queer-affirming therapy

Dr. Hannah Roberts · May 23, 2024 ·

Graduating from Therapy – What to Expect

Learning to Thrive: A How-To Guide for Therapy

by Gavin Hannegan, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo undergraduate intern, supervised by Dr. Hannah Roberts

Hello Thrivers! Welcome to the final installment of a three-part series called, “Learning to Thrive: A How-To Guide for Therapy.” This series will help you understand what to expect from the beginning and end of your therapy journey. Over the past few months, we’ve explored how therapy can be an effective self-care tool no matter what your needs are. Now, let’s put those discussions into context as we explore graduating from therapy.

Wait, graduating from therapy? Wouldn’t that be counterintuitive coming from therapists? After all, we even have a blog post dedicated to the evidence-based benefits of long-term therapy. But long-term therapy doesn’t mean that you have to see your therapist for the rest of your life. Graduating from therapy is a lot like graduating from college. It’s an achievement that not only captures how hard you’ve been working, but it also signifies that you’re ready to apply your new skills out in your day-to-day life. For today’s post, we will be answering the following questions about graduation in order to best support you in this process:

How Do I Know When it’s Time to Graduate?

Consider if you have met the goals that you and your therapist have developed since your first session. Maybe you’ve been able to properly process a traumatic event you experienced, or perhaps you’ve been able to consistently address new stressors in your life using healthier strategies. You may even feel like you can continue working towards your goals without the direct guidance of a therapist.

If you’re thinking about graduation, give yourself plenty of time to discuss with your therapist. Oftentimes, your therapist might be the one to initiate this conversation and propose the idea of graduation (Olivera et al., 2021). Like you would with any other therapy work, collaborate with your therapist to plan out what graduation from therapy will look like for you. This mutual agreement will both strengthen the therapeutic bond and improve the likelihood of a successful transition out of therapy (Olivera et al., 2021). These conversations may continue throughout a couple of sessions to ensure that both you and your therapist are comfortable and prepared for graduation.

What Will My Final Therapy Session Look Like?

The focus of this session is to create a sense of closure with your therapeutic relationship. Your therapist will give you the space to reflect on what you have achieved through therapy, be open about your feelings surrounding graduation from therapy, and to explore how you will maintain your mental health gains following therapy termination (Norcross et al., 2017). You can also talk with your therapist about your expectations and their boundaries regarding communication post-treatment. Due to ethical guidelines, this type of communication should be kept to a minimum. But your therapist may be okay with you reaching out if you ever need a brief check-in, you’re ready for another chapter, or if you would like a referral for you or someone else. Additionally, feel free to update your therapist on your progress post graduation; it’s a great feeling for therapists to know that their clients are doing well. And we’re always thinking of you! This session can be a bittersweet moment for you and your therapist, so feel what you need to feel. Although it may be sad to leave your therapist, try to walk away from this session with a sense of pride, because you deserve it.

How Can I Navigate Life Without Therapy?

Evidence-based therapy practices are designed for long-term success. Many of the therapy models that we offer here at Thrive have been found to support clients after their graduation from therapy. Here are some highlights from recent studies:

A meta-analysis of 69 clinical trials found that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) consistently reduced symptoms of anxiety disorders up to a year after treatment (van Dis et al., 2019).
Through interviews, clients of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) revealed that they have been able to navigate conflicts and build social connections more effectively in the years following graduation (Gillespie et al., 2022).
Compared to standard treatment from a healthcare provider, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is significantly more successful in reducing the likelihood of relapse for depression symptoms (McCartney et al., 2020).
Another meta-analysis featuring clinical data from over 34,000 clients with depression reported that varying different therapies, including CBT and interpersonal therapy, all produced healthier outcomes within a year of graduation (Cuijpers et al., 2021).

Therapy provides you with the tools to navigate life, but you’ve always been in charge of using these tools. If you’ve been practicing these strategies in your everyday life already, then the transition out of therapy may not feel as jarring as you would think. Remember that your last few sessions will help you gain the confidence to make this transition. You and your therapist wouldn’t have discussed graduation if you both didn’t feel it was the right choice to make.

Is It Okay to Eventually Go Back to Therapy?

