Be an LGBTQ Affirmative Therapist
“I consider myself to be LGBT+ friendly and can help anyone from the LGBT+ community”
Those might be your well-intentioned thoughts about your approach to a client who reveals they are LGBT+ but are good intentions good enough?
Bias in Heterosexual and LGBT+ Therapists
Whether you are heterosexual or an LGBT+ therapist or counsellor, you will have bias. All of us have been raised in a world that is heteronormative. There is a biased towards heterosexuality. When a child is born there is an assumption that they are heterosexual and from that moment of birth they are treated this way with very few exceptions.
So early on in life a bias is absorbed and good intentions may not be enough to stop that bias appearing in your therapy sessions with an LGBT+ client. Indeed so important is it that your unintentioned and unconsious bias can ruin ther therapeutic relationship and cause more harm to your client.
Being Gay Friendly or LGBT Friendly No Longer Sufficient!
Some years ago well-intentioned therapists and counsellors in order to offer their therapy to the LGBT+ community would refer to themselves as “Gay Friendly” or “LGBT+ Friendly”. This was a positive step in that they recognised that a barried to therapy for an LGBT+ person was the fear of a therapists reaction to their sexuality, gender expression or gender identity.
Today it is not good enough to be LGBT+ friendly. Friendly is not sufficient for a postive therapist – client relation. “LGBT Friendly” at it’s worst might mean being an LGBT+ person being tolerated couple with a thin veneer of acceptance. Enlightened LGBT+ clients and patients now look for signs of affirmation. They want to know that they are going to be welcomed accepted and affirmed.
LGBT+ Clients Want Healthy Client / Therapist Relationships
LGBT+ clients and patients don’t want pity they want empathy from their therapist or counsellor. LGBT+ clients want to know that although their therapist or counsellor may be straight that they have experience, knowledge and insight into what it has been like for someone growing up LGBT+ in a heteronormative world. LGBT+ clients what their counsellor to know the abuse, rejection, hate and bigotry they have had to deal with from a very early age. Only then can the LGBT+ client start to feel safe accepted and ready to divulge their inner most thoughts, feelings and emotions.
As a qualified personal therapist you have a duty of care to your clients. If you intend to provide therapy to the LGBTQ+ community you need to know more than what you see in the media, who you have in your network and what you have experienced in your life.
The Kidder Therapist – I treat Everyone the Same !
Some therapists almost brag that they can’t be biased because their brother-in-law is gay or someone they chatted to on a course was lesbian. There is a big difference to someone being LGBT+ and accidentally being in your social, family or professional circle. You need to intentionally educate yourself on what it is to be LGBT+ if you are to provide effective therapy to the LGBTQ+ community.
Specialist Knowledge for Niche Issues and Client Groups
Your therapy or counselling course may have generalised about issues such as anxiety, addictions, childhood and relationships. Yet if you wanted to increase your skill set and efficacy with a particular issue such as addiction you would invest in a course that was specifically about helping people with addictions. This would increase your confidence, reduce assumptions and enable you to help more people.
The same is true of helping someone who is LGBT+. In order to provide more effective therapy you need to know more about what it is to be Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Non-binary, Queer and many of the other acronyms that make up LGBT+.
Be An Affirmative LGBT+ Therapist or Counsellor
In doing so you can rightfully call yourself an LGBT+ Affirmative therapist or counsellor. In taking specific LGBT+ affirmative training you will have what you need to provide that safe and welcoming space here the real business therapeutic help can flourish. You will also feel more congruent with your LGBT+ clients rather than externally showing acceptance but internally feeling uncomfortable.
Learn and Understand the LGBT+ Acronyms
Incidentally the + includes a spectrum of other identities relating to sexual orientation and gender expression and identity. As well as what you might know already about the first four letters; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender, the + can include; Asexual, Pansexual, Genderfluid, Genderqueer, Non-binary, Questioning, Queer and Intersex. In fact in some publications and websites you will see extra letters beyond the LGBT+ acronym to represent these further identities. These variations can be LGBT, LGBTQ, LGBTI, LGBTIQ and LGBTTQQIAP. The most popular versions though are LGBT+ and LGBTQ+.
Getting Your Practice Right for the LGBT+ Community
I hope that this has helped you understand the necessity for LGBT+ Affirmative Therapy training. Your existing skill set will provide a fantastic foundation to help anyone from the LGBT+ community. Now you can enhance your therapy provision by adding insight and understanding. Your clients will benefit enormously from it and you’ll be a better therapist or counsellor too.
I am Steven Harold a Hypnotherapist and Psychotherapist who identifies as gay. Along with my colleague Gavin Bowtell we have authored an ecourse to help you become an LGBT+ Affirmative Therapist. It includes :-
- Insight into the main LGBT+ acronym
- Additional information about the +
- Examples of LGBT+ lives
- Interviews with people who are LGBT+
- Practical section on helping your LGBT+
- References to further resources
- A certificate of your LGBT+ Affirmative Credentials
All contained in this ecourse of over 200 pages !
Downloadable in minutes
Currently you can take advantage a special introductory rate of £57
Hypnosis Derby, Nottingham, Chesterfield 