LGBTQ+ AFFIRMING COUNSELLING & THERAPY IN MANCHESTER
Helping LGBTQ+ people navigate anxiety, shame, relationships, trauma, identity, and self worth in a world that hasn’t always felt safe or accepting.
I’m Gavin Reid BA (Hons), MBACP, an LGBTQ+ affirming counsellor offering online and in person counselling from Manchester city centre.
How about booking in for a free 15-minute online introduction session to see if we are the right fit?
LGBTQ+ AFFIRMING COUNSELLING ROOTED IN UNDERSTANDING, COMPASSION & LIVED EXPERIENCE
As a gay man who grew up during Section 28 and the AIDS crisis, I understand what it can feel like to move through the world carrying shame, hypervigilance, anxiety, or the sense that parts of yourself needed to stay hidden in order to feel safe.
Many LGBTQ+ people grow up feeling emotionally different, isolated, rejected, or misunderstood. Over time, those experiences can shape self worth, relationships, identity, emotional regulation, and mental health in ways that often continue into adulthood.
Therapy can become one of the few places where you no longer feel like you need to minimise, explain, or defend who you are.
Alongside my lived experience, I hold a First Class BA (Hons) degree in Counselling, specialist postgraduate training in Gender, Sexual and Relationship Diversity Therapy with Pink Therapy, and additional training in working with complex trauma, particularly relational trauma. I also have over 1,000 hours of client experience supporting people with anxiety, shame, trauma, identity struggles, emotional exhaustion, relationships, self worth, and LGBTQ+ mental health.
My approach is warm, relational, trauma informed, and tailored to your individual needs and experiences
Why clients Choose to work with Me
First Class BA (Hons) degree in Counselling
Over 1,000 hours client experience
MBACP Registered Member
LGBTQ+ affirming counselling online and in Manchester city centre
Specialist postgraduate training with Pink Therapy
Qualified to work with complex and relational trauma
Integrative, relational, trauma informed approach
Experience supporting LGBTQ+ relationships, identity exploration, anxiety, shame, self worth, and emotional regulation
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS & ACCREDITATION
I’m a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and an Advanced Accredited Gender, Sexual and Relationship Diversity (GSRD) Therapist with Pink Therapy.
These memberships reflect my commitment to ethical practice, ongoing professional development, and specialist LGBTQ+ affirmative therapy.
You can also view my professional profiles and directories below:
Choosing the Right Counsellor
Choosing the right counsellor is a personal decision, and it’s important that you work with somebody you feel comfortable, understood, and emotionally safe with.
You may be looking for a counsellor who understands particular life experiences, identities, or challenges. For many LGBTQ+ people, feeling genuinely accepted and affirmed within the therapeutic relationship can make a huge difference.
Qualifications, training, and experience all matter, but so does the sense of connection you feel when reading somebody’s words or speaking with them for the first time. Therapy works best when you feel able to show up openly, honestly, and without fear of judgement.
That’s why I offer a free 15 minute introductory session. It gives us the opportunity to meet, talk about what’s bringing you to counselling, and see whether we feel like the right fit to work together.
Community Involvement
In addition to my private practice, I volunteer at two local LGBTQ+ charities. This work keeps me deeply connected to the community and informed about the current challenges facing LGBTQ+ individuals.