Yes, the door is always open! While you may not need a weekly session anymore, you can always schedule a check-in with your therapist when you need it. These sessions would be especially helpful for putting your therapy strategies into a new context, such as an unexpected crisis. You may also have a new development on a previous area of concern that you may want to discuss with your therapist. Keep in mind that at this phase in your therapy journey, your sessions will be more about the maintenance and fine-tuning of your mental health. The growth you experience may seem less pronounced compared to the first six weeks you started therapy, but you will continue to see improvements as you take care of yourself. (Wojnarowski et al., 2019). Your graduation might be the end of this particular therapy chapter, but continue to prioritize your own needs. Help is available whenever you need it.

For those of you who are graduating from therapy, congratulations on this accomplishment! Therapy can be intensive work, and your graduation from therapy is a testament to your perseverance and determination to show up for yourself. You may continue to face challenges in your everyday life, but your experience in therapy will leave you equipped to overcome those challenges. We hope this series played even just a small role in your self-care journey. Best of luck as you enter this new chapter, and we can’t wait to see you THRIVE!

Have more questions or feel ready to start therapy in California today? Schedule a session with one of our therapists! You can schedule online here!

We hope you enjoyed this blog post! Have more topics you’d like us to blog about? Contact us and we’ll be sure to include your topic in a future post.

References

Cuijpers, P., Quero, S., Noma, H., Ciharova, M., Miguel, C., Karyotaki, E., Cipriani, A., Cristea, I. A., & Furukawa, T. A. (2021). Psychotherapies for depression: a network meta-analysis covering efficacy, acceptability and long-term outcomes of all main treatment types. World Psychiatry, 20(2), 283-293. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20860

Gillespie, C., Murphy, M., Kells, M., & Flynn, D. (2022). Individuals who report having benefitted from dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT): a qualitative exploration of process and experiences at long-term follow-up. Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation, 9(8), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40479-022-00179-9

McCartney, M., Nevitt, S., Lloyd, A., Hill, R., White, R., & Duarte, R. (2020). Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for prevention and time to depressive relapse: Systematic review and network meta-analysis. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 143(1), 6-21. https://doi.org/10.1111/acps.13242

Norcross, J. C., Zimmerman, B. E., Greenberg, R. P., & Swift, J. K. (2017). Do all therapists do that when saying goodbye? A study of commonalities in termination behaviors. Psychotherapy, 54(1), 66-75. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/pst0000097

Olivera, J., Challú, L., Gómez Penedo, J. M., & Roussos, A. (2017). Client-therapist agreement in the termination process and its association with therapeutic relationship. Psychotherapy, 54(1), 88-101. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/pst0000099

van Dis, E. A. M., van Veen, S. C., Hagenaars, M. A., Batelaan, N. M., Bockting, C. L. H., van den Heuvel, R. M., Cuijpers, P., & Engelhard, I. M. (2020). Long-term outcomes of cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety-related disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Psychiatry, 77(3), 265-273. http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2019.3986

Wojnarowski, C., Firth, N., Finegan, M., & Delgadillo, J. (2019). Predictors of depression relapse and recurrence after cognitive behavioural therapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 47(5), 514-529. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1352465819000080

Dr. Hannah Roberts · May 9, 2024 ·

Starting Therapy – How to Prepare

Learning to Thrive: A How-To Guide for Therapy

by Gavin Hannegan, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo undergraduate intern, supervised by Dr. Hannah Roberts

Hello Thrivers! Welcome to the first installment of a three-part series called, “Learning to Thrive: A How-To Guide for Therapy.” This series will help you understand what to expect as you are starting therapy and continue through the end of your therapy journey. Over the past few months, we’ve explored how therapy can be an effective self-care tool no matter what your needs are. Now, let’s put those discussions into context.

Even if you feel ready, starting therapy can still feel daunting, especially for the first time. If you’re asking yourself, “Where do I even start?”, this guide is for you! Our goal is to alleviate any uncertainties you may have about the initial contact with your chosen therapist. Here are a few recommendations to help make this process feel comfortable and accessible.

Set Aside a Weekly Time for Therapy

It’s helpful if you have an idea of when you would be willing and able to meet with a therapist. Therapy sessions tend to last about 50 minutes, but you may need to factor in additional amounts of time for commuting to and from the therapist’s office, for example. Additionally, to be fully present, give yourself a few minutes before and after the session to center yourself, identify your goals for the session, and reflect on what was discussed. Your sessions should be a consistent part of your schedule, but it shouldn’t become a burden. Unfortunately, a perceived lack of time tends to be one of the largest barriers for mental health treatment among college students, especially those from ethnic or racial minority backgrounds (Miranda et al., 2015). The good news is that the format of therapy can be flexible to meet your needs. You can meet with your therapist virtually, meet with an on-campus professional, or schedule a nature therapy appointment to combine therapy with movement outdoors. Weekend sessions are also an option if you have a full workload during the week. An agreed time between you and your therapist is one of the first steps in starting therapy and crafting the therapeutic relationship.

