Finding an LGBTQ Affirming Therapist with Sarah Gilbert, LCSW

Описание: Welcome to the PFLAG Los Angeles August 2024 meeting featuring guest speaker Sarah Gilbert, LCSW (she/her), Founder and therapist of Transitions Therapy, LLC https://transitionstherapyllc.com/

You can learn more about our chapter at https://www.pflagLA.org

Sarah covers:

Understanding the importance of doing your homework when searching for an LGBTQ+ affirming therapist, including researching providers before making contact

Exploring key questions to ask during consultation calls to assess a therapist's competency, experience, and affirming practices with LGBTQ+ clients

Mastering the art of evaluating therapist marketing materials — learning to identify inclusive language, imagery, and genuine expertise versus surface-level claims

Navigating privacy considerations unique to LGBTQ+ youth — ensuring therapists understand when and how to use chosen names, correct pronouns, and protect clients from being accidentally outed

Empowering families with ongoing evaluation strategies to ensure therapy remains safe, validating, and centered on the client's actual needs and goals

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Here are some quotes from the session:

On the Right to Research: "It is your right, and I would say it's a really important responsibility to do your homework... to make the effort to really check out different providers that you're considering." — Sarah Gilbert [00:07:41]

Relational Fit: "Therapeutic interventions are important, and identified treatment goals are important, but also a very meaningful component of the therapy experience is relational fit." — Sarah Gilbert [00:08:43]

Consultation Calls: "This is a beautiful opportunity for you to communicate about yourself, your family and your child, and what the needs are." — Sarah Gilbert [00:18:45]

Proper Pronoun Use: "I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to correctly use people's pronouns... Sadly, I have heard from a number of clients over the years... who say 'this therapist kept misgendering me and it was a problem that kept coming up session after session.'" — Sarah Gilbert [00:22:00 → 00:23:08]

Client-Centered Care: "Your child should not be put in a position to have to educate a therapist about their identities and experiences... the therapist [should] already [have] had a frame of reference or [be] doing their own work to get training or consultation." — Sarah Gilbert [00:34:39]

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Here are some discussion questions:

1. Sarah emphasizes that finding a therapist can feel "anxiety provoking and overwhelming" for anyone. What additional layers of anxiety might LGBTQ+ youth and their families face when searching for mental health support?

2. Before contacting potential therapists, Sarah recommends thoroughly reviewing their marketing materials. What specific language, images, or information would signal to you that a provider is genuinely affirming versus just "checking boxes"?

3. The consultation call is described as a "two-way conversation" where both parties are assessing fit. Why is this framing important, and how might it empower families in the therapy-seeking process?

4. Sarah asks, "How do therapists navigate using your child's chosen name versus legal name?" Why is this question so critical, and what would an ideal answer sound like to you?

5. What are some potential "red flags" in a therapist's response to questions about LGBTQ+ competency that might indicate they're not the right fit, even if they claim to be affirming?

6. Privacy takes on heightened importance for LGBTQ+ youth who may be out to some people but not others. How can therapists balance necessary communication with parents, schools, or other providers while protecting a young person's safety?

7. Sarah mentions the importance of assessing whether a therapist's office space and location are safe and welcoming. What specific environmental factors might impact an LGBTQ+ young person's sense of safety in accessing therapy?

8. The presentation notes that intake documentation can be an early indicator of how affirming a provider truly is. What makes intake forms inclusive versus exclusionary?

9. How can parents and caregivers balance supporting their child's therapy journey with respecting their privacy and autonomy, especially as youth get older and may want more independence in their treatment?

10. Sarah shares that therapy goals should be "client-driven" rather than therapist-imposed. Why is this particularly important for LGBTQ+ youth, and how can families advocate for this approach if it's not naturally offered?