Therapy for Gay Men with Chronic Illness, Health Challenges, and HIV.
San Diego office and Online in California.
“Support When Life Changes Everything.”
A serious diagnosis can arrive suddenly, often without warning—and it changes everything.
Whether you're navigating a serious disease like cancer, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease, HIV/AIDS, or the weight of substance use disorder, the medical reality is only part of what you're carrying. There are also the quieter, more personal questions — about identity, independence, and how life is meant to look from here. This is a space for thoughtful, confidential support, where you can speak freely, think clearly, and begin to find a way forward that still feels like your own.
You may still be trying to take it in.
The diagnosis.
The conversations with doctors.
The quiet moments when your mind goes further than you intended—and doesn’t easily come back.
Even if you’ve faced difficult things before, this can feel different. Not just another challenge to manage, but a shift in the ground beneath your life—something that quietly rearranges how everything else is understood.
More uncertain.
More personal.
Harder to speak about, even with people who care about you.
And for many gay men, there is an added layer that can be difficult to name: questions about who will truly be there, what independence will look like now, and how this changes the shape of the life you’ve built—and the one you thought you still had time to live into.
You don’t have to carry all of that alone.
You're not alone in what you're carrying — but it can feel that way.
Right now, you might be experiencing:
A sense of shock or disbelief
Anxiety about what comes next
Loss of control over your body or future
Questions about aging, independence, or mortality
A need to stay strong for others while feeling unsettled inside
Difficulty talking openly with friends, family, or even your partner
These responses are not a sign that something is wrong with you.
They are a natural response to something significant.
How Therapy Helps
This is a space where you can speak freely—without needing to filter, minimize, or hold it together.
Our work may focus on:
Processing the emotional impact of your diagnosis
Making sense of uncertainty and fear
Rebuilding a sense of stability and control
Navigating changes in identity, independence, and daily life
Exploring what matters most to you now—and how you want to move forward
There’s no pressure to “handle this well.”
There’s space to be exactly where you are.
Acknowledging Your Experience as a Gay Man
Your experience doesn’t exist in a vacuum.
For many gay men, facing a serious health condition can bring up:
Concerns about support systems and who you can rely on
Past experiences with stigma or feeling overlooked in healthcare settings
The reality of aging in a culture that often prioritizes youth
Questions about relationships, intimacy, and connection
You won’t have to explain these dynamics here.
They are understood.
If You Have a Partner
If you’re in a relationship, this experience may be affecting both of you.
You may notice:
Shifts in roles or responsibilities
Changes in communication
Worry about how to stay connected during stress
Therapy can also support you as a couple—helping you navigate this together, rather than feeling like you have to manage it separately.
A Different Kind of Therapy Experience
This is a private, depth-oriented practice.
The focus is not on quick fixes, but on thoughtful, meaningful work that meets the complexity of what you’re going through.
Many clients come here because they want:
A space that feels calm, grounded, and confidential
A therapist who understands both health challenges and the realities of being a gay man
Support that goes beyond surface-level coping
I'm Bob Basque, LCSW
I specialize in working with gay men who are navigating serious health challenges—and the impact these experiences can have on identity, relationships, and emotional well-being.
You don’t have to have the right words.
You don’t have to be “ready.”
If something in you knows you don’t want to go through this alone, that’s enough.
What Bob's fellow therapists say about him…
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“Clients sing Bob's praises; he is direct, empathetic, and knows his stuff!”
—Judy, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
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“Bob creates a safe and nurturing therapeutic environment with his wonderful blend of empathy, insight, and professionalism. You're in great hands!”
—Rusty, Family Therapist
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“Bob is a brilliant therapist. He understands the clients’ experience well. Bob’s talents for facilitating solid therapeutic relationships with clients are nothing short of exceptional.”
—David, Psychotherapist