Whatever your current challenge is, making it better starts with HOPE. Counseling from a gay male specialist licensed therapist (with over 20 years experience) can help.
(For a map/directions to my office, click here: map/directions)
Do any of these describe you? Here are some of the most common issues I help guys overcome:
- Feeling anxious about one big issue, or lots of little stresses?
- Feeling like life has no joy or fun in it?
- Struggling to maintain a relationship, due to fights over money, sex, chores, or jealousy?
- Trying to recover from a loss that’s left you devastated, like a breakup or death of a loved one?
- Dealing with a “bad boss” who makes your life at your job miserable?
- Having trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, waking early, or sleeping poorly?
- Pushing others (partner, friends) away with your anger?
- Too stressed with work to really enjoy life?
- Not happy with your body?
- Needing support and information for coping with a new HIV diagnosis?
- Having fears about contracting HIV, or dating someone with HIV, and need someone to answer very personal questions about it?
- Fearing that you will be alone the rest of your life without a boyfriend/partner?
- Feeling isolated at mid-life?
- Not having the sex you really want?
- Being too shy to make friends socially, or network professionally?
- Wanting to make progress in your career, but needing guidance, strategy, support, and accountability?
- Coping with wanting to succeed, or dealing with actual success once you have it (particularly in entertainment)?
- Being well-known to the public in the LA entertainment world, but privately feeling insecure?
- Using alcohol, drugs, or sex too much, or with serious consequences?
- Feeling the pressure of being an executive or leader, with people relying on you?
- Trying to succeed as a creative artist (actor, writer, designer, producer), both creatively and commercially, in the LA entertainment industry?
- Coping with success and getting used to the pressures of fame, time, money, and things you “should” be enjoying?
- Procrastinating or being too un-focused to achieve your goals?
- Feeling like you’re successful on the outside — but struggling on the inside?
I’m Ken Howard, LCSW, and I’m an openly gay (and openly HIV-positive) licensed psychotherapist. For over 20 years, I have worked with many gay men who are busy professionals who seem to “have it all” in their careers, but need help with personal issues that can only be handled by someone who knows and understands gay men’s psychology and culture.
I also work with gay men who are trying to cultivate their careers to the level of success that they envision, but need help getting there over time — overcoming the barriers, setbacks, and frustrations that come along the way that undermine their goals.
One thing I’ve learned in 21 years of working as a therapist is that you CAN get your quality of life back. I believe that life is meant to be enjoyed, and the skill of doing this can be learned.
Here are some of the common outcomes of working with me that others have experienced through the years:
- Better self-esteem: you love and accept yourself more profoundly, free of self-reproach, so you can enjoy life with yourself in it.
- More self-confidence: to know who you want to know, do what you want to do, be what you want to be.
- Communicating with others better, to get what you want and need: assertively asking for what you want, and receiving it, with everyone.
- Overcoming anxiety and depression: being free of sadness, hopelessness, an inertia – to get back to living.
- Healing from past trauma and abuse (no matter how severe or long ago): healing in a way that helps put the past behind you, toward a new future.
- Getting rid of bad habits – being liberated from the things that depleted your time, energy, and focus.
- Enhanced relationship with your partner (and others): learning to live each day in love, companionship, and joy together.
- Going after the career you’ve always wanted: being at your best, and achieving your full potential as a recognized professional in your chosen field.
- Earning the kind of money you deserve: living well in terms of your long-term security, comfort, and joys with what you have and what you do.
- Taking control of your health: having abundant energy, mobility, endurance, and focus.
- Creating a life of balance — work, play, health, joy, prosperity: so you feel well-rounded and fulfilled, every year.
- Learning to enjoy life, in your unique life purpose: reaching your potential in mind, body, and spirit.
My clients are also looking for a gay therapist because they want that extra level of feeling heard and understood—something they can’t get from talking to just anyone — even other gay therapists who don’t specialize in working with gay men over many years of experience.
When it comes to the therapist-client relationship, sharing cultural perspectives and even the same language is essential. It’s the difference between having a mere sounding-board, or developing an active and problem-solving collaboration with someone who “gets” you…
Who better to help than someone like you?
It’s best to take maximum advantage of your investment in therapy. Talking to someone with expertise in both psychology and gay men is a great place to start.
Not only will this match therapy’s effectiveness with a cultural affinity, it will also ensure you get the most out of your sessions — saving you the time, money, and frustration of having to explain too much to someone who doesn’t quite “get it.”
As a gay therapist living and working in my own community (West Hollywood/LA), I’ve been practicing gay affirmative therapy specifically for over 20 years. Instead of trying to be all things to all people, my specialty is YOU.
