What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 7pm Tuesday 9am - 7pm Wednesday 9am - 7pm Thursday 9am - 7pm Friday 9am - 7pm Saturday 9am - 7pm Sunday 9am - 7pm

Gay Therapy La - Ken Howard, LCSW - Psychotherapy and Coaching for Gay Men

Home
United States
Los Angeles, CA
Gay Therapy La - Ken Howard, LCSW - Psychotherapy and Coaching for Gay Men

Licensed psychotherapist, AASECT Certified S*x Therapist, and life/relationship coach specializing i from 2012-2021.

Ken Howard, LCSW, CST is a licensed psychotherapist, AASECT Certified S*x Therapist, and life/business/relationship coach, specializing in gay men -- individuals and couples -- with over 29 years experience. He was also an Adjunct Associate Professor with the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, teaching courses in advanced Clinical Practice in psychotherapy, Couples Therapy, and LGBT Issues. He is available for in-person and online counseling/psychotherapy sessions in West Hollywood, national and international coaching, phone appointments, we**am appointments, speaking engagements, and organizational consulting.

03/13/2026

A man in his late forties sits across from me and says something I hear often.

“From the outside, my life looks good. But something feels… off.”

His career is stable. His relationships are intact. He has achieved many of the things he worked for in his twenties and thirties. Yet a quiet restlessness has begun to surface — questions about meaning, direction, and what the next chapter of life should look like.

In this new Gay Therapy LA blog post, I talk about why many successful gay men feel unsettled in midlife. In most cases, it is not a crisis or a breakdown. It is a developmental transition — a period when people begin reassessing their priorities, relationships, health, and sense of purpose.

When approached thoughtfully, midlife can become one of the most meaningful periods of growth in a man’s life.

You can read the article through the Linktree in my bio. If this stage of life feels familiar, you are not alone — and it may be the beginning of a very important conversation with yourself. You are welcome to contact me if you would like to have that conversation with a professional.

03/11/2026

Many gay men feel intense pressure around fitness and body image.

In West Hollywood and beyond, our culture often sends the message that your value depends on how you look. That pressure can either motivate healthy habits — or quietly undermine your self-esteem and make exercise feel like punishment instead of care.

In this Gay Therapy LA blog post, I talk about the psychology behind fitness motivation for gay men. We explore how to move away from harsh self-criticism and instead build motivation from healthier places: self-respect, personal goals, and the simple truth that caring for your body supports your mental health as well.

Progress matters far more than perfection.

You can read the full article through the Linktree in my bio. If you’ve been struggling with motivation, this conversation may help you approach fitness with a more supportive mindset. Feel free to reach out to me directly if you would like to talk about it with a professional.

03/06/2026

If you’re a gay man in recovery, you may have heard the acronym HALT: Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired.

These four states can quietly increase the risk of relapse—not because you’re weak, but because they destabilize the body and nervous system. When we’re depleted, overwhelmed, or isolated, the old coping strategies can start to look tempting again.

In this Gay Therapy LA blog post, I talk about how to recognize these HALT states early and what to do when they show up. Sometimes the solution is surprisingly simple: eat something nourishing, release anger through movement, reconnect with supportive people, or allow yourself real rest.

Recovery isn’t just about resisting substances or behaviors. It’s about learning how to care for your emotional and physical needs in healthier ways.

You can read the full article through the Linktree in my bio. If you’re on the path of recovery—or supporting someone who is—this conversation may offer a few practical tools.

03/05/2026

Depression shows up in many different ways for gay men.

Sometimes it’s sadness or lack of motivation. Sometimes it’s irritability, isolation, or the quiet feeling that the future has somehow narrowed. And because many of us grew up managing stigma, rejection, or pressure to hide who we are, depression can become tangled with deeper issues of self-worth and belonging.

On the Gay Therapy LA blog, I talk through four major approaches that can help gay men struggling with depression: therapy techniques like Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, consultation with psychiatrists about medication, medical factors like testosterone levels, and newer treatments such as TMS or ketamine-assisted therapy.

The message I want men to hear is simple: depression is treatable, and you don’t have to navigate it alone. Often the most powerful step is allowing someone to help you carry it.

