I get it.  Something is not going as well as you hoped in your life, and you need help to change it.

Maybe lots of things are going just fine.  But what would you like to CHANGE about your life?  What is the gap between how life is, and how you would like it to be?

As a psychotherapist and life/career coach, I can help you gain the peace of mind that comes from solving the problems that undermine your quality of life.

Over the past 20 years of my career, I have helped gay men (and gay couples) with a wide variety of issues.  What are the challenges for you, right now?

Are you upset or bothered by feelings of jealousy in your relationship?

Do you feel tired, depressed, anxious, shy, angry, or hopeless?

Do you try to resist certain behaviors, only to end up doing them again?

Are you trying to find a partner, but have trouble doing it?

Do you have concerns about sex, whether the social, emotional, or physical aspects of it?

Do you fear you’re addicted to alcohol, meth, cocaine, sex, gambling, or work?

Are you and your partner not having sex, or good sex, anymore?

Are you part of a gay couple who is trying to sort out whether to have a monogamous or non-monogamous relationship?

Are you a survivor of childhood abuse, whether emotional, physical or sexual?

Are you recently diagnosed with HIV, or another illness, and need to talk to someone about it?

Do you avoid going to social events, bars or parties because you feel shy or anxious there?

Do you have questions about how to manage a relationship where one of you is HIV-negative and the other is HIV-positive?

Are you stressed at work, from a bad boss, long hours, workplace conflict, or not earning enough money?

Are you a gay, self-employed professional, who wants to build his income in the slow economy?

Do you struggle to feel good about your body?

Are you coping with the effects of aging as a gay man, in a seemingly youth-obsessed culture?

I help gay men and gay male couples as a gay male specialist licensed psychotherapist in full-time private practice in West Hollywood (and over the phone).

There is HOPE that the challenges that are bothering you today CAN be solved, or at least made better.  I can help you make the changes you want in your life.

Through a series of personalized, confidential counseling/coaching sessions, I can help you improve your self-esteem, social skills, and self-confidence, and help with your mood, habits, behaviors, relationships, career, addictions, body image, health, outlook, finances, and more.

The results of our work together can include how to think more positively, behave more effectively, feel better about yourself, and evolve into a better quality of life — to help you be all that you want to be, in both your personal and professional life.

In addition to my full-time practice, I am also a motivational speaker for conferences, an author, and a college instructor.

I’m also a gay man, who understands our community because I live as part of it, all day, every day.  You don’t have to explain (such as to a straight therapist) about gay men’s issues, language, and community.  I ”get” you.

I’m also someone who has been living successfully with HIV for over 21 years.  I can help with issues related to HIV (for yourself, or someone close to you).

For some testimonials and recommendations from others who have worked with me, click here.

I am very excited to announce that my book, “Self-Empowerment: Have the Life You Want!” is NOW AVAILABLE in hardcover, paperback, and e-book! Click below on the Lulu.com logo to get your hardcover ($30) or paperback ($12) edition:

“Self-Empowerment: Have the Life You Want!” is based on my 19 years as a psychotherapist, and it helps you close the gap between how life is, and how you would like it to be, in important areas such as health, career, finances, relationships/sex, mental health, community, and spirituality.  The e-book version is also now available for Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble Nook, and iBook for iPad and iPhone at iTunes!  The first chapter of the book — on Mental Health — is now available as a podcast episode on “Have the Life You Want with Ken Howard, LCSW”, on iTunes, Zune.com, PodcastAlley.com, or your favorite podcast provider.

If you’re interested in doing in-office or by-phone counseling, psychotherapy, or coaching, see below:

Counseling/Psychotherapy/Coaching Services:

My e-newsletter, “Self-Empowerment: Have the Life You Want!”, is available for new subscribers.  To receive it, just sign up in the box, above. Each month, in the e-newsletter, I’ll provide you with tips on how to solve the problems you might face in your career, relationships, finances, family, social life and more.  It includes practical advice regarding the issues I see in my work with clients every day in my practice, over my 18 years experience providing psychotherapy and coaching as a specialist in working with gay male individuals and couples. (Privacy is important to all of us; I will not sell, rent, or give your name or email address to anyone).

I help people SOLVE or IMPROVE these kinds of problems every day, through either in-person or phone counseling/coaching:

Depression/Anxiety/Stress

 
• Are you feeling depressed, such as not feeling good about yourself, feeling that no one is really there for you, being unmotivated, losing enthusiasm for work or life, or that the future looks dull or mundane?

