Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (LGBTQ) Clients: Clinical Issues and Treatment Strategies

CPD

Planning Committee Disclosure - No relevant relationships

All members of the PESI, Inc. planning committee have provided disclosures of financial relationships with ineligible organizations and any relevant non-financial relationships prior to planning content for this activity. None of the committee members had relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies or other potentially biasing relationships to disclose to learners.  For speaker disclosures, please see the faculty biography.

Handouts

Speaker

Joe Kort, PhD, LMSW Related seminars and products

Center for Relationship and Sexual Health

Additional Info

Access never expires for this product.

For a more detailed outline that includes times or durations of time, if needed, please contact cepesi@pesi.com

Objectives

1. Assess gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning clients for psychological trauma to assist in informing treatments interventions.
2. Determine the six distinct stages of the coming out process to provide optimal amount of support to the client.
3. Distinguish between mental health disorders that mimic the effects of the trauma from growing up LGBTQ.
4. Utilise specific clinical interventions and assessment tools to more effectively treat LGBTQ clients.
5. Employ adaptable clinical interventions to work more effectively with LGBTQ clients from different generations.
6. Evaluate the dynamics of same gendered couple, including vulnerabilities and strengths, when working with LGB couples in session.

Outline

• Red-flag words: Offensive words you might use (without you knowing!)
• Intake session: questions about developing identity
• Strategies to establish rapport and comfort
• Tips for discussing sex and sexuality

• Don’t miss out on key info by ignoring the sex talk
• Top or bottom? And other important questions to ask: flexible, changing sexual preferences and attractions
• Varieties of sexuality
• Protect the client from your own biases and assumptions

• Stigma and its impact on mental health from childhood to adulthood
• 6 distinct stages with interventions
• Navigate the 3 phases of coming out to avoid isolation and alienation
• Fear, shame and rejection unique to this population
• Relationship concerns: family, friends, school or workplace
• Finding a sense of belonging in LGBTQ community
• Harmful and dangerous effects of conversion therapy

• Coming out issues
• It gets better but not before coming out
• Bullying and other safety issues contributing to PTSD
• Harm reduction adult dating apps such as Grindr, Scruff, etc.
• Risk assessment for substance abuse
• Assess for suicidality
• Finding support

• Develop a treatment plan and goals for unique challenges growing up gay male
• Accurate assessment of alcohol use with this high risk population
• HIV & STI prevention strategies and risk and harm reduction
• Generational differences informing different treatment plans
• Internalised homophobia
• Learn specific sexual terminology to avoid alienating your client

• Develop a treatment plan and goals for unique challenges growing up lesbian
• Specific terminology that is helpful and damaging in this population
• Sex and sexuality: what to know, what to ask
• Strategies to manage gender dynamics
• Internalised homophobia manifests in development

• Learn strategies to help the anxiety of bisexuals in dating and relationships
• Internalised biphobia and bisexual development from childhood into adulthood
• Compare and contrast male and female bisexuality

• Overcome the knowledge barrier
• Avoid using outdated treatment plans
• Learn and differentiate correct terms such as gender queer, gender fluid and cisgender
• Strategies to help your client tell their partner, families, friends and employers
• Tips to discuss hormone treatments and surgical procedures
• Crucial points for transgender teens medically and psychologically and how to create best treatment plan

• Avoid mislabeling a client and leading them down the wrong sexual identity path
• Differentiate between sexual fluidity from bisexuality, gay and lesbian identities
• Differentiate between sexual identity, sexual behaviour and sexual fantasies

• Dynamics of a same gendered couple including vulnerabilities and strengths
• Coming out discrepancy causing turbulence for couples
• Recognise and identify how internalised homophobia creates conflicts
• Open relationships in gay male couples
• Sexual issues and strategies on compatibility, incompatibility, frequency and satisfaction

• Specific stages of coming out as a mixed orientation couple
• Specialised treatment programmes for the straight spouse
• Helping LGBTQ spouse integrate their identity into their mixed orientation relationships
• Learn how to identify which couples will succeed and which won’t

Target Audience

• Counsellors
• Social Workers
• Psychologists
• Psychotherapists
• Case Managers
• Physicians
• Marriage & Family Therapists
• Nurses
• Addiction Counsellors
• Other Mental Health Professionals

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