I have more experience with gay men’s issues as a licensed psychotherapist in Los Angeles than anyone else—in terms of number of clients served AND amount of therapy service hours delivered in individual, couple, and group formats, in addition to hospital and community organization settings (such as the LA Gay & Lesbian Center, and AIDS Project Los Angeles).
Get your quality of life back TODAY
While I am currently accepting new patients, my schedule stays almost full, so please make an appointment as soon as possible to ensure you don’t have to wait very long to get the help you’re looking for. I also have associates at GayTherapyLA who work under my supervision on Saturdays and Sundays.
Ken Howard, MSW, LCSW is an openly gay (and openly HIV-positive) licensed psychotherapist with over 20 years of experience as a specialist in gay men’s therapy (individuals and couples). He helps clients close the gap between how life is, and how you would like it to be, in your career, relationships, health, finances, and mental health. He helps clients survive and thrive after barriers, setbacks, and losses. In addition to psychotherapy, he also provides life/business coaching and consulting. He is in full-time private practice in West Hollywood, and is available remotely by phone or Skype. He is also a professor of advanced clinical practice at the University of Southern California (USC), and a speaker/author (“Self-Empowerment: Have the Life You Want!”).
310-726-4357 (office)
310-339-5778 (cell/text)
8430 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 100, West Hollywood, CA 90069
To get your free report and sign up for my monthly gay e-newsletter, see the box on the upper-right corner of this page.
In the monthly 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 20 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’m a gay man in a long-term relationship (10 years) with my husband, and can help you from this personal perspective, too.
I’ve also lived successfully with HIV for over 22 years. I can help with issues related to HIV (for yourself, or for someone close to you).
For a more complete Biography, click here.
For testimonials and recommendations from others who have worked with me, click here.
For more information on how I help with various issues, click on the links below:
- Achieve the career you want: http://www.gaytherapyla.com/?page_id=29
- Cope with jealousy and mistrust in relationships: http://www.gaytherapyla.com/?page_id=99
- Resolve relationship issues: http://www.gaytherapyla.com/?page_id=13
- Adjust to living with HIV: http://www.gaytherapyla.com/?page_id=14
- Overcome addictions, read here: http://www.gaytherapyla.com/?page_id=25
Ken Howard, LCSW is the most experienced Gay Male Specialist psychotherapist and life/business coach in Los Angeles, with 20 years experience in a full-time clinical practice, clinical supervision of staff, research, writing, public speaking, consulting, and university teaching:
- Licensed in California, #LCS18290 (not an unlicensed “MFTi intern” or “associate”)
- Complete privacy (unlike “HMO insurance therapists”, who must report your diagnosis and clinical progress to a corporate “care manager”)
- Graduate of UCLA and USC (not a trade school or “degree mill” professional school)
- Expert in HIV mental health, as a professional and as a person successfully living with HIV for 22 years
- Former Chair, LA County HIV Mental Health Task Force (9 years) and former Clinical Director of several HIV non-profit organizations
- Consultant Treatment Education Speaker for Bristol-Myers-Squibb Virology, Abbott Laboratories, and Auxilium Pharmaceuticals
- Faculty of USC School of Social Work (teaching advanced Clinical Practice courses)
Fee Information:
- Sessions can be paid by cash, check, credit cards, or PayPal
- Discounts for multi-session pre-paid packages (6 or more sessions)
- Sliding scale fees to fit your budget (weekday afternoons)
- Available Monday through Friday, day and evening (with clinical associate staff available on Saturdays and Sundays)
- Available for therapy/coaching in West Hollywood in person or via phone/Skype, and outside California or the U.S. (coaching only) via phone or Skype
- Extra support available between sessions through emails, texting, or voicemails
- For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 310-726-HELP (4357) or email Ken@GayTherapyLA.com
Additional Resources:
My book, “Self-Empowerment: Have the Life You Want!” is available in hardcover, paperback, and e-book. 
Click below on the Lulu.com logo to get your hardcover or paperback edition (only $12):
“Self-Empowerment: Have the Life You Want!” is based on my first 18 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 (only $4.99) is also now available for Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble Nook, and iBook for iPad and iPhone at iTunes!
Podcast: “Have the Life You Want!” (and iPhone app available for all podcast episodes):
See this link: http://itunes.apple.com/cy/app/have-the-life-you-want/id388648727?mt=8
I am very grateful to be named one of the Top Ten ”Deserving and Dedicated Social Workers” of the Year in 2011 by Social Work Today magazine! Link is here.
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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