Reimagining Mental Health for Gay, CIS and Trans Queer Men – Rahim Thawer

40 Plus: Gay Men. Gay Talk.

In this powerful and deeply personal episode, Rahim Thawer (he/him)—psychotherapist, educator, and queer Muslim thought leader—joins us to unpack what sets queer men apart from our straight counterparts. From anticipating rejection in dating and navigating body image pressures, to managing our sexual health with a unique blend of hypervigilance and shame, Rahim explores how systemic oppression shapes the queer male experience. Drawing from his clinical work and upcoming book The Mental Health Guide for Cis and Trans Queer Guys, Rahim reminds us that our differences are not deficits—but sites of resilience, insight, and healing.

Ready to feel seen? This one’s for the guys who get it.

In this episode:

• Why queer men often anticipate rejection—and how this shapes our self-esteem and relationships

• How body image pressures uniquely affect queer guys, and what we can do to build a healthier relationship with our bodies.

• The complex realities of queer sexual health: from navigating stigma to cultivating informed, affirming practices.

• Learn how to rethink, redefine, and reimagine your story as a gay, trans, queer men

About Rahim

Rahim Thawer (he/him) is a registered social worker (OCSWSSW) and Canadian Certified Supervisor (CCS) who works as an instructor, psychotherapist, consultant, public speaker, podcast host, and writer. He founded Affective Consulting & Psychotherapy Services in 2014 and has delivered nearly 200 presentations and talks since then. His community workshops have inspired critical conversations and opportunities for reflection on mental health, interpersonal effectiveness, systemic oppression, and innovation in queer relationships. Affective is currently focusing on DEI consultation and training services for nonprofit organizations and healthcare centers.

Rahim calls Toronto home and teaches at The University of Alabama where he is also enrolled as a doctoral student. As a queer Muslim, his clinical work and writing continually examines the intersection of mental health and systemic oppression, and his doctoral research considers how anti-racist, queer-affirming psychoanalytic frameworks can support social workers, training therapists, and organizational leaders.

Rahim was a co-editor of Any Other Way: How Toronto Got Queer (Coach House Books, 2016), which was nominated for the Toronto Book Awards. More recently, Rahim has self-published four clinical guides related to assessment, treatment planning, documentation practices, and using reflexivity in examining countertransference. He also three books slated for release in 2025: The Mental Health Guide for Cis and Trans Queer Guys (Newharbinger Press), The Politicized Practitioner: The Essential Reader for Social Workers & Psychotherapists (Blue Cactus Press), Queerituality: LGBTQ+ Muslims on Mental Health & Healing (Co-Editor, University of Regina Press).

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