What Affirming Care Really Means: Creating Space for Every Identity

At Unapologetically-You Therapy, affirming care means more than acceptance, it’s about celebration, respect, and belonging. In a world that often asks you to conform, therapy becomes a space where you don’t have to shrink any part of who you are.

I’m Lyl Starr, a Latina, LGBTQ+ therapist based in Midtown Sacramento, and I proudly offer both in-person sessions and online therapy throughout California. As a child of immigrants, a parent, a partner, and a member of the queer community, I bring both lived experience and professional training to support healing in an inclusive, non-judgmental way.

What Is Affirming Therapy?

Affirming therapy centers on understanding, validating, and celebrating all aspects of identity… whether related to gender, sexuality, race, culture, or relationship structure. It’s therapy that meets you where you are and recognizes that your story, background, and lived experiences are integral to your growth.

For LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC individuals, therapy should be a space to breathe, not another place to defend who you are. Affirming care allows clients to explore identity, trauma, family systems, and relationships with a therapist who not only “gets it,” but also actively advocates for equity, representation, and de-stigmatization.

In our sessions, you’ll never have to educate your therapist about your existence… you’ll be seen, heard, and supported as your full, authentic self.

Therapy That Honors Every Identity and Relationship

Everyone deserves therapy that reflects their truth, including those in polyamorous, ENM (ethically non-monogamous), or kink/BDSM communities.

Unfortunately, many clients in alternative or non-traditional relationships hesitate to seek therapy for fear of being judged or misunderstood. Here, we remove that barrier. As a Poly/ENM- and kink-informed therapist, I provide a safe environment to talk openly about your partnerships, desires, boundaries, and experiences without stigma or shame.

Affirming therapy doesn’t label your lifestyle as a “problem”… instead, it invites curiosity, compassion, and practical tools for communication, consent, and emotional connection. It’s about helping you and your partner(s) strengthen trust, navigate boundaries, and build fulfilling relationships that reflect your values.

Supporting BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ Communities

Being a Latina therapist in Sacramento, I know how deeply cultural identity shapes our inner world. For many in BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities, trauma can be layered, influenced by generational narratives, discrimination, or cultural expectations.

In affirming care, we hold space for all of it. Together, we work through shame, internalized oppression, and systemic wounds while also embracing joy, resilience, and pride. Healing isn’t just about overcoming pain, it’s about reclaiming your story and your power.

Whether you’re exploring your sexuality, reconnecting with your cultural roots, processing trauma, or learning to trust yourself again, affirming therapy gives you permission to do so unapologetically.

A Compassionate, Trauma-Informed Approach

My approach combines compassion with evidence-based, trauma-informed methods such as EMDR, Brainspotting, and Polyvagal Theory. These modalities help integrate the mind and body, allowing you to release stored trauma and develop emotional safety within yourself and your relationships.

But therapy here isn’t about “fixing” you, it’s about helping you remember who you already are. Together, we uncover the strength, resilience, and wisdom that have always been part of your story.

Therapy in Midtown Sacramento & Online Across California

Healing should be accessible, inclusive, and flexible. Whether you prefer to meet in person at our welcoming office in Midtown Sacramento or virtually through secure online sessions anywhere in California, affirming care is available wherever you are.

If you’re ready to explore your identity, embrace your truth, and move beyond fear or shame, therapy at Unapologetically-You Therapy offers a safe and empowering space to begin that journey.