HIV Counseling in Los Angeles
Beyond the Diagnosis: Discover Your Journey to Living a Full Life After an HIV Diagnosis
Sometimes the hardest step is acknowledging that you deserve support and that you deserve to feel better about yourself after an HIV diagnosis. If you’re having a hard time navigating this, please reach out. I would love to talk it through during a consultation call and see if I’m a good fit for you.
Hi! I'm Toby
I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW #89672) with a private praictice in Los Angeles, California. I’ve worked in mental health, sexuality, and gender-related care since 2013, and I absolutely love it. Working with queer and trans communities, treating trauma, and helping clients improve their quality of life are some of my greatest passions.
I Offer Both Online and In-Person HIV Counseling in Los Angeles and Burbank.
Los Angeles
1910 Hillhurst Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(424) 835-0516
Click for Directions
Burbank
1201 S Victory Blvd #206 Burbank, CA 91502 (213) 616-7366 Click for Directions
What Is HIV Counseling?
HIV counseling is a form of therapy that focuses on helping clients cope with the psychological stress of living with HIV/AIDS. As a therapist with extensive experience working with HIV-positive folks, I have the training and familiarity to help you navigate this. I can also provide tools and strategies to face potential social obstacles like stigma, shame, disclosure, or anxiety, including the kind of self-stigma that often follows a diagnosis.
What Can You Expect During an HIV Counseling Session?
An HIV counseling session gives you a compassionate, professional space to build self-understanding and emotional regulation. Sessions typically include:
A safe environment to process the emotional impact of your diagnosis without judgment
Open conversation about sexual activity, ongoing HIV-related risk factors, and HIV transmission prevention
Support around disclosure, including if and how to tell partners, family, or friends
Coping strategies for stigma, shame, or anxiety tied to your diagnosis
Trauma-informed care if your diagnosis or related experiences have left a lasting emotional impact
How Does HIV Counseling Help After a Positive Result or Possible HIV Exposure?
Living with HIV, or navigating a potential risk of HIV, can be emotionally overwhelming. According to the CDC’s 2024 HIV surveillance data, 69% of people with diagnosed HIV in the U.S. have achieved viral suppression. Someone with an undetectable viral load cannot transmit HIV through sex, a concept known as U=U (undetectable equals untransmittable). That medical reality doesn’t always reach the emotional side of a diagnosis, which is where counseling comes in.
You might be facing any of the following:
Fear of transmitting the virus to a partner
Stigma or shame surrounding an HIV diagnosis
Guilt or fear tied to past high-risk behaviors
Isolation from friends, family, or community
Anxiety about disclosure or dating
HIV counseling offers space to unpack these feelings. We’ll explore practical intervention strategies and focus on building emotional resilience and self-compassion, the same kinds of tools that can support people through major life transitions when a diagnosis reshapes how they see their future.
Schedule Your Free Consultation
An HIV diagnosis does not define your worth or your future. HIV is a common, manageable part of life for over 1.1 million Americans living with a diagnosis today. Plenty of HIV-positive people are living healthy, fulfilling lives with great relationships, and I truly believe that’s an option for everyone. Getting professional support is one of the most effective ways to manage and care for your emotions. Don’t hesitate to reach out today.
Start Your Journey to Wellness Today. Schedule Your Free Consultation
Remember that you’re not damaged and you’re not broken. HIV is a normal, common part of life. Luckily, plenty of HIV positive people are living healthy, fulfilling lives with great relationships, and I truly believe that is an option for everyone. Everyone needs help sometimes, and getting professional help is one of the most effective ways to manage and care for your emotions. Don’t hesitate to reach out today.
01.
Initial Consultation
A brief call to get to know each other and talk through your needs.
02.
In-Person or Telehealth
Sessions can be held in person or virtually, whichever fits your life.
03.
Time to Do the Work
Recovery can be a long road, but you don’t have to walk it alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Professional mental health counseling helps clients navigate the changes HIV brings to their lives. With antiretroviral therapy, HIV is highly manageable, and people with an undetectable viral load cannot transmit HIV to sexual partners.
You’ll learn coping strategies for stigma, discrimination, and isolation, which can otherwise worsen mental health and risky behaviors. We work together to replace shame with confidence and desperation with hope.
HIV counseling can help at many points: receiving a new diagnosis, adjusting to life with HIV, or processing anxiety after a potential exposure. It’s also valuable if stigma, shame, or fear around your status is affecting your relationships or mental health.
Most of my career has focused on the LGBTQIA+ community, especially HIV-positive and trans clients. I’m trained in EMDR, DBT, Emotionally Focused Therapy, CBT, Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.
Yes, when it fits your goals and where you are in the therapeutic process. Including a partner or family member can be highly beneficial, and we’ll always decide together whether the timing is right.
I offer flexible scheduling on weekdays, weekends, and evenings to fit different needs. Please reach out directly to check current availability.