Joe Kort – Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (LGBTQ) Clients: Clinical Issues and Treatment Strategies

Outline

Do No Harm: Make Your LGBTQ Client Feel Safe & Respected in Therapy

• Red-flag words: Offensive words you might use (without you knowing!)
• Intake session: questions about developing identity
• Strategies to establish rapport and comfort
• Tips for discussing sex and sexuality

Talk About Sex!

• Don’t miss out on key info by ignoring the sex talk
• Top or bottom? And other important questions to ask: flexible, changing sexual preferences and attractions
• Varieties of sexuality
• Protect the client from your own biases and assumptions

Coming Out

• Stigma and its impact on mental health from childhood to adulthood
• 6 distinct stages with interventions
• Navigate the 3 phases of coming out to avoid isolation and alienation
• Fear, shame and rejection unique to this population
• Relationship concerns: family, friends, school or workplace
• Finding a sense of belonging in LGBTQ community
• Harmful and dangerous effects of conversion therapy

LGBTQ Adolescence

• Coming out issues
• It gets better but not before coming out
• Bullying and other safety issues contributing to PTSD
• Harm reduction adult dating apps such as Grindr, Scruff, etc.
• Risk assessment for substance abuse
• Assess for suicidality
• Finding support

Gay Male

• Develop a treatment plan and goals for unique challenges growing up gay male
• Accurate assessment of alcohol use with this high risk population
• HIV & STI prevention strategies and risk and harm reduction
• Generational differences informing different treatment plans
• Internalized homophobia
• Learn specific sexual terminology to avoid alienating your client

Lesbian

• Develop a treatment plan and goals for unique challenges growing up lesbian
• Specific terminology that is helpful and damaging in this population
• Sex and sexuality: what to know, what to ask
• Strategies to manage gender dynamics
• Internalized homophobia manifests in development

Bisexuality

• Learn strategies to help the anxiety of bisexuals in dating and relationships
• Internalized biphobia and bisexual development from childhood into adulthood
• Compare and contrast male and female bisexuality

Transgender

• Overcome the knowledge barrier
• Avoid using outdated treatment plans
• Learn and differentiate correct terms such as gender queer, gender fluid and cisgender
• Strategies to help your client tell their partner, families, friends and employers
• Tips to discuss hormone treatments and surgical procedures
• Crucial points for transgender teens medically and psychologically and how to create best treatment plan

Questioning

• Avoid mislabeling a client and leading them down the wrong sexual identity path
• Differentiate between sexual fluidity from bisexuality, gay and lesbian identities
• Differentiate between sexual identity, sexual behavior and sexual fantasies

Working with LGB Couples

• Dynamics of a same gendered couple including vulnerabilities and strengths
• Coming out discrepancy causing turbulence for couples
• Recognize and identify how internalized homophobia creates conflicts
• Open relationships in gay male couples
• Sexual issues and strategies on compatibility, incompatibility, frequency and satisfaction

Working with Mixed Orientation Couples and Relationships

• Specific stages of coming out as a mixed orientation couple
• Specialized treatment programs for the straight spouses
• Helping LGBTQ spouse integrate their identity into their mixed orientation relationships
• Learn how to identify which couples will succeed and which won’t