Supporting and educating families of LGBTQ+ children, youth, and adults.
I am especially happy to work with family members of LGBTQ+ children, youth, and adults, who may appreciate the therapeutic support and education of a therapist who is a member of the LGBTQ+ community. This can also include spouses of previously straight or cis people who have come out as as bi/gay or trans.
Clients may need to process feelings of fear, grief and sadness, and sometimes resentment, around their family member's coming out, whether that be for themselves maybe as parents, and/or on behalf of their LGBTQ+ family member who may be facing difficulties around their identity or how society may treat them. They may need to deal with their own prejudice or bigotry in order to come to a place of acceptance of their family member's identity and lifestyle. Going through this process and exploring these challenging feelings with an LGBTQ+ therapist can be extremely beneficial and help to bridge a potential 'them and us' gap.
In addition to processing and support, I am able to provide:
- education on the correct terms and language to use around and about your family member and the community,
- insights into being an LGBTQ+ person in our society and some of the issues we can face,
- recommendations on how to support your LGBTQ+ family member.
I am not here to judge or condemn difficult feelings, but rather to hold and contain my client while they explore and process them, with a view to gaining greater insight and understanding into their origins, so that they can come to a place of comfort and acceptance.
There are excellent free resources for parents of trans children on these websites, which I strongly encourage you to access before contacting me (links go straight to the 'for parents' sections of each site):
Mermaids
Gender Identity Development Service
Clients may need to process feelings of fear, grief and sadness, and sometimes resentment, around their family member's coming out, whether that be for themselves maybe as parents, and/or on behalf of their LGBTQ+ family member who may be facing difficulties around their identity or how society may treat them. They may need to deal with their own prejudice or bigotry in order to come to a place of acceptance of their family member's identity and lifestyle. Going through this process and exploring these challenging feelings with an LGBTQ+ therapist can be extremely beneficial and help to bridge a potential 'them and us' gap.
In addition to processing and support, I am able to provide:
- education on the correct terms and language to use around and about your family member and the community,
- insights into being an LGBTQ+ person in our society and some of the issues we can face,
- recommendations on how to support your LGBTQ+ family member.
I am not here to judge or condemn difficult feelings, but rather to hold and contain my client while they explore and process them, with a view to gaining greater insight and understanding into their origins, so that they can come to a place of comfort and acceptance.
There are excellent free resources for parents of trans children on these websites, which I strongly encourage you to access before contacting me (links go straight to the 'for parents' sections of each site):
Mermaids
Gender Identity Development Service