Protecting Pride: Supporting and Enhancing Safety for LGBTQ+ Clients

While June has traditionally been the month that honors the history of the LGBTQ+ rights movement, therapists need to understand the current threats to the safety and mental health of queer people. This presentation will provide a context of the current socio-political climate and historical factors the impact LGBTQ+ clients. The presenters will share concrete strategies for enhancing LGBTQ+ clients’ safety and ideas to protect clients and practice through ethical documentation and treatment. This presentation is designed to be useful for all providers, from practicum students through seasoned professionals who work in any clinical setting. Attendees will gain specific strategies to aid in assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of LGBTQ+ people. Further, a number of resources to further enhance learning and support LGBTQ+ clients will be shared.

Attendees will learn:
Historical and current sociopolitical and cultural factors that impact the health and well-being of LGBTQ+ people.
Strategies to enhance safety and affirming behaviors in assessment and documentation for LGBTQ+ clients.
Practical clinical strategies for treating LGBTQ+ clients.

About the Speakers:

Megan A. Mooney, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist in private practice in Houston who specializes in serving traumatized children and families, especially LGBTQ+ youth who are disproportionately impacted by a variety of traumatic experiences. She is a member of the faculty of Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston. Dr. Mooney has received numerous state and national awards related to her advocacy leadership, especially on behalf of LGBTQ+ people.  https://drmeganmooney.org/

Candice Holloway is a queer psychotherapist with a private practice in Houston. Her clients identify as LGBTQ+ and/or survivors of sexual trauma. Her specialties include complex trauma, gender identity, and anti-racism. Candice is a member of the Texas Counseling Association (TCA), the Society for Sexual, Affectional, Intersex, and Gender Expansive Identities (SAIGE), and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH).       @vadacounseling      vadacounseling.com