LGBTQ2S+ Affirming Therapy London | Darryl DeRoches MSW RSW

Finding a Therapist Who Truly Gets Your Life

You've probably been here before: sitting across from a therapist who uses the right words but makes you feel like you need to explain yourself before the real work can begin. Coming out again. Describing your relationship structure from scratch. Sensing a hesitation, even a subtle one, that tells you this person isn't quite with you.

That experience is exhausting. And it means the work that should be happening in that room, the real work, gets deferred while you manage someone else's learning curve.

You shouldn't have to educate your therapist. Your identity, your relationships, and your community aren't the issue to be worked through. They're the context for the life you're trying to live, and they deserve a therapist who already understands that.

What Is LGBTQ2S+ Affirming Therapy?

Affirming therapy means your therapist doesn't just tolerate who you are, they start from a place of genuine understanding. For LGBTQ2S+, kink, and ethically non-monogamous (ENM) clients, this means your relationships, identity, and community are treated as valid from the first session, full stop.

The work focuses on what you came to address: anxiety, relationship challenges, trauma, life transitions, or whatever brought you through the door. Your identity is context, not the problem to be solved.

Counselling That Starts Where You Are

Darryl DeRoches, MSW RSW, is a Registered Social Worker and Psychotherapist with more than 25 years of experience. His practice is explicitly affirming of LGBTQ2S+, kink, and ethically non-monogamous communities, and has been for his entire career. That's not a recent addition to a website, it's who he is and how he works.

Darryl's approach is holistic and mindfulness-based, drawing on trauma-informed frameworks and adapting to what each client actually needs. You work directly with Darryl throughout your care, not an associate or a rotating roster.

Sessions are available in person at his London office (408 Queens Ave) and his St. Thomas office (141 Wellington Street), as well as virtually for clients anywhere in Ontario.

MORE ABOUT DARRYL

What to Expect

LGBTQ2S+ Affirming Counselling in London, Ontario

Step 1: Your first session

You'll have space to share what's brought you in and what you're hoping to work on. There's no intake quiz about your identity, just a conversation. Darryl will listen, ask questions, and help you figure out what support looks like for you.

Step 2: Ongoing counselling

Sessions are tailored to your goals, whether short-term focused work or longer-term support. Darryl integrates mindfulness-based and trauma-informed approaches, adapted to what's actually useful for you.

Step 3: At your pace

You decide how often you come in and when you're ready to step back. There's no prescribed program. The work moves at your pace.

What Changes When You Have the Right Therapist

More honesty in sessions: When you're able to speak openly without the need to filter your thoughts, the therapeutic environment becomes a space for genuine self-expression and exploration.

Faster progress on meaningful issues: By focusing directly on the challenges you came to address, whether anxiety, relationships, or trauma, you can experience quicker strides toward your personal goals.

Genuine collaboration in therapy: A therapeutic relationship built on understanding fosters an authentic partnership, where you and your therapist work together without the need for performance.

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Counselling

I am a Registered Social Worker and Psychotherapist with over 25 years experience in the field. I am innately curious about people, human nature and the human condition. I strive to be present for my clients and see my work with them as service and that being of service to people is a true calling. I approach my work with clients from a holistic perspective and I utilize a Mindfulness approach in our work together. I truly believe that the therapeutic relationship is a crucible for true change and understanding in our lives. Are you ready to do the work? You’re not alone. Let’s do this.

Darryl DeRoches

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to explain my identity or relationship structure at the start?

No. Darryl's practice is affirming of LGBTQ2S+, kink, and ENM communities by default, not by exception. You're welcome to share what feels relevant when it feels relevant. There's no intake checklist.

Do you offer virtual sessions?

Yes. Darryl offers secure virtual counselling for clients anywhere in Ontario, so you can access affirming therapy wherever you are, without the commute or the waiting room.

What kinds of concerns do LGBTQ2S+ clients typically bring to sessions?

The full range: anxiety and stress, relationship and communication challenges, identity exploration, trauma, neurodivergence, life transitions, and more. The presenting concern doesn't have to be identity-related. Most of the time, it isn't.

Is your practice inclusive of non-monogamous and kink relationships?

Yes, explicitly. Darryl works with clients in ethically non-monogamous relationships and kink communities without pathologizing those structures. Your relationship choices are yours.

Where are you located?

Darryl has offices in London (408 Queens Ave, Office 203) and St. Thomas (141 Wellington Street, 2nd Floor), and offers Ontario-wide virtual sessions.

Ready to Work With a Therapist Who Gets It?

Darryl DeRoches, MSW RSW, has been providing affirming, holistic counselling to clients in London, St. Thomas, and across Ontario for more than 25 years. If you're looking for a therapist who starts from a place of genuine understanding, not tolerance, he'd be glad to connect.

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