LGBTQ+ Affirmative Counseling
LGBTQ+ Affirmative Counseling
“Don’t you ever let a soul in the world tell you that you can’t be exactly who you are.” – Lady Gaga
The associates of Arbor Sana offer affirmative, celebratory, and liberatory counseling for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) children (ages 5+), adolescents, and adults struggling with mental health, wellness, education, spiritual, and career-related concerns.
When to Come for LGBTQ+ Affirmative Counseling
The general trajectory and structure of LGBTQ+ affirmative counseling largely mirror that of individual counseling. The major difference lies in the application of an affirmative, celebratory, and liberatory lens through which counseling is conducted. Like individual counseling, LGBTQ+ affirmative counseling can be preventative, all the same as it can be responsive. Sometimes it is helpful when you are faced with new negative or positive stressors, such as when you feel safe and ready to come out to a loved one or dealing with discrimination, prejudice, and oppression based on your non-dominant sexual/affectional orientation and/or gender identity and expression. LGBTQ+ affirmative counseling endeavors to assist you in formulating and meeting your goals and objectives pertaining to your mental health, wellness, education, and career.
How Can LGBTQ+ Affirmative Counseling Help?
Normalize, Equalize, Validate
It is important to understand that identifying within the LGBTQ+ community is not a mental health concern.
Members of the LGBTQ+ community experience myriad forms of prejudice, discrimination, and oppression throughout our society, including challenges related to access and utilization of mental health care. These factors, among others, have been demonstrated to contribute to poorer overall mental health and wellness for LGBTQ+ persons when compared to heterosexual and cisgender folks.
At Arbor Sana, our associates normalize LGBTQ+ clients’ diverse and expansive orientations, identities, and expressions, equalize access to quality, effective, and evidence-based care, and validate oppressive interpersonal and societal experiences based on one’s sexual/affectional orientation and/or gender identity and expression.
We are here to hear your truth and to help you share it – if and when you are ready.
LGBTQ+ affirmative counseling may focus on addressing the following:
- Anxiety, depression, self-esteem issues, etc., related to internalized negativity
- The “coming out” process (or disclosing one's sexual/affectional orientation and/or gender identity to others)
- Harassment, discrimination, and/or violence
- Feelings of isolation, alienation, rejection, and/or marginalization
Our LGBTQ+ Affirmative Counseling Process
Your first step is to call us to schedule your initial appointment. We work hard to pair you with a therapist that we believe will be the best fit for you and your current concerns.
Your first session provides an opportunity for you to build rapport with your therapist and provide them with some background about yourself and the reasons you are seeking counseling. In addition, they will be able to answer your questions regarding services, confidentiality, and what to expect in therapy. With your best interest in mind, you will collaboratively determine what areas of focus will benefit you the most.
At the end of your first session, if you decide to move forward and work with the therapist, you will schedule your next appointment. During your second appointment, you will work with your therapist to set goals and objectives for your overall therapy experience and then begin working together toward achieving them.
Call (440) 895-0366 or email info@arborsana.com to learn more or schedule an appointment.
Benefits of LGBTQ+ Affirmative Counseling Include:
- Improved self-esteem
- Greater sense of identity pride
- Enhanced community connections
- Increased self-acceptance
- Diminished adverse impact of oppressive experiences
If you are interested in LGBTQ+ affirmative counseling, give us a call:
(440) 895-0366