Passion for an Underserved Community

When I was in college, my best friend and I were walking down the sidewalk, chatting about life. He towers over my height by a good foot, so he’s hard to miss. He had recently come out of the closet as a gay man.

The heat is sweltering as a truck rolls by us.

“FAGGOT!” I hear a voice yell

I’m beet red with rage.

“Want me to go kick their ass?” I ask my bestie

“Just let it go; I’ve heard it all before.”

“This is bullshit!” I say, reeling in anger.

A few years pass, and I cut my hair into an adorable pixie cut. A family member calls up my Father to ask him if I’m a lesbian. When my Father tells her no, but this family supports the LGBTQIA+ community, she tells us we are going to hell. That has stuck with me for years.

It would take me some time wrestling with multiple identities until I came out as Bisexual. A few years later, I wrote my parents a coming-out letter, and they are supportive, but this isn’t the case for everyone. Many queer and gender-expansive individuals have to deal with a loss of family support.

I have multiple friends and acquaintances who are part of the community who have faced discrimination just for living their lives authentically. I know people who have been kicked out of religious institutions, been victims of hate crimes, or had their family say nasty stuff to them.

With all these experiences, no wonder the LGBTQIA+ community faces higher mental health disparities compared to the heterosexual population. My experiences and the experiences of others that I love dearly have shaped me into a Mental Health Clinician who focuses on the struggles this population faces. These experiences have made me a better advocate and motivated me to educate myself to provide the best treatment possible.

The LGBTQIA+ Community and Mental Health

As a Mental Health Professional, advocating for and providing affirming and competent mental health services for the LGBTQIA+ community is what I do within my private practice. I own a private telehealth practice that focuses on affirming care for LGBTQIA+ clients. I believe this is an important area that is often neglected in Mental Healthcare.

When discussing LGBTQIA+ mental health, it’s essential to recognize the systems of oppression present working against the community that can contribute to mental health problems. There are many societal expectations of gender and sexuality that do not match the experience of the individuals that make up the community.

LGBTQIA+ individuals face high rates of discrimination, rejection, and stigma surrounding their gender or sexuality. You can even be denied housing or employment based on your sexual orientation or gender identity in some places.

The American Psychiatric Association found that LGBTQ+ individuals are twice as likely to have a mental health disorder in their lifetime compared with heterosexual individuals. In addition, studies have found that the rates of depression, anxiety, and substance misuse within the LGBTQ+ community are higher than in heterosexual individuals.

Suicide rates continue to sky-rocket within the community due to lack of acceptance and inadequate access to mental health services. We have to do better!

Expanding on my Passion

I would want to expand on three major areas related to my passion outside of my private practice. The first is a comprehensive website resource for Queer and Gender Expansive individuals in the United States. The second would be expanding my practice into developing courses for other Mental Health Professionals regarding LGBTQIA+ clients that they would pay for and receive continuing education credits for completing. The third would be creating my workbook surrounding LGBTQIA+ issues that clinicians could use with clients in mental health practice.

Comprehensive Resource Website

There are many resources for the LGBTQIA+ community; however, it’s often difficult to find a one-stop-shop for information. There are so many barriers to Queer and Gender Expansive individuals finding adequate healthcare and resources. I would love to provide a free website that combines all the resources into one place for those in the United States. I envision a state-by-state resource guide that visitors could go to and click on their state and find providers and resources of every type, so they don’t have to search multiple sites to find care. I would love to add any affirming support groups, LGBTQ+ community centers, and additional resources to this list.

Courses for Mental Health Professionals

When I worked in a rural area, I found that that there was a lack of competent and knowledgeable professionals that could treat and or support the LGBTQIA+ community. One way to monetize my passion while still being able to help my clients and other Therapists is by creating an online space full of paid continuing education courses that other Therapists and Mental Health Professionals could buy. Education would help produce more competent Mental Health Professionals. These courses would then allow educated professionals to provide the most up-to-date and affirming care for clients that seek out services.

The terminology regarding the community is ever-changing, and providing these resources to other clinicians would be beneficial. It would also allow clinicians to learn and grow in regards to the treatment of LGBTQIA+ populations.

Workbook Development

I would also like to develop a workbook that focuses on working with LGBTQIA+ clients to market to other clinicians or other professionals who have taken the courses I want to build. As I said earlier, there is a lack of competent and affirming professionals in this specialty. Without knowledge of the population, mental health professionals can do more harm than good. In addition, I would like to provide clients with the opportunity to access workbooks that allow them to reflect and process the different aspects of their identity, coping, and support. This would be a tool for clinicians to use in sessions with their clients based on the most current evidence-based practices.

Fulfillment of my Passion

I live my passion every day by being a Mental Health Professional who can help a misunderstood community. Helping others is my true purpose and passion in life. I hope to one day expand my services in many ways to be of more assistance to a community in need.