Experiencing gay affirmative therapy: An exploration of clients' views of what is helpful

Pixton, Susan

doi:10.1080/14733140312331384372

Cited by 22 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 21 publications

(19 reference statements)

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“…In this last theme, respondents identified the ways in which political awakening had impacted on them both personally and in terms of their increased understanding of the impact of oppression.Raised political awareness for those in the majority can lead to ‘politicized heterosexuality’ (Mohr, ), seeing sexual minorities as courageous survivors in an oppressed society, with a lack of appreciation of the complexity within lesbian, gay or bisexual groups. However, it is important that counsellors have educated themselves about the social context (Liddle, ), and the ways in which this impacts on sexual minorities (Pixton, ). Smetana and Bigner () take this one step further, suggesting a role for therapists in educating other professionals.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

How competent are trainee and newly qualified counsellors to work with Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual clients and what do they perceive as their most effective learning experiences?

Grove

2009

Couns and Psychother Res

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Aim: Professional therapy organisations promote the importance of working with difference, yet subtle negative biases towards lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) clients continue. Issues of competence in this area have only recently been addressed. This research aims to study the effectiveness of training to support therapists working with LGB clients in Britain. Method: Students (past and present) of an integrative counselling diploma course completed questionnaires including: background details, a Sexual Orientation Counselor Competence scale (Bidell, 2005), and two qualitative questions about previous learning relating to LGB issues. Quantitative analysis utilising a one way ANOVA test was used to compare the levels of competence at different times in training, and grounded theory to analyse the qualitative responses. Results: Results show that students have a high level of awareness, although a lower level measured in year two of the programme. The qualitative results indicate the learning value of personal experiences. Further themes describe the ways in which students learnt about LGB issues. Discussion: The reduction in scores for awareness may indicate that training facilitates a deeper understanding of self. Key themes indicate the importance of challenging old internal working models of sexual orientation. Implications for practice: The results will enable competences and effective learning experiences to be mapped in the curriculum.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

How competent are trainee and newly qualified counsellors to work with Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual clients and what do they perceive as their most effective learning experiences?

Grove

2009

Couns and Psychother Res

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“…20 For example, research has shown that ‘gay affirmative therapy’ is preferred by LGB people as it views LGB lifestyles and sexual identities positively without pathologising them. 47 However, these findings come from qualitative studies with purposive samples. There needs to be a strong understanding of indigenous psychologies and the relationship between culture and psychology.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stigma and self-esteem across societies: avoiding blanket psychological responses to gay men experiencing homophobia

2015

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Aims and method The relationship between homophobia (varying from actual and perceived to internalised) and measures of well-being is well documented. A study in Athens, Greece and London, UK attempted to examine this relationship in two cities with potentially different levels of homophobia. One-hundred and eighty-eight men who have sex with men (MSM) living in London and 173 MSM living in Athens completed a survey investigating their views on their sexuality, perceptions of local homophobia and their identity evaluation in terms of global self-esteem.Results The results confirmed a negative association between homophobia and self-esteem within each city sample. However, Athens MSM, despite perceiving significantly higher levels of local homophobia than London MSM, did not differ on most indicators of internalised homophobia and scored higher on global self-esteem than London MSM. The city context had a significant impact on the relationship.Clinical implications The findings are discussed in relation to the implications they pose for mental health professionals dealing with MSM from communities experiencing variable societal stigmatisation and its effect on a positive sense of self.

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“…Lack of these LGBT-affirming environments, images, and literature can lead clients to feel marginalized, unwelcome, and can increase likelihood of internalized homophobia from living in a heterocentric society (Lindsay et al, 2011;Szymanski & Chung, 2008). Having a safe, confidential space is crucial in contributing to a strong therapeutic relationship and experience for lesbian women (Pixton, 2003).…”

Section: Create Affirmative Spacementioning

confidence: 99%

Working with Lesbian-Headed Families: What Social Workers Need to Know

Wall

2013

ASW

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More gay men and lesbian women are choosing parenthood. One common challenge facing lesbian-headed families is how to navigate interactions with societies that are largely homophobic, heterocentric, or unaware of how to embrace non-traditional families. Systems may struggle to adjust services to meet the needs of modern family structures, including families led by lesbian women. The following are three areas of intervention (knowledge, creating affirmative space, and ways to incorporate inclusive language), informed by current literature, that allow social workers to create successful working relationships with members of lesbian-headed families.

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Experiencing gay affirmative therapy: An exploration of clients' views of what is helpful

Cited by 22 publications

References 21 publications

How competent are trainee and newly qualified counsellors to work with Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual clients and what do they perceive as their most effective learning experiences?

How competent are trainee and newly qualified counsellors to work with Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual clients and what do they perceive as their most effective learning experiences?

Stigma and self-esteem across societies: avoiding blanket psychological responses to gay men experiencing homophobia

Working with Lesbian-Headed Families: What Social Workers Need to Know

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