Pride Profiles | Gabriel Gross

Gabriel Gross believes the most important work they do as a therapist is to tell the young LGBTQ+ people that they counsel, “I believe you.” They are a licensed mental health counselor with a focus on the LGBTQ+ community and people who have experienced trauma. Gabriel wants these young people to know “You will come home to yourself.” Based on Gabe’s personal experience, they know that the journey surrounding gender identity and sexuality can feel like an “empty, darkened space” full of struggle, stress, and rejection. To come out to yourself, Gabe says, is often the first step in that journey.

This is a journey Gabe was on during their college years, when they came out to themself, to close friends and family, and to some trusted college professors. (Full disclosure: I was one of Gabe’s professors at King’s College; I am grateful and honored to have played any part, no matter how small, in this amazing person’s life. I will never lose the memory of seeing Gabe’s smiling face in the front row of Advanced Writing every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. It was the best way to start the day.) Although they did have support in college, things were not completely smooth. Challenged by college policy, the college counselor Gabe was seeing was unable to provide a letter approving of gender-affirming top surgery, despite their showing clear symptoms of gender dysphoria. That experience influences Gabe’s philosophy as a therapist to show minimal gatekeeping to their clients. They believe that the therapeutic relationship should be a space where listening to clients takes a primary role. Belief, not skepticism and obstacles to treatment, should be paramount.

Thankfully, Gabe does believe that information and resources for trans and nonbinary young people has gotten much better, even since they came out several years ago. For example, YouTube has videos from medical professionals on topics such as hormone treatments and gender affirming surgeries. There are also specialized resources such as Trans Lifeline, a trans-led organization connecting trans people to support and community, and the Trevor Project, a 24/7 crisis support hotline for LGBTQ+ young people staffed by trained counselors.

In addition to having their own story to tell, Gabe is playing an important, necessary role in the lives of the LGBTQ+ people with whom they work. These people are at various stages in their journeys: they might be beginning to try on a new aesthetic, coming out to themselves, exploring the often scary idea of coming out to others, or contemplating hormone treatments or surgery. Gabe is there to listen to all of this, to make sure the speakers feel heard and believed, and to provide the safe space that we all deserve. I can tell you from my personal experience: no one is better at giving their full attention—humane, kind, and affirming—than Gabriel Gross.