50 Things Therapists Need to Know About Working with LGBTQ Couples
The Bay Area organization, Gaylesta, (The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Psychotherapists Association of the Greater San Francisco Bay Area) is organizing a project called 50 Things You Need to Know About Working with LGBTQ Couples.
They are asking both psychotherapists and LGBTQ couples who have gone to therapy to submit brief information about that experience that would help other therapists. The goal of this project is to collect and share information will help other therapists to provide better care for LGBTQ clients.
Please note that the deadline to submit this information is February 1st. You can send your responses to: couplesproject@gaylesta.org
You can find out more about the project here.
Some of the information Gaylesta would like to know from clients includes:
- How important is it that your therapist be willing to disclose their sexual identity? Does it matter to you whether they identify as LGBTQ? Why or why not?
- How have differences related to class/race/ethnicity/religion/
etc. impacted your relationship? - What was particularly helpful or not helpful in the way your therapist supported exploration regarding sexual difficulties?
- How has your therapist been able to be supportive or not during the transitioning of one member of the couple?
- If applicable, what has helped you feel that your therapist has understood and supported your alternative relationship constellation (i.e. polyamorous or nonmonogamous)?
- What do you wish your therapist knew about your identity and/or life that would (have) help(ed) in the therapy?
- What technique or insight initiated by your therapist in relation to you being LGBTQ helped the therapy?
Please note that this is not research and it’s not anonymous. Gaylesta intends to compile the responses, however your name will be removed from them.