Connection Failure: Systemic Disadvantages Facing the LGBTQ+ Community in Therapy and how to Address them
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18192/jpds-sjpd.v2i1.2714Keywords:
LGBTQ, LGBT, queer, counselling, psychology, therapyAbstract
This paper examines the experiences of members of the LGBTQ+ community in accessing mental health care in Ottawa, Canada, both positive and negative, and what might be done to improve outcomes. The paper includes a literature review of empirical studies and theoretical works about conducting therapy with LGBTQ+ clients, as well as the results of a pilot study conducted by the researcher to examine in depth the experience of a small sample of LGBTQ+ clients in Ottawa (N=4). Through semi-structured interviews, the researcher found that three out of four participants had experienced some dissatisfaction with how their identity was addressed in therapy, and as a result their overall well-being had suffered. This implies that therapists could be doing more to connect with their LGBTQ+ clients, potentially through better educating themselves on the issues affecting the community, as recommended by the participants. Increasing therapist knowledge would likely improve mental health outcomes for LGBTQ+ clients.
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