In my work as a therapist with queer men, concerns about physical appearance almost never show up as vanity. They show up as anxiety. As loneliness. As a low grade fear of being left, overlooked, or replaced. Often, they show up as a quiet but constant feeling of not being enough. For many queer men, the body isn’t just something we live in. It becomes something we feel watched through. Evaluated through. Measured. How we look can start to feel directly tied to how safe, want

I can’t tell you how many high-functioning adults have said some version of this to me: “I finally had a break… and I hated it.” They get time off. The quiet house. The cleared schedule. And instead of feeling restored, they feel anxious, guilty, like they’re forgetting something. Within minutes they’re checking emails, reorganizing a drawer, planning the week ahead. Rest doesn’t land as relief — it lands as discomfort. That’s not accidental. For a lot of capable, high-respon

As a therapist, I've had the opportunity to help many clients navigate the complex journey of grief. Yet when grief became intensely personal, my clinical understanding transformed into something far more profound and visceral. This past year, following the sudden and unexpected death of my own mother, I found myself immersed in the raw, stark reality of loss. It's been a year of profound learning, not just as a grieving daughter, but as a clinician whose perspective has been

People with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often experience challenges that go far beyond focus or restlessness. One common and deeply felt struggle is low self-esteem. Self-esteem refers to how we see and value ourselves — our sense of worth and our belief in our own capabilities. When self-esteem is low, it can affect nearly every aspect of life: our mental health, relationships, career, and day-to-day functioning. And for individuals with ADHD, low self-es

For many gay men, porn becomes an early, often unspoken source of sex education. In the absence of affirming or inclusive information growing up, it’s common to turn to porn to understand identity, desire, and what gay sex is “supposed” to look like. And while porn can feel validating or exciting in some ways, it presents a carefully constructed fantasy, not a model for real connection or intimacy. Over time, these images can shape how people feel about their bodies, how they

As a therapist, I hear the same questions over and over again. They come from people of all genders, sexual orientations, relationship styles, and life stages: Is this the "right" amount of sex to be having? How often are couples with kids actually having sex? My libido has changed. What does that mean? What if I don’t desire my partner the way I used to? Our libidos don’t match. Should I be worried? These questions may sound different, but they all circle the same theme: des

When people think about PTSD, they often picture war zones or catastrophic events. But for many LGBTQIA+ individuals, trauma doesn’t come from a single moment. It comes from years of living in a world that too often feels unsafe, invalidating, or outright hostile. At Rust Wellness Group, we work with queer clients navigating this kind of trauma every day. You deserve care that not only understands PTSD but also sees how your identity and lived experience shape the way trauma

For many gay men, conversations about mental health often overlap with substance use, especially when party drugs are involved. A term that comes up in these conversations is chemsex , which refers to using drugs like meth, GHB, or ecstasy in sexual settings. While not every gay man uses substances, party drugs have become closely tied to queer nightlife, hookup culture, and intimacy. But this isn’t just about partying. Often, it reflects deeper needs, like the search for con

We all carry invisible stories, especially the ones from childhood. Some of those stories are filled with love and safety. Others are marked by pain, fear, or things no child should have had to face. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)  are the name for those early difficult experiences—things like abuse, neglect, or growing up in a home where there was mental illness, addiction, or violence. They leave a mark. Not just on your memory, but on your nervous system, your health

The holiday season is now here and while it is usually a time of joy, celebration, love and magic, for some couples that is not always the case. Holiday time can be very stressful and overwhelming, especially for those who have kids. I find myself looking over the calendar for December and thinking “how are we going to get this all done?” Between the school events, themed dress up days, gingerbread house making, cookie decorating, gift buying and don’t even get me started wit

Sleep comes up often in therapy, but rarely as the first concern. More often, people talk about feeling anxious, burned out, overwhelmed, or emotionally stuck. And as we begin to explore what’s happening in their day-to-day life, sleep quietly enters the picture—fragmented, unpredictable, or simply missing. When sleep is disrupted, it affects more than just energy levels. It influences how we think, feel, and connect with others. Poor sleep can worsen anxiety, fuel depression

“Comparison is the thief of joy.” — Theodore Roosevelt  Envy is a quiet ache, often dressed in shame. It shows up when someone else’s joy feels like proof of our lack. In a world where highlight reels scroll endlessly, envy has become part of the emotional landscape — and yet, most of us were never taught how to meet it with compassion or curiosity.  Rather than pushing it away or getting swallowed by it, what if we could listen to what envy is trying to tell us? What if it w

The term sense of self refers to an individual’s evolving awareness of their unique identity, which includes the thoughts, beliefs and characteristics that distinguish them from others.  Sense of self encompasses how we see ourselves, how we value ourselves and who we aspire to be. Our sense of self is greatly influenced by our experiences, relationships and environment, therefore changes to any of these areas can greatly affect sense of self. For women, one such change they

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is defined as a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity that impacts daily functioning. ADHD is more commonly diagnosed in boys and men than in girls and women, even though ADHD is just as prevalent in women as it is in men. Additionally, women and men experience the same type, number, and severity of ADHD symptoms. There are multiple factors that contribute to the difference in how often men are diagnosed with AD

Puberty, the reproductive years and menopause. Those were the “stages of womanhood” as I always understood it, well that was until I hit...

Dating itself can be incredibly frustrating. Waiting for a text back, hoping that someone you met will finally follow up, and begging for...

While the mental health world has made great strides in de-stigmatizing the idea of going to therapy, it can still be an intimidating...

As someone who’s both a therapist and part of the LGBTQIA+ community, I’ve seen a familiar theme come up year after year: “I wasn’t able...

Grief is one of the most universal—yet deeply personal—human experiences. It doesn’t follow a straight path. It ebbs, flows, and often...

Relationships are not one-size-fits-all. As conversations around love and identity evolve, more people are exploring alternatives to...