You can read the article through the Linktree in my bio. If this topic resonates with your own experience, I invite you to reach out and start conversation.

03/02/2026

I’m excited to be contributing to again. They are featuring my article, “Attention, S*x + Status: How Toxic Gay Currencies Sabotage Well-Being.”

For over three decades, I’ve watched how many of our struggles as gay men cluster around what I call “toxic currencies” — attention, s*x, money, status, drama, revenge, jealousy. These can feel powerful in the short term. But over time, they often leave us anxious, competitive, and disconnected from what truly sustains us.

In this piece, I unpack why these currencies are so seductive — especially after a lifetime of minority stress — and what healthier currencies actually look like: self-respect, s*xual empowerment, emotional maturity, authentic connection, peace of mind.

If you’ve ever felt caught in comparison, status-chasing, or the pressure to perform your worth, this conversation is for you.

You can read the full feature through the Linktree in my bio. I’m grateful to Instinct for amplifying this work — and I welcome your reflections on what “currency” you’re choosing to invest in these days.

02/27/2026

If you’ve ever been told you’re a “s//x addict” simply because your s//xuality doesn’t fit someone else’s comfort zone, this episode is for you.

In my article on GayTherapyLA.com, I take a careful, clinical look at the CSAT “s//x addiction” model — where it came from, why it was never adopted as a legitimate psychiatric diagnosis, and how it can harm gay men by reinforcing shame, moral judgment, and heteronormative ideals.

I also discuss what we should be using instead: s//x-positive, evidence-informed frameworks like the OCSB model and the Six Principles of S//xual Health. These approaches focus on consent, values, emotional regulation, and integration — not surveillance, punishment, or forced abstinence.

Gay men deserve therapy that supports autonomy and dignity, not control disguised as treatment.

You can read the article and listen to the related podcast episode through the Linktree in my bio. If this topic raises questions or resonates with your experience, I encourage you to reach out and start a conversation.

02/26/2026

If you’re in the immediate aftermath of a breakup, you know how disorienting it can feel.

One moment you were emotionally anchored. The next, the relationship ends — but your body, your home, your nervous system haven’t caught up. You’re expected to function, to stay composed, while internally everything feels unsettled.

I’ve just released a new Gay Therapy LA podcast episode based on my article Gay Men and Immediate Coping Tips for a Breakup. In this episode, I talk about what’s happening biologically and emotionally in the early days after loss, why your reactions may feel chaotic, and how to practice emotional first aid so you can stabilize before trying to “figure everything out.”

This isn’t about rushing past grief. It’s about creating steadiness so healing can actually begin.

You can listen to the new episode through the Linktree in my bio. If you’re going through this right now, let this be a place to start — and a reminder that what you’re feeling makes sense.

02/25/2026

Loving someone with OCD can feel confusing and tender at the same time.

You may see the handwashing, the checking, the rituals. You may also see the fear underneath it — the part of him that feels responsible for preventing something terrible from happening. Most people living with OCD know their fears don’t fully make sense. That’s part of what makes it so painful.

In this guide, I talk about what OCD really is: a brain-based condition driven by anxiety, not stubbornness or control. I also share how partners can respond with steadiness instead of shame, how to avoid accidentally reinforcing the rituals, and why treatments like Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Exposure and Response Prevention are so effective.

OCD is not who your partner is. It’s something he is dealing with. And with the right support, it can become far more manageable.

You can read the full article through the Linktree in my bio. If this topic touches something in your life or relationship, feel free to reach out and start a conversation.

02/23/2026

If you’re in the immediate aftermath of a breakup, it can feel surreal: the relationship ends, but your body doesn’t get the memo. One hour you’re calm. The next you’re spinning. That emotional whiplash is not a sign you’re “doing it wrong.” It’s what attachment loss does to the nervous system.

In my new article, “Gay Men and Immediate Coping Tips for a Breakup,” I focus on emotional first aid — the stabilizing steps that help you get through the first days and weeks without making impulsive choices, collapsing into shame, or trying to “figure it all out” before your system is settled.

We talk about why ordinary triggers hit so hard, how grief shows up in waves, and what containment actually looks like when friends mean well but don’t know how to hold the intensity.

