Andrew Borden
(he/they)

“you are growing into consciousness, and my wish for you is that you feel no need to constrict yourself to make other people comfortable.” - ta-nehisi coates

 

As a child, sibling, uncle, friend, confidante, and therapist, my diverse life experiences and roles inform my approach to therapy. With a background in entertainment, I believe that our stories shape our identities & there is immense power in rewriting our own narratives. My passion for therapy stems from my own journey of self-discovery and growth, and I am dedicated to helping others find their own path. Nothing is more powerful than the stories we tell ourselves.

 

At the heart of my therapy practice is the belief that we exist in an interconnected world and our identities and roles are shaped by the relationships we have with others. I use a relational and holistic approach that combines narrative and psychodynamic therapy to help my clients understand and negotiate the messages they receive from a patriarchal, heteronormative, and cisnormative society. My work is culturally informed and embraces diversity; I am LGBTQ+ affirmative, body positive, sex positive, neurodiversity-affirming, poly/CNM-affirming, and kink-affirmative. My ultimate goal is to foster a deep understanding of who you are and how you want to show up in the world. I see therapy as a collaborative journey that helps you understand your emotions, past and present relationships, and promotes self-reflection. Together, we'll identify short & long-term goals early on and use that as a foundational understanding of where this journey takes us. Sometimes, therapy is difficult, awkward, challenging, uncomfortable, and painful. However, it can also be silly, validating, creative, and rewarding. If you commit to the process, there is potential for change. The space we create together will be non-judgmental and non-pathologizing and compassion will be our backdrop.

 

I am a registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT #135744), under the supervision of Tricia Kayiatos-Smith (LCSW #89568). My Masters degree is in Clinical Psychology, with a focus on LGBTQ+ affirmative care from Antioch University Los Angeles. Additionally, I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Film & Digital Media from the University of California, Berkeley. I trained and worked at the Los Angeles LGBT Center, where I supported individual clients (ages 20-64) and groups, co-facilitating a harm reduction group for those struggling with varying levels of substance use. Additionally, I work as a clinician with Brave Trails Mental Health, providing LGBTQ+ affirmative therapy to queer adolescents (ages 12-19).