Therapist qualities preferred by sexual-minority individuals.

Abstract

Psychotherapy research concerning lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals has focused on matching clients on gender and sexual orientation, yet has not considered how factors such as therapeutic skill, presenting problem, and cohort membership may influence preference for therapists. This study was designed to identify those therapist qualities that sexual-minority individuals prefer and to determine how the presenting problem influences therapist choice. Forty-two nonheterosexual adults between 18 and 29 years old ranked 63 therapist characteristics from "Extremely Uncharacteristic" to "Extremely Characteristic" when seeking treatment for a problem in which their sexual orientation was salient and one in which it was not. The analyses of both conditions yielded clusters of items reflecting therapist characteristics that participants considered unfavorable, neutral, beneficial, and essential. Participants valued therapists who had LGB-specific knowledge as well as general therapeutic skills, whereas they indicated that they would avoid therapists who held heterocentric views. Application of these findings to clinical practice and future directions are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved).

Coming Out and the Potential for Growth in Sexual Minorities: The Role of Social Reactions and Internalized Homonegativity

“…Clinically, this recommendation is supported by findings indicating that LGB clients believe it to be important that therapists understand both positive and negative ramifications to coming out (Burckell & Goldfried, 2006).…”

Exploring the clinical experiences of novice counsellors working with LGBT clients: Implications for training

“…Nevertheless, individuals who identify as LGBT are more likely to seek therapy than their heterosexual counterparts (Burckell & Goldfried, 2006; Pachankis & Goldfried, 2004). Evidence indicates that they have an increased risk of suffering from depression and other symptoms of psychological distress, and engaging in self‐injurious behaviour, including attempted and actual suicide (Cochran, Sullivan, & Mays, 2003; Grossman & D'Augelli, 2007; Haas et al, 2011; King et al, 2008).…”

“…Gay‐affirmative therapists can certainly offer LGBT clients positive outcomes (Israel, Gorcheva, Walther, Sulzner, & Cohen, 2008). However, before this can happen, their clients will have had to devise strategies for locating gay‐affirmative therapy (Burckell & Goldfried, 2006; Grove & Blasby, 2009; Liddle, 1996; Platzer, 1998).…”

Intimate Partner Violence: Implications for Counseling Self-Identified LGBTQ College Students Engaged in Same-Sex Relationships

“…LGBTQ individuals and couples often seek help through counseling (Burckell & Goldfried, 2006), especially considering high rates of IPV in same-sex couples and college counseling clinics often serve LGBTQ individuals. Thus, the need exists to further disseminate knowledge of same-sex IPV based on organizational standards and ethical guidelines in counseling for the purpose of developing effective counseling treatment (Duke & Davidson, 2009).…”