If this is bringing up recognition or questions let’s have a conversation about what might help.

Go to my Linktree (linked in bio) to start a conversation, read the full article, or listen to the podcast episode (coming soon!).

02/20/2026

A lot of gay men I work with have been telling me the same thing lately: it’s not just “the news.” It’s the feeling of being revved up inside your own body after you’ve been exposed to yet another wave of culture-war outrage.

In this guide, I name a pattern I see constantly — what I call gender role enforcement rage: the way some people (and some politicians) seem to become intensely angry when anyone steps outside rigid gender rules. And how that rage shows up everywhere: families, workplaces, schools, entertainment, religion, and politics.

I also talk about why this matters for gay men’s mental health — because living inside that kind of social climate can create chronic vigilance, shame, anger, and exhaustion. And then I share practical ways to respond: how to recognize it, speak up effectively, protect your nervous system, and stay oriented toward dignity instead of fear.

If this is bringing up recognition or questions, start with curiosity — and let’s have a conversation about what might help.

Go to my Linktree (linked in bio) to start a conversation, read the full article, or listen to the podcast.

02/19/2026

Breakups don’t just end a relationship. They disrupt your nervous system, your routines, your identity, and your sense of the future.

In my work with gay men, I see the same pattern over and over: the pain comes in waves (shock, anger, grief, relief, loneliness) — and the mind tries to “solve” it by spiraling into stories that make it worse.

In this guide, I share 21 actions that reliably help breakup recovery, including:

- how to stabilize in the first days
- how to make sense of “why” without getting stuck there
- what to do with anger, bargaining, and grief
- how to handle friends, boundaries, and social media
- how to rebuild your life without self-sabotage

If this is bringing up recognition or questions, start with curiosity — and let’s talk about what might help.

Go to my Linktree (linked in bio) to start a conversation, read the full article, or explore therapy/coaching options.

02/17/2026

Have you felt… on edge lately?

Not panicked.
Not falling apart.
Just unsettled.

Many of the gay men I work with describe a persistent background unease. The world feels louder. Harsher. Less predictable. Even if your job, home, and relationships are stable, the emotional climate has shifted.

Political instability. Repeated election cycles that feel existential. Attacks on LGBTQ+ rights. Economic strain. Constant outrage in the news cycle.

For many gay men, this doesn’t just feel political. It feels personal. The nervous system remembers earlier eras when safety felt fragile.

In this article, I explain:

• Why prolonged uncertainty exhausts the nervous system
• How collective stress differs from a single crisis
• Why reassurance doesn’t work—but containment does
• A few grounding tools that actually help

If this brings up recognition, that matters.

Start with curiosity.
Go to my Linktree (linked in bio) to read the full article or explore working together.

Address

TELEHEALTH
Los Angeles, CA
90069

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 7pm
Tuesday	9am - 7pm
Wednesday	9am - 7pm
Thursday	9am - 7pm
Friday	9am - 7pm
Saturday	9am - 7pm
Sunday	9am - 7pm

Telephone

+13103395778

Website

http://www.GayTherapyLA.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Gay Therapy La - Ken Howard, LCSW - Psychotherapy and Coaching for Gay Men posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Gay Therapy La - Ken Howard, LCSW - Psychotherapy and Coaching for Gay Men:

Shortcuts

Address
Telephone
Opening Hours
Alerts
Contact The Practice
Claim ownership or report listing

Want your practice to be the top-listed Clinic in Los Angeles?

Our Story

Ken Howard, LCSW, is a gay therapist (Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW #LCS18290 in California) who has been a specialist in serving gay men and gay male couples in therapy and life/career/business coaching for over 27 years. He is also on the faculty of the Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work at USC, teaching courses in advanced Clinical Practice in psychotherapy, Couples Therapy, and LGBT Psycho-Social-Political Issues. He is available for in-person counseling/psychotherapy sessions at his office in Los Angeles/West Hollywood (near San Vicente and Sixth), coaching, and phone/we**am sessions anywhere in the United States and all over the world, as well as being available for speaking engagements, corporate training, and organizational consulting.