ARQ2: Counsellor competence

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How can I / we make our practice or agency more LGBTTTIQ-positive?

Policies and procedures

Take a look at your policies and procedures:

Are they specific enough and inclusive of LGBTTTIQ people?
Do they stipulate how you would handle discrimination from staff and clients?
Do they communicate to staff the expected code of conduct?

Change the physical space

Collect pamphlets, magazines, posters and newspapers from diverse communities to display in the waiting area.
Consider unisex or gender-neutral bathrooms in your organization.

Create LGBTTTIQ-positive forms

Questions that ask “Are you married” or limit gender to “M” and “F” have to go. Use this guide to create new forms.

Create LGBTTTIQ-specific groups

LGBTTTIQ-specific groups help clients feel more comfortable discussing the issues discussed in this manual.

Addressing differences and biases in generic groups

Make groups safer for all marginalized groups, including LGBTTTIQ clients, by being “intentionally inclusive.”
Address differences in a very direct way.
Use group guidelines and group norms that state that discriminatory remarks will not be tolerated in the group.
Address and challenge discriminatory remarks as they arise during groups.

Positive, trained and out staff

Consider asking (and paying) local LGBTTTIQ groups to come to your organization to train your staff.
Subscribe to journals and listservs that keep your staff up to date. See the list of references below for ideas.
Recruit and hire LGBTTTIQ staff to work at your organization and encourage all staff to be LGBTTTIQ-positive.
Ensure that human resources forms and practices are not genderist and heterosexist.

Outreach

Create an outreach plan.
Ensure your flyers indicate that LGBTTTIQ people are welcome and that your services reflect their needs.
Make contact with LGBTTTIQ services and groups in your area. Is there a local paper, listserv, community bulletin board, bar or coffee shop where you could leave your flyers or otherwise spread the word?
Ensure representation at LGBTTTIQ community events, such as Pride Day.

Inpatient units

Be aware of the importance of chosen family for LGBTTTIQ clients. It may be important to keep visitor guidelines as flexible as possible.
Respect the importance of LGBTTTIQ books and pictures. Allow clients to make their surroundings more familiar and comfortable.
Address differences in a very direct way.
Address and challenge discriminatory remarks as they arise on the unit.

LGBTTTIQ representation and decision making

Ensure that LGBTTTIQ staff and community members are involved in:

your hiring committees
strategic planning
your board or advisory committees.

Client perceptions

“I think it is the institutional environment and attitudes towards these issues that are really important.”

“Somehow, seeing rainbow flag stickers or queer-positive posters somewhere, those visual clues do make it more comfortable.”

“When I found out about [an LGBTTTIQ-positive program], I was happy. I was ecstatic to learn of a program where I knew I wouldn’t be judged. I could open up easily and get the help I needed.”

“There should be one place where we will be able to go to deal with both the sexuality issues and the mental health issues because they relate to each other.”

Therapist/counsellor perceptions

“Obviously if internalized oppression is not dealt with, it can lead to death by suicide, or antisocial behaviour, or ongoing chronic mood disorders, like depression, sadness. There’s no sunshine, no hope, no connection.”

“When clients are dealing with a gender identity transition, it can be useful to know if their use of drugs or alcohol is connected to the huge stresses they are facing.”

“Is it okay to talk about sex with a psychiatric patient? Well, not really. It’s awkward. It’s embarrassing. And do they actually have a right to a sexual drive in a psychiatric ward locked up somewhere? And who wants to acknowledge that? That’s very challenging. It makes things more complicated. But the reality is, those people experience homophobia as well. It’s important. But is it more complicated to work with that? Yes, it’s more complicated.”

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