 

• Are you feeling stressed about work before the day even begins, or exhausted from stress once it’s over?

 

• Have you been anxious, on-edge, or sleepless, due to some stressful condition or event?

 

• Are you anxious due to something related to the Recession and economy, such as being laid off from your job?

 

• Are you trying to get control of anger?

 

• Are you trying to deal with the feelings and memories of having been abused when you were younger – physically, emotionally, or sexually?

 

 

Career

 
• Do you dream of changing your career, or opening your own business?

 

• Do you want to learn how to better cope with the job you have?

 

• Are you a small business owner, but you want to learn how to be more successful (whatever that means for YOU), earn more money, be more focused, get more business/customers, or get along better with your employees or co-workers?

 

• Are you an executive who needs a private and discreet setting to talk about personal or work issues?

Relationships

 
• Are you and a boyfriend or partner not having sex?

 

• Are you having sex outside your relationship and you’re feeling like there is no one safe to talk about it with?

 

• Do you have a partner  you love, but you’re frustrated that the two of you argue too frequently about chores, sex, drinking, money, or stress?

 

• Are issues of jealousy or suspicion affecting the quality of your relationship?

 

• Are you frustrated that time keeps going by, you get older, and you still don’t have a boyfriend or partner?

Health

 
• Are you scared of what the future may hold because you’ve recently tested positive for HIV?

 

• Do you have a chronic health condition, and need emotional support to cope with it?

 

• Does a partner or family member have a serious health condition that’s affecting you?

Addictions

 
• Do you have concerns that you are drinking too much, or using party drugs too often?

 

• Do you have concerns about an addiction other than drugs or alcohol, such as sex, gambling, food, or spending?

 

• Are you, or someone you love, concerned, worried, or scared by your use of crystal meth or another  recreational drug?

 

I’ve been a psychotherapist and life/business coach for over 19 years, specializing in helping guys just like YOU, who have had problems like yours — and solved them! What do you gain by hiring Ken Howard, LCSW as your personal therapist/coach?

How I Work

I provide you with a private, safe, confidential space to come each week, at a time set aside just for you, with my undivided attention, where you can work toward goals that are important to you that support your quality of life. The theme of my practice is “Self-Empowerment” — which is developing and evoking the power in YOURSELF to address the things that bother you, and achieve a much higher quality of life — through various psychological techniques, strategies,  and resources that I will teach you.

Many people think they have to really “need” therapy to work with a therapist; that’s not true. Our work can begin whenever you WANT it to. There is really no such thing as people who “need” therapy versus people who don’t. Everyone could benefit from knowing themselves better and setting goals to improve their life.  Everyone “needs” therapy who simply wants to make a change in their life, or who wants to reach an important goal, and could use some support to do it.

The most common technique I use is called the cognitive-behavioral approach. This is a very interactive technique to change the way you think about yourself, which changes the way you feel, which changes your behaviors, which then changes your life. With some people, I also draw from a more casual “life coaching” approach, where you learn how to get more things done, deal with anger, manage your time, deal with drinking or using, make a budget, plan your career, feel better about yourself, or communicate better with others. I draw on over 19 years of professional experience in providing counseling, psychotherapy, and coaching to gay men just like you, and from my own lifetime experience as a gay man. Of course, I also work with lesbians, and with non-gay men and women.  Working with gay men has been a specialty of my practice, research, writing, and expertise, throughout my career.

To contact me for more information or a free brief telephone consultation, or to schedule an appointment, call 310-726-HELP (4357) or email me at Ken@GayTherapyLA.com.

I am very grateful to be named one of the Top Ten ”Deserving and Dedicated Social Workers” of the Year by Social Work Today magazine!  Link is here.

For a map/directions to my office, click here:  http://www.gaytherapyla.com/?page_id=31

To read my blog, a humorous take on current events from the perspective of  gay male therapist, click here:   http://gaytherapyla.com/blog-musings-on-current-events-from-the-perspective-of-a-gay-male-therapist

For testimonials and comments from my colleagues in the community, read here:  http://www.gaytherapyla.com/?page_id=132

To follow me on Facebook, click on this link here and become a fan! http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/West-Hollywood-CA/Ken-Howard-LCSW-Counseling-Psychotherapy-Coaching-for-Gay-Men/97685311199?ref=ts&__a=16&ajaxpipe=1

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