show Website
    My Therapist Is Out!