Select a Therapist That You Will Feel Comfortable Working With

Therapy is a space that allows you to be vulnerable and open about yourself, so it is important that you find someone who is capable of holding space for you. Your therapist does not have to come from the same background as you, but they should have the experience necessary to make you feel affirmed, heard, and supported. One way to gauge if a therapist is right for you is to read their bios. Click the “Meet Us” section to learn more about the team behind Thrive. Psychology Today is a great resource for finding therapists in SLO county, virtually in California, and all across the country. These bios will contain the therapist’s specializations (eating disorders, LGBTQ+ care, etc.), the format of their sessions (in-person or virtual), the cost of each session and how to pay for it, and their contact information. Feel free to reach out to a therapist if you have specific questions about their style and practices. And don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself as you’re starting therapy. Therapy clients see the greatest improvements in their mental health when both the therapist and the client believe in the strength of their relationship (Zilcha-Mano et al., 2017). Choose a therapist that you would be comfortable working with in order to build this strong relationship.

Consider How You Might Pay for Your Sessions

A common challenge in starting therapy is concerns about the cost (Miranda et al., 2015). In a study of over 12,000 adults with a mental illness, over 70% cited financial concerns for their lack of treatment, particularly among those with no health insurance (Walker et al., 2015). In SLO, the cost of a session usually ranges from $150-$250, which is what you can expect with your Thrive therapist as well. While money can be a sensitive subject, remember that therapy can accommodate your needs. Attending therapy sessions from home can reduce transportation costs. When reading the bios of different therapists, identify a price range that would fit well within your budget. Psychology Today lists the different payment methods that therapists accept, such as credit cards, Venmo, and cash. Each bio also lists which insurance each therapist can take. Some therapists may offer a sliding scale depending on your income. Remember, if you have a PPO insurance, you may be able to get some reimbursement for your sessions. And finally, colleges and universities may offer free or reduced-cost therapy sessions with on-campus treatment centers – Cal Poly’s Graduate Students offer low-cost services for all (you do NOT need to be a student) at the SLO Counseling Service at Cal Poly. There are a variety of options to help you afford your therapy sessions. Build your therapy into your budget so it doesn’t feel overwhelming.

Remind Yourself That You’re Deserving of This Care

The stigma against mental health is rampant and pervasive. When we start to internalize these messages, we become less likely to seek help for ourselves (Schnyder et al., 2017). Instead of listening to problematic messaging in society, surround yourself with uplifting voices. Think about the goals you hope to achieve through therapy and let that motivate you. Practice some daily affirmations such as, “I am worthy,” “I feel inspired,” or “I want to grow.” Share your concerns with a friend who would be happy to support you in this journey. Be open about these insecurities with your therapist so that you two can identify and work towards a solution. It may take time to build your self-worth, but that’s part of what therapy is for!

Feeling ready for starting therapy? Next week, we will identify what this initial session may look like, and discuss strategies to help you adjust to this new environment. We’re so excited to see where therapy takes you!

Have more questions or feel ready to start therapy in California today? Schedule a session with one of our therapists! You can schedule online here!

We hope you enjoyed this blog post! Have more topics you’d like us to blog about? Contact us and we’ll be sure to include your topic in a future post.

References

Miranda, R., Soffer, A., Polanco-Roman, L., Wheeler, A., & Moore, A. (2015). Mental health treatment barriers among racial/ethnic minority versus white young adults 6 months after intake at a college counseling center. Journal of American College Health, 63(5), 291-298. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2015.1015024

Schnyder, N., Panczak, R., Groth, N., & Schultze-Lutter, F. (2017). Association between mental health-related stigma and active help-seeking: systematic review and meta-analysis. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 210(4), 261-268. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.116.189464

Walker, E. R., Cummings, J. R., Hockenberry, J. M., & Druss, B. G. (2015). Insurance status, use of mental health care in the United States. Psychiatric Services, 66(6), 578-584. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201400248

Zilcha-Mano, S., Snyder, J., & Silberschatz, G. (2017). The effect of congruence in patient and therapist alliance on patient’s symptomatic levels. Psychotherapy Research, 27(3), 371-380. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10503307.2015.1126682

Dr. Hannah Roberts · March 28, 2024 ·

Why Therapy Is Important for College Students

“Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable.

