David Rust

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, wanted, and chosen we...

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 show up with...

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 shows up in your...