Though the LGBTQ community has been in existence for many years, still it’s tough being gay. Members of this community face microaggressions from time to time, often daily. Known as “minority stress”, it can lead to mental health problems. However, there is a way out of this and it is to seek the advice of an LGBTQ-affirming therapist or one who identifies himself as LGBTQ.

What is LGBTQ Therapy?

Just like non-LGBTQ individuals seek advice for different aspects of their lives such as anxiety, depression, work stress, etc, so does the LGBTQ community. With specific LGBTQ counseling, one can explore the gender identity of the individual. One’s sexual orientation, considering making the transition, managing depression, and other related issues form the needs for LGBTQ therapy.

How Counsellors Can Help the LGBT Community

By advocating for LGBTQ clients and himself, a therapist can help the community by identifying specific issues they can get involved with and their potential risks and benefits.

Is Your Therapist LGBTQ-Friendly?

There are many tools online that will help to find an LGBTQ-friendly therapist. Some of the filters these tools offer include sexual orientation, gender identity, insurance, transgender support, etc.

What Is Affirming Therapy?

It is a therapeutic practice that looks at the LGBTQ community and their relationships positively. The impact of transphobia, homophobia, and heteronormativity on this community’s clients are also discussed.

LGBTQ Counselling: A Primer

Members of the LGBTQ community often face discrimination, homophobic attitudes, or discrimination and these can have deep-seated effects. It’s common for them to be thrown out of home and rejected by family and friends—experiences that leave emotional scars on their hearts and minds and cause mental distress.

When members of this community are faced with such experiences, they suffer anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. Some people are more sensitive than others, so the effect of such experiences affects their relationships, self-esteem, and even their career selections. Overall, their health and joy are severely affected.

To see the LGBTQ community out of such devastating experiences, LGBTQ counselors along with psychotherapists offer advice and therapy. They support the LGBTQ community members until they feel confident and happy and no longer need any support.

Therapy sessions may be face-to-face, telephonic, or online.