Finding Help
How to Choose a Mental Health Provider Queer or Not Queer Do LGBT individuals have to be in therapy with an LGBT therapist in order to get non-homophobic, skilled and expert help? A therapist's gender and sexual orientation does not have to be important if he or she is truly familiar and comfortable with LGBT culture in its many permutations and, thus, will not have to be educated about aspects of our lives and lifestyles. A bottom line has to be that the therapist believes without reservation that an LGBT orientation is not in any way an illness, and that sex and love between same genders is one variation of normal human sexual and emotional expression. One way to ensure that your therapist is not homophobic is to find someone who advertises in the LGBT press. (While this may confirm the therapist is LGBT friendly, it is by no means a guarantee that the therapist is skilled or the right match for you.) Remember there are some pretty lousy and inadequately trained therapists of all sexual orientations that would be glad to take your money (Genre, 1998). |
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