HIV Counseling Online in New York
An HIV diagnosis, or years of living with HIV, brings questions that are not only medical. How do I tell people? How do I date? Why am I still carrying fear or shame when my health is stable? For partners, family and longtime survivors, there can be grief and stress that rarely gets talked about.
I’m Scott Whipple, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in New York and a New York State Certified HIV counselor. Over more than 20 years as a clinician, much of my work has been in LGBTQ communities and with people living with HIV. I see adults across New York State by video.
What we can work on
People come to HIV counseling for many reasons. Some are newly diagnosed. Others have lived with HIV for decades and are dealing with what those years have left behind.
- Shock, fear or numbness after a new diagnosis
- Deciding whether, when and how to disclose to partners, family or work
- Shame or stigma, including the stigma you may have taken in yourself
- Dating, sex and relationships, including mixed-status couples
- Grief and survivor feelings, especially for those who lost many friends
- Anxiety, depression or stress connected to health and medical care
How I work
I start with what is most pressing for you right now, and I offer support and practical feedback along the way. I work with people of all gender expressions and sexual orientations, and you will not need to explain the basics of LGBTQ life or HIV to me.
Stigma and fear often live in the body as much as in thought. Alongside talk therapy, I may use somatic awareness from Somatic Experiencing, mindfulness, EMDR therapy or clinical hypnosis to help with anxiety, trauma and long-held tension. We build on the strengths that have already gotten you this far.
I do not give medical advice. Questions about treatment, medication or lab results belong with your HIV care provider. Therapy is a place to deal with how all of it affects your life and relationships.
Sessions online
All sessions are by video, which many people find more private than sitting in a waiting room. You can meet from home or any private space in New York State.
To get started, request an appointment or call (917) 570-0053.
Questions about HIV counseling
What does an HIV counselor do?
An HIV counselor helps people with the emotional and practical side of HIV, such as coping with a diagnosis, disclosure, stigma, relationships and the stress of ongoing care. As a licensed clinical social worker, I also provide therapy for anxiety, depression, trauma and grief that may come with it. I do not provide medical care or HIV testing.
How do I tell a partner I am HIV positive?
There is no single script, and the right approach depends on the relationship, your safety and what you want the other person to understand. In therapy we can think through timing, practice what you want to say and plan for different reactions. Your HIV care provider can also answer medical questions a partner may have.
Is therapy helpful for long-term survivors of HIV?
Many long-term survivors carry grief from losing friends and partners, along with years of health stress and stigma. Those experiences can show up later as anxiety, depression, isolation or a sense of being out of step with others. Therapy offers a place to name that history and work with how it still affects you today.
Can partners or family members of someone with HIV see you?
Yes. People affected by HIV, including partners, family members and friends, can come to individual therapy to talk about their own worry, grief or questions about how to offer support. I see adults individually by video anywhere in New York State.
Ready to talk about starting therapy?
Call (917) 570-0053 or send a short message. Sessions are by video for adults in New York State.