The Good Page features positive LGBTQ+ news in Central Florida and Tampa Bay, uplifting and inspiring stories highlighting locals in our community. In this issue, we meet Rainbow Family Wellness.
Rainbow Family Wellness began from humble beginnings in 2021. Elizabeth Wolfson, LCSW, had always dreamed of running her own practice.
Receiving excellent mental healthcare in her adolescence sparked the realization that she wanted to pursue this as a career. Watching skilled clinicians work was truly inspiring, Wolfson says, adding that “there’s something so beautiful about seeing someone help others heal and grow.”
She credits the help she received not only for her survival through tough times, but for igniting her passion to help others in the mental health space.
Upon receiving her licensure, she set out to begin serving the LGBTQ+ population through inclusive, affordable, affirming counseling services. Through the guidance and support of fellow therapists, Wolfson created the name, website and mission for Rainbow; serving “kids and queers.”
“My own family means everything to me, and I truly could not run this practice without the support of my wife, who has stood by me every step of the way,” she says. Wolfson and her wife are the proud parents of a daughter.
Over time, additional therapists and student interns have joined the practice, united in sharing the goal of creating spaces where families can thrive. The office, located in Tarpon Springs, is dedicated to being a safe place for the community to receive inclusive care.
Wolfson’s says she considers her own family “non-traditional.”
“It can mean so many different things,’ she explains. In her case, “we’re a two-mom household with a beautiful child, and that’s something I’m deeply proud of.”
“To me, non-traditional families are those that exist outside the mainstream mold — single parents, same-sex couples, grandparents raising grandchildren, blended families, families formed through adoption, families without children and so many more,” she continues. “Professionally, it means honoring and affirming the many ways love, care and connection can look — because every family deserves to be seen and supported exactly as they are.”
Rainbow Family Wellness strives to be an accessible and affirming space for all with a team that reflects that commitment. All service providers within the practice are either a member of the LGBTQ+ community or a close ally with the training and competence to address the unique experiences the community faces.
Cultural competence and cultural humility are also important regarding race, ethnicity, religion, ability, background and more, Wolfson notes. “This is sacred work, and in this incredibly difficult climate, both parents and youth need a village.”
With current political and economic challenges, Wolfson and her team are committed to making therapy accessible. The focus on doing more is not only a mission and vision but can be seen as the practice comes up with ways to make therapy more accessible and cost efficient.
A recent partnership with Project No Labels, for example, has expanded their “Dear Self, You Are Worth It” program in Northern Pinellas and Pasco counties. A graduate student intern offers three free therapy sessions followed by a low-cost sliding scale rate of $40-60 per session. Rainbow accepts commercial insurance plans including United/Optum, Aetna and Cigna with the sliding scale option as well.
Collaboration with local organizations like the Ybor Youth Clinic have also provided an amazing prevention station at the office, stocked with sexual health products, information and healthcare resources.
If there is a need in the community, they will seek out a solution to help. On Mondays, Rainbow hosts a Queer Resilience Group that is open to participants with insurance, self-pay or sliding scale rates to ensure community members can access therapy.
Wolfson says being a queer therapist serving the LGBTQ+ community is her life’s passion, and she understands how much the youth need support. She personally specializes in pediatric mental health as well as LGBTQ+ mental well-being; two areas that do not necessarily overlap in her opinion.
Working with kids and teens who are neurodivergent or any adolescent identifying within the rainbow family as transgender, nonbinary, gay, or bi, is something she loves as a therapist.
“Serving this community means more than providing mental healthcare — it means knowing who to connect clients with,” Wolfson explains. “We regularly refer and collaborate with Project No Labels, Emerge New Growth Community, PFLAG Safety Harbor, TransNetwork, Ybor Youth Clinic, and many others.”
Rainbow Family Wellness will continue to support the LGBTQ+ community by offering holistic care to help families make informed decisions regarding healthcare, education and more.
For more information about services and providers, visit RainbowFamilyWellness.com.
Interested in being featured in The Good Page? Email Editor-in-Chief Ryan Williams-Jent at Ryan@WatermarkOutNews.com in Tampa Bay or Central Florida Bureau Chief Bellanee Plaza at Bellanee@WatermarkOutNews.com in Central Florida.
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