Consolidation of gains and collaborative planning for the future.

Abstract

The fifth and final task of the treatment involves helping family members consolidate the gains they made over the course of therapy and, together, envision and plan for the future. This task is the natural next step after family members have worked through the core conflicts and relational injuries that had undermined their relationship. By this stage of the treatment, parents are committed to, and actively working toward, being more accepting and affirming of their child's minority identity. Although they may still bear some degree of shame, fear, and loss associated with their young adult's identification as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer, those feelings no longer overwhelm them or dictate how they behave. Tension in their relationship with their young adult has decreased, goodwill and good intentions prevail, and there is a newfound feeling of closeness and hopefulness. In some families, by this stage in the therapy parents have already taken dramatic steps, including meeting their young adult's partner and friends for the first time; coming out to their own family and friends; and standing up in the face of heterosexist, homo(trans)phobic comments or various forms of discrimination. Family members have a sense that they are working together toward a shared goal.