LGBT Clients

Working therapeutically with gender and sexual minorities calls for an increased sensitivity towards the different needs of men and women often defined to a greater degree by social, family, religious and historical prejudices and stigma.

My experience of working with the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual & Transgender) client group is essentially about integrating my view of the person – that as human beings we all have the capacity to self-realize and define our wants and needs – alongside an understanding of the individual experience and LGBT culture.

Examples of this kind of work include ‘coming out’ and the impact on the individual and family, friends and colleagues; supporting gay men in conventional marriages with and without children, through separation and bereavement; supporting gay men in gay partnerships with differing contractural and sexual needs; supporting gay men and abuse and drug abuse history; supporting gay men and the influence of religion.

Much is in the press recently, one article in particular comes to mind that highlights some of the injustice that gay clients are up against even in the therapy room   (http://www.therapytoday.net/article/show/1168/). I hasten to add that I don’t pathologize ‘difference’ and that being a ‘gay affirmative’ counsellor does not mean I help somebody to be gay but that I have a knowledge and respect of gay issues and equal opportunity.