In recent years, I have seen an increasing number of private mental health practices promoting themselves as “queer-affirmative” or “LGBTQ-affirmative”, which is great news! But what exactly does this term mean?
“Queer-affirmative therapy is an approach to therapy that embraces a positive view of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) identities and relationships. It also addresses the negative impacts that homophobia, transphobia, and heterosexism have on the lives of LGBTQ clients.”
– Rock, Carlson, & McGeorge (2010) –
Rather than a counselling modality, being queer-affirmative is more of an identity (similar to being a feminist). It is a lens through which we see the world. And we can integrate that lens into any counselling modalities, usually by considering the stressors and experiences unique to LGBTQ+ individuals.
Queer-affirmative therapy also requires lifelong learning and practice. We can’t call ourselves ‘queer-affirmative’ after just attending a 2-day workshop or training. Simply put, it is not merely ticking off a checkbox. We have to continuously educate ourselves on LGBTQ mental healthcare. This can be done by reading articles, watching educational videos, attending trainings, and interacting with people from the LGBT community. And most importantly, being queer-affirmative also requires us to reject therapeutic neutrality (e.g., saying things like: your sexuality and gender doesn’t matter, I’ll treat you the same as anyone else).
Some of the key components of queer-affirmative therapy are:
Affirm the LGBTQ+ identity
This is not merely tolerating or “being okay” with the client’s sexual or gender identity. This is acknowledging, accepting, and supporting their sexual and gender identity. The therapist creates a safe environment for the client to discuss and explore their identity.
Being culturally competent
This means being knowledgeable about LGBTQ+ culture, issues, and basic terminologies. This includes understanding the unique challenges that LGBTQ+ people face in our patriarchal and heteronormative society, and also the impact of discrimination and violence on client’s mental health.
Non-judgemental attitude towards LGBTQ+ people
Realistically speaking, we all judge. But the key to having a “non-judgemental attitude” is to first be aware of our own judgments and understand where are they coming from. Therapists should be careful not to let their personal judgements affect the therapeutic process. If you have any negative attitudes about your client’s sexual or gender identity, work on it with your own therapist first.
Advocacy and empowerment
The therapists should work with the client to identify, challenge, and find strategies to cope with the impact of societal stigma and discrimination against LGBTQ+ people. They should also help empower the client to be their true self and live authentically. Advocacy also includes things like fully rejecting the practice of conversion practices, which has been proven to be harmful and ineffective.
Intersectionality
The therapist should acknowledge and understand the intersectionality of the client’s multiple identities (e.g., race, sexuality, gender, class, etc.) and the impact of multiple oppressions. For example, a female client who is Indian and a lesbian would usually face sexism, racism, and also homophobia in our society.
These components are not an exhaustive list. And being queer-affirmative doesn’t mean being perfect at practicing all of these components. Rather, it means making mistakes and learning from them. Let’s all learn together! 🌈
Other Resources
1) LGBTQ+ terminologies:
https://www.unhcr.org/media/training-aide-iom-sogiesc-glossary-terms
2) LGBTQ affirming therapy workshop.
– I provide workshop to mental health practitioners to help them understand the basics of LGBTQ-affirming therapy. This workshop is open to both licensed and intern therapists.
-To learn more about this workshop, you can contact me on: Instagram. , WhatsApp, or email (healwithkeenji@gmail.com)
Written by Keen Ji, licensed counsellor. To learn more about me, check out my Therapist Profile.
Keen2Heal 
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