LGBTQ Affirmative Therapy in Beverly Hills, MI—Counselors

Important strides have been made, advancing the human rights of those within the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning community. Important strides still need to be made, advancing the human rights of those within the LGBTQ community. As with many issues, cultural change within the legal system and within community values takes times. It is important to enjoy the increased acceptance that has been won as well as the legal battles that have secured human rights. It is also important to acknowledge that those within the LGBTQ community experience high rates of discrimination and marginalization and that these people are paying a high cost. The rates of addiction, anxiety, and depression are higher among people who identify as LGBTQ, but they often have more difficulty finding affirmative mental health care.

“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

Living with the freedom to be oneself is one of the most important principles of good mental health. People were born for freedom. They deserve the independence to express their own strengths and weaknesses, their likes and dislikes, their sexuality and gender. People who identify at LGBTQ often encounter more roadblocks to this freedom than others, and they also experience more harm from those roadblocks than others. The mental health professionals at Thriveworks Beverly Hills understand the unique challenges that the LGBTQ community faces, and our counselors and therapists are committed to providing affirmative and holistic care.

LGBTQ Affirmative Therapy

Just because living in the freedom of being one’s true self is important, it does not mean that it is easy. Sometimes, friends, family members, co-workers, and communities are not supportive of our freedom. At times, we can even be unsure of what our truth even is. That is why safety is foundational to any therapeutic relationship. When mental health care is a safe place, people often experience the right environment to question, remember, dream, speak, and plan without being shamed or without any judgment. Within such an environment, people’s sense of their true self often strengthens. They can draw upon their inner strength to make important but difficult changes because they know that it means to trust, speak truth, and experience self-acceptance. Often, people who identify at LGBTQ are facing a more difficult road to self-acceptance and need extra support for the journey.

What are some of those roadblocks that members of the LGBTQ community face? They experience more harassment, discrimination, and rejection than those in the general population experience, and this psychological and emotional abuse comes with a steep prices. The following is a small glance what how this plays out in daily life:

• The substance abuse rate for the general population is 9 percent, but 30 percent of those within the LGBTQ community are fighting substance abuse.
• The greater rates of social exclusion, family rejection, harassment, abuse, human rights violations, and prejudice that people who identify as LGBTQ experience often leads to experiencing an on-going and severe “minority stress” that causes both mental and physical health problems.
• LGBTQ youth who are between 10-24 are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their cis-gendered or straight peers.
• LGBTQ youth are also face higher rates of bullying, prejudice, fear, and hatred at home and at school.
• Major mental disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder or major depressive disorder, are diagnosed within the LGBTQ community three times more than within other populations.

These statistics are sobering, but there is more. It is clear that many within the LGBTQ community need mental health care, but the mental health field has not always been a safe place for them. In 1973, the American Psychological Association stopped pathologizing homosexuality, but many practitioners continue in their bias. Thus, the LGBTQ community often experiences a “dual stigma:” they need mental health care but have extra difficulty finding it. Thriveworks Beverly Hills offers LGBTQ affirmative therapy because we hope to be part of the solution to this dual stigma, and more and more, people who identify as LGBTQ are finding the mental health care they need. Once our therapists and clients have developed a trusting therapeutic relationship, they often delve deep into an individual’s life. There is no set agenda for therapy, but many times, clients who identify as LGBTQ want to address topics such as:

• Dealing with discrimination and non-acceptance
• Addiction
• “Coming out” issues
• Anxiety and stress
• Family concerns
• Dating and other relationships
• Eating disorders
• Gender and sexual identity
• Healthy communication
• Transcending gender roles
• Self-esteem issues
• Depression
• Safety concerns
• Past trauma and abuse

Scheduling Appointments at Thriveworks Beverly Hills for LGBTQ Affirmative Counseling

What is happening in your life today? If you are experiencing rejection, discrimination, or abuse because of who you are, we are sorry, and we are ready to help. If you are ready to meet with a therapist, our professionals are ready to meet with you. When you call our office, a scheduling specialist will answer your call and help you make an appointment. New clients often meet with their therapist the following day. We also offer evening and weekend sessions. We know that dealing with life is hard enough—scheduling therapy should not be hard. We also accept many forms of insurance that may help offset the cost. Call Thriveworks Beverly Hills today.