What Pride Means at Eleanor Health

A Community Rooted in Authenticity, Acceptance, and Whole-Person Care

At Eleanor Health, Pride isn’t just a month—it’s a daily commitment to creating a safe, affirming space for everyone we serve and everyone we work alongside. For our LGBTQ+ community members and employees, Pride means the freedom to show up fully, without fear, judgment, or compromise. It means healing in a place where your identity is seen, respected, and celebrated.

Healing Begins with Acceptance

As Regional Operations Manager Lindsay Larris shared, the experience of not being accepted—by family, society, or even the healthcare system—often leads members of the LGBTQ+ community to self-medicate as a coping mechanism. At Eleanor, our approach to care recognizes and addresses that underlying pain.

“We don’t just treat substance use,” Lindsay explains. “We treat the trauma behind it. That includes PTSD, past rejection, and all the reasons someone may have felt they had to hide who they are.”

Eleanor Health was also the first workplace where Lindsay felt comfortable coming out. That speaks volumes about the environment we work hard to foster—one that centers belonging, not just tolerance.

Small Changes, Big Impact

For Existing Community Member Services Manager Allie O’Connor, whose preferred pronouns are they/them, Eleanor Health represents something radically different: a workplace where they don’t need to split themselves in two. “At past jobs, there was Work Allie and there was Authentic Allie,” they say. “But here, I get to show up as my full self. And that means I can show up more fully for our members, too.”

Allie also points to concrete steps we’ve taken to make our care safer and more inclusive for LGBTQ+ members—particularly those who are transgender or non-binary. One small but powerful example: we updated our systems to reflect people’s preferred names and pronouns, not just their legal names.

“It might seem like a small detail, but for someone who’s used to being misgendered or misunderstood, it’s a huge act of respect,” Allie says. “It’s a reflection of whole-person care.”

Creating a True Safe Space

Too often, LGBTQ+ individuals avoid seeking medical care—not because they don’t need it, but because they don’t feel safe. In fact, a 2024 survey found that only 10% of LGBTQ+ people reported having excellent mental health, and just 11% said they were in excellent physical health. These outcomes are directly tied to barriers in accessing respectful, affirming care.

At Eleanor Health, we work to remove these barriers at every level. From our intake forms—where members can share their preferred names and pronouns—to our provider matching system that pairs our members with our therapists who align with their needs, our care model is designed to affirm and empower.

When you don’t have to worry about how your identity will impact your treatment, healing becomes possible. That’s what we mean when we say we provide whole-person, trauma-informed, stigma-free care.

Leadership That Lives Its Values

Representation matters, especially at the top. Our Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Nzinga Harrison, leads with the same authenticity and compassion we offer our members. Her genuine support for Pride Month and for LGBTQ+ health equity is not performative—it’s personal, consistent, and inspiring.

“She shows up in real ways,” says Allie. “It’s not just a rainbow logo in June. It’s ongoing support and action.”

Pride Is More Than a Celebration—It’s a Commitment

At Eleanor Health, Pride is about honoring the full humanity of our members and employees—every day of the year. It’s about ensuring that no one has to hide who they are to receive care or to do their job. And it’s about creating systems and cultures that reflect the values we hold dear: equity, respect, and radical compassion.

To our LGBTQ+ community:

You belong here.

You are safe here.

We’re honored to be part of your recovery journey.