When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary.”

~Fred Rogers

by Gavin Hannegan, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo undergraduate intern, supervised by Dr. Hannah Roberts

College life is exhilarating! You’re able to explore your passions and fine-tune what you want your career to look like. It’s a chance for new connections, new experiences, and newfound freedom. Sometimes, all of these new opportunities can feel overwhelming. They may create struggles or exacerbate those that were already present. Juggling everything that college life has to offer can be challenging, but you can always ask for help when you need it! Therapy can be a great resource to help you navigate this chapter of your life. For those who might be unfamiliar with therapy for college students, we wanted to address a few common concerns about therapy to help you feel more comfortable.

Why Would I Need Therapy?

The responsibilities of a college student can feel demanding. On top of academic obligations, you also may have to adjust to living away from home and paying for your own needs. Each of these factors have been linked to increases in depression, anxiety, and stress among college students. Certain types of college students are more likely to experience these increases, such as juniors who are not provided with as much school-based support as first-years or seniors (Beiter et al., 2015). Current students also had to transition from high school to college during the COVID-19 pandemic, a time period that substantially worsened students’ mental health concerns (Lee et al., 2021). Having such high levels of stress or anxiety can impair your ability to fulfill your duties as a college student. One study found that students with ongoing mental health problems saw a decrease in their GPA compared to those without these problems (Bruffaerts et al., 2018). When left untreated, mental health concerns can amplify the already stressful roles that college students have to fulfill. Therapy can provide you with tools to manage these responsibilities, while also offering self-care strategies to address the stress in life. For those of you who feel like they don’t need therapy yet, consider that therapy can also be a way to help you prepare against future stressful events.

Does therapy really work?

Yes, but it depends on the type of therapy you’re participating in and the strength of your relationship with your therapist. When thinking about scheduling an appointment with a new therapist, it is important to make sure that their practices are evidence-based. Examples of evidence-based therapy for college students at Thrive San Luis Obispo include:

Interpersonal Therapy
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Gestalt Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Mindfulness-Based Interventions
Behavioral Activation

Therapies that are supported through research tend to be more reliable than other types of clinical treatment. When participating in these treatments, many college students experience at least moderate reductions in symptoms of trauma, depression, or anxiety (Huang et al., 2018; McIndoo et al., 2016). Each of the Thrive SLO Therapists gives you a sense of the types of treatment they use on their profile in the Meet Us section. You can also email or talk to a therapist directly if you’re still unsure.

Successful therapy also requires active participation from both you and the therapist. This means that a therapist won’t necessarily tell you what to do, but will rather work with you to develop strategies that best fit your individual needs and level of comfort. Forming this relationship may take some time, and your ideal relationship may not be with the first therapist you meet with. Once this relationship is established, your therapist can help you feel satisfied with your treatment (McIndoo et al., 2016). Instead of asking, “What’s wrong with me?”, therapy often helps you answer the question of “How can I become my best self?”

I’m Nervous About Starting Therapy

That’s okay! You are not alone in your feelings. If you have some reservations about seeing a therapist, it could be helpful to reflect on where these feelings are coming from. Globally, college students underutilize forms of mental health treatment, with one study reporting that nearly 75% of college students would not use these resources even if they were experiencing clinical symptoms of depression or anxiety. Some of the most common reasons for not wanting to go to therapy include the desire to fix problems on one’s own and feeling embarrassed about therapy (Ebert et al., 2019). The stigma surrounding therapy for college students can feel intimidating, but know that you are still deserving of this care. You can address these feelings in the following ways:

Take a screening test to more accurately identify the next steps towards treatment.
Feel free to keep your relationship with therapy private for as long as you need.
Be honest with your therapist about your fears regarding therapy.

Allow yourself to feel what you need to feel at first. Know that your therapist is here to help you, and here at Thrive SLO, we specialize in working with college students. All of our therapists they have worked with hundreds of other college students who have experienced similar concerns. These nerves are healthy. Even considering therapy shows that you care about your well-being. Therapy doesn’t define your college experience; it helps you enjoy it.

Have more questions or feel like you need supportive therapy as a college or university student? Schedule a session with one of our therapists today! You can schedule online here!

