All members of the team at CHRIS are part of the LGBTQ community. This gives the team an advantage from those that are not part of this community. As such, members of the community do not necessarily need to worry about having to tell their therapist about social norms of the community, terminology often used in the community, or sexual dynamics which are part of same-sex and/or cis-gender/non cis-gender partnerships. Somtimes the concerns that LGBTQ clients bring into therapy have nothing to do with their identity, but knowing they are working with a provider where they do not need to explain the issue(s) above provides for reassurance. It an also be useful if an LGBTQ specific issues does present after not being part of the presenting concerns.
LGBTQ affirmative care is about meeting clients where they are at and helping them improve area of their life.
LGBTQ specific concerns can include:
- Questioning one’s gender
- Questioning one’s sexual orientation
- Processing gender expression concerns
- Coming out to family, friends, and/or partners
- Helping to identify what terms fit for the client in reference to orientation and gender
- Managing same-sex couples sexuality issues
- Processing coming out concerns
- Coordinating and writing letters for gender affirmative care for transgender and gender non-conforming clients
- Improving sex lives for LGBTQ couples