We hope you enjoyed this blog post! Have more topics you’d like us to blog about? Contact us and we’ll be sure to include your topic in a future post!

References

Beiter, R., Nash, R., McCrady, M., Rhoades, D., Linscomb, M., Clarahan, M., & Sammut, S. (2015). The prevalence and correlates of depression, anxiety, and stress in a sample of college students. Journal of Affective Disorders, 173, 90-96. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2014.10.054

Bruffaerts, R., Mortier, P., Kiekens, G., Auerback, R. P., Cuijpers, P., Demyttenaere, K., Green, J. G., Nock, M. K., & Kessler, R. C. (2018). Mental health problems in college freshmen: Prevalence and academic functioning. Journal of Affective Disorders, 225, 97-103. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2017.07.044

Ebert, D. D., Mortier, P., Kaehlke, F., Bruffaerts, R., Baumeister, H., Auerback, R. P., Alonso, J., Vilagut, G., Martínez, K. U., Lochner, C., Cuijpers, P., Kuechler, A. M., Green, J., Hasking, P., Lapsley, C., Sampson, N. A., & Kessler, R. C. (2019). Barriers of mental health treatment utilization among first-year college students: First cross-national results from the WHO World Mental Health International College Student Initiative. International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research, 28(2), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1002/mpr.1782

Huang, J., Nigatu, Y. T., Smail-Crevier, R., Zhang, X., & Wang, J. (2018). Interventions for common mental health problems among university and college students: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 107, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2018.09.018

Lee, J., Jeong, H. J., & Kim, S. (2021). Stress, anxiety, and depression among undergraduate students during the COVID-19 pandemic and their use of mental health services. Innovative Higher Education, 46, 519-538. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-021-09552-y

McIndoo, C. C., File, A. A., Preddy, T., Clark, C. G., Hopko, D. R. (2016). Mindfulness-based therapy and behavioral activation: A randomized controlled trial with depressed college students. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 77, 118-128. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2015.12.012

Dr. Hannah Roberts · March 14, 2024 ·

Creating a Safe Space for LGBTQ+ People in Therapy

“It takes no compromise to give people their rights…

it takes no money to respect the individual.

It takes no political deal to give people freedom.

It takes no survey to remove repression.”

~Harvey Milk

by Gavin Hannegan, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo undergraduate intern, supervised by Dr. Hannah Roberts

Therapy can be an incredibly rewarding experience, so it is important to create a comfortable environment for your clients. For LGBTQ+ folk, it is even more important. The therapist-client relationship can offer a safe space for LGBTQ+ individuals to be able to freely express themselves without judgment. But this community may feel overwhelmed trying to find a therapist that affirms them. You might explicitly state that you welcome people of all backgrounds, which is a great start, but how can you follow this statement up with action?

Here, we will be offering a few tips to help you better affirm your LGBTQ+ clients. As you read, keep in mind that the process of building that trust with your client may take time. Some clients may be more receptive to you than others. But with enough time, the relationship you build with your LGBTQ+ clients can become a valuable resource for that community.

Be Open to Learn

A common misconception is that to be an LGBTQ-affirming therapist, you have to also identify as a member of the LGBTQ community, but practicing empathy with your clients can help bridge any gaps. One theme that emerged in interviews with SLO County residents who attended therapy is that positive experiences with therapists occurred when the therapist were willing to learn more about LGBTQ identities, regardless of if the therapist identified as LGBTQ or not (Bettergarcia et al., 2021). You might ask your clients some questions about their identities to better understand your perspective. Here are some examples:

“Tell me more about this.”
“I’m not sure I fully understand where you’re coming from. Could you help me understand?”
“What makes you feel most affirmed?”

Allow your clients to educate you too. They should feel comfortable enough to correct you and explain how that made them feel. However, it is not their job to teach you everything about how to effectively work with the LGBTQ+ population; you may need to do some homework and develop your knowledge outside of the session.

Actively Validate Their Identities

An active effort with your LGBTQ+ clients is key. In their research, Anzani et al. (2019) distinguish between passive forms of affirmation towards trans people (i.e., not using microaggressions) and active forms of affirmation (i.e., encouraging gender exploration). While both forms can be helpful, Anzani et al. (2019) recommend that therapists strive to be actively affirming in order to help their clients navigate the cisnormativity that exists within society. Active validation looks like:

Connecting your clients to local groups and resources
Using your client’s correct name and pronouns before, during, and after transitioning
Treating your client’s identities as normal and authentic

In other words, an affirming therapist should do more than the bare minimum. The work that you do with the LGBTQ+ population can create positive change both in and out of a session. Take some time to reflect on how you approach LGBTQ+ issues with your clients. Do you simply acknowledge homophobia or transphobia or do you work with your clients to develop tactics to combat these prejudices?

Treat Your Clients as Individuals, Rather Than as Representatives of A Group

The ways in which one client experiences their identities might not be the same ways that other queer folk experience their identities. If you generalize these experiences by saying something like, “All gay people experience…,” then that could harm your connection with your clients. Remember that the label of LGBTQ+ encompasses many different identities. In one survey, mental health clinicians reported that even though they might be affirming of lesbian, gay, and bisexual clients equally, they actually perceive themselves to be more competent when treating lesbian and gay clients compared to bisexual clients (Ebersole et al., 2018). Each of these distinct identities can bring unique experiences–on top of the unique experiences that each individual already has! If you feel unfamiliar with some of the identities within the LGBTQ+ label, it may be best to do some research on your own time. You can also ask your clients for clarification, but do this sparingly. You might also need to adopt a multicultural approach and to consider the interplay of multiple identities. Keefe et al. (2023) found that racial and ethnic minorities who also identified as LGBQ responded best to mental health programs that emphasized the minority stress model, compared to those that did not implement this model. In other words, racial and ethnic minorities may be subject to discrimination based on race and discrimination based on LGBTQ+ status, so you should account for each of these influences when they apply.

One last note: a client’s reasons for attending therapy might not even be related to their gender or sexual identity. While you should not outright ignore their identities, it may not be necessary to always attribute certain topics to their gender identity or sexual orientation. These identities are just a few aspects of who someone is. Remember that this is your journey, and you deserve to feel respected and affirmed in the ways that feel most comfortable to you.

Feel like you want your clients to have more information? Here’s a blog post that features the same tips, but directed specifically towards potential clients seeking LGBTQ-affirming therapists.

Have more questions or feel like you need supportive therapy? Schedule a session with one of our therapists today! You can schedule online here!

We hope you enjoyed this blog post! Have more topics you’d like us to blog about? Contact us and we’ll be sure to include your topic in a future post!

References

Anzani, A., Morris, E. R., & Galupo, P. (2019). From absence of microaggressions to seeing authentic gender: Transgender clients’ experiences with microaffirmations in therapy. Journal of LGBT Issues in Counseling, 13(4), 258-275. https://doi.org/10.1080/15538605.2019.1662359

Bettergarcia, J., Wedell, E., Shrewsbury, A. M., & Thomson, B. R. (2021). “There’s a stopgap in the conversation”: LGBTQ+ mental health care and community connection in a semi-rural county. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Mental Health, 26(1), 48-75. https://doi.org/10.1080/19359705.2021.1900973

Ebersole, R. C., Dillon, F. R., & Eklund, A. C. (2018). Mental health clinicians’ perceived competence for affirmative practice with bisexual clients in comparison to lesbian and gay clients. Journal of Bisexuality, 18(2), 127-144. https://doi.org/10.1080/15299716.2018.1428711

Keefe, J. R., Rodriguez-Seijas, C., Jackson, S. D., Bränström R., Harkness, A., Safren, S. A., Hatzenbuehler, M. L., & Pachankis, J. E. (2023). Moderators of LGBQ-affirmative cognitive behavioral therapy: ESTEEM is especially effective among Black and Latino sexual minority men. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 91(3), 150-164. https://doi.org/10.1037/ccp0000799

Dr. Hannah Roberts · March 7, 2024 ·

Celebrating International Women’s Day

“Women, if the soul of the nation is to be saved,

I believe you must become its soul.”

-Coretta Scott King

by Gavin Hannegan, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo undergraduate intern, supervised by Dr. Hannah Roberts

March 8th is International Women’s Day, an opportunity to both celebrate the contributions of women and promote efforts towards gender equity. “Inspire Inclusion” is this year’s theme, encouraging us to think about how women are represented and, also, what kinds of women receive representation. Even within the LGBTQ+ community, women are often the silent heroes. Without that representation, it can feel difficult for queer women to easily access role models who can relate to what they’re experiencing. We cannot let their voices go unheard. To inspire inclusion, I want to recognize the achievements of 4 queer women.

Sylvia Rivera

“We have to do it because we can no longer stay invisible. We have to be visible. We should not be ashamed of who we are. We have to show the world that we are numerous. There are many of us out there.”

Alongside Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera was a founder of the Gay Liberation Front, which began following the Stonewall uprising in 1969. While some say that Rivera threw the first brick at Stonewall, others say that she may have thrown the first cocktail instead. And others still say that she may not have even been at Stonewall. Rivera and Johnson also co-founded Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR), which provided resources such as clothing to homeless queer and trans youth. Although she advocated for the rights of all LGBT people, Rivera fought specifically to ensure that the gay liberation movement would not ignore the rights of trans women and drag queens of color, like herself.

Stormé DeLarverie

“It was a rebellion, it was an uprising, it was a civil rights disobedience – it wasn’t no damn riot.”

Stormé DeLarverie was another key player at Stonewall. Similar to the rumors that Johnson or Rivera threw the first brick, some witnesses recalled that DeLarverie threw the first punch. DeLarverie is also believed to be the person who prompted all of the bystanders to fight back against the police after she was violently thrown in the back of a police wagon. This initial confrontation ignited the gay liberation movement. DeLarverie identified as a biracial butch lesbian who presented herself androgynously. Outside of her efforts with the gay liberation movement, she performed as a drag king for the Jewel Box Revue, which was the first racially integrated drag revue, and also worked as a bouncer for lesbian bars.

Rachel Levine

“I hope that by being a public figure and being secretary of health during this public health crisis, that that educates people about LGBTQ individuals and transgender individuals — and if they are educated, then they fear less. Thus, they get less angry, and thus, they hate less.”

As the current assistant secretary of health for the U.S., Rachel Levine holds a historic position. She is the highest ranking public official who openly identifies as transgender, the first transgender woman to ever hold a position requiring Senate confirmation, and is among the few transgender people currently holding an official government position. One of Levine’s main goals while in office is to make healthcare more approachable for LGBTQ+ youth, especially within the context of anti-LGBTQ+ laws that target gender-affirming care. Before being confirmed to the assistant secretary of health position, Levine served in the Pennsylvania Department of Health. In this role, some of her key contributions include increasing accessibility to naloxone in response to the opioid crisis and guiding Pennsylvania through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ella Briggs

“A lot of kids don’t feel comfortable with who they are and that makes me really sad, because I just want everyone to be happy and be themselves. I like being myself.”

At just 11 years old, Ella Briggs was elected as Connecticut’s “Kid Governor,” and was the first openly LGBTQ+ individual to serve in this position. This program gives elementary school students an opportunity to practice and learn about the state government system, but their work can have lifelong impacts. Briggs’s Pride-Hope-Love campaign consisted of three components related to LGBTQ+ care: spread awareness of the LGBTQ+ homeless population, offer schools resources on how to start LGBTQ+ clubs, and foster affirming LGBTQ+ education and treatment in schools. In just one year, Briggs hosted webinars and conferences, developed a step-by-step guide to starting a Pride-Hope-Love club, and interviewed U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal. Briggs aspires to become the first lesbian president of the United States.

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References

CTKG Ella’s accomplishments and term highlights (n.d.). Connecticut’s Kid Governor. https://ct.kidgovernor.org/ctkgella/ctkgellahighlights

Fitzsimons, T. (2020, June 4). Pennsylvania’s top doc is ‘calm in the eye of the COVID-19 storm’. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/pennsylvania-s-top-doc-calm-eye-covid-19-storm-n1217171

LGBTQ+ women who made history (2021, June 3). Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum. https://womenshistory.si.edu/blog/lgbtq-women-who-made-history

McShane, J. (2021, June 1). Transgender federal official Rachel Levine tells LGBTQ youths: ‘I have your back’. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/transgender-federal-official-rachel-levine-tells-lgbtq-youths-i-have-n1268795

Rothberg, E. (2021, March). Sylvia Rivera. National Women’s History Museum. https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/sylvia-rivera

Wong, C. M. (2019, March 22). Meet the 11-year-old who wants to be America’s first lesbian president. HuffPost. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/connecticut-ella-briggs-kid-governor-lesbian-president_n_5c950965e4b0a6329e15f504

Yardley, W. (2014, May 24). Storme DeLarverie, early leader in the gay rights movement, dies at 93. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/30/nyregion/storme-delarverie-early-leader-in-the-gay-rights-movement-dies-at-93.html?_r=0