PRIDE in Mental Health
June is awareness for many organizations which include Pride for the LGBTQ+ community. Pride was created as a platform to celebrate living open, authentic lives while commemorating historic achievements and bringing awareness to ongoing struggles that the LGBTQ+ population faces. Approximately, 4.5% of people in the US belong to this community population. Of those individuals, 39% reported having a mental illness which roughly equates to 5.8 million people seeking mental health services.
How to support LGBTQ+ mental health
Not every provider is supportive, knowledgeable, or capable of working with the LGBTQ+ population, so ensuring members of the community seek out the right provider can be a big help when choosing care for your mental health. While Montana may have some barriers to care, knowing your healthcare provider is an ally can ease some of the anxiety that comes from starting care with someone new.
The individual aspects of the LGBTQ+ community are often lumped together under one umbrella of care, when care is considered at all. However, each group faces their own unique challenges, rates of mental illness, and experiences with separate and overlapping challenges regarding their mental health.
Here are 5 steps you can take to ensure your provider is able to support your individual needs:
What are you looking for?
If you would like your caregiver to be a member of your community, many providers LGBTQ+ status are listed in their profiles or websites.
Are you looking for LGBTQ+ specialists, baseline competency, sexual orientation and/or gender identity?
Get Referrals
Ask your insurance for a list of specialists or competent professionals.
Ask local LGBTQ+ members, community groups and centers, or affirming places of worship. Often the best care providers are given by members who have utilized their services themselves.
Call
If you are nervous or have concerns about being misgendered, ask a family member or friend to make the call for you.
Asking if the provider has experience with your community or is comfortable with LGBTQ+ patients can also help you feel comfortable and save time during your visit.
Ask
You should not have to be the sole educator for your provider regarding your identity. Some questions you can ask in your appointment may include the provider’s experience working with people that identify similarly as you, experiences with the LGBTQ+ community, and any specific training or certification that relate to working with LGBTQ+ clients.
Asking if the provider offers conversion therapy or reparative therapy and how they feel about that specific practice may help with avoiding practitioners that are focused on changing a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity by providing harmful and discredited practices.
Build a Relationship
Remember that you are seeking a provider to help improve your overall health and wellbeing. Do not be afraid to state your needs and ask many questions.
If you are seeking assistance as an LGBTQ+ community member, here are some resources to help get you started:
For the Transgender Community: Trans Lifeline - 877-565-8860
For LGBTQ+ Youth: LGBT National Youth Talkline - 1-800-246-7743
For LGBTQ+ Adults: LGBT National Hotline - 1-888-843-4564
How to support as an ally
Sometimes it can feel overwhelming to show a family member, friend, or even a coworker that is part of the LGBTQ+ community that you are a safe person. According to a study in 2023, an ally should be accepting (“They make people feel safe and supported”), take action (“They advocate for the group, raise awareness, and defend the group”), and have humility (“They are a good listener; they are open to correction; they are willing to learn”).
Some helpful ways you can show your support this month include:
Mirroring the individual’s language and how someone describes themselves. Be open to new ideas and terms and learn about what has changed and why it matters.
Introduce yourself with pronouns or add them to your email signature or display names. This makes it easier for others to do the same.
Take your lead from the person so you are not “outing” or drawing attention to someone’s sexuality or gender identity that they are not comfortable with or wanting.
Call out behavior that is homophobic, biphobic, or transphobic.
Use inclusive language like “partner” or “friends and guests” to avoid assuming someone’s gender or sexuality. Remember, you can always politely ask how someone would like to be addressed if you are unsure.
Demonstrate your support by contacting political leaders about issues affecting LGBTQ+ people, donating, signing petitions, or volunteering your services in other ways.
Educate yourself- it is not the responsibility of LGBTQ+ people to teach you something that you can learn for yourself.
Show out- come to a workplace event, attend awareness seminars, join a Pride part, or add a symbol or flag to your office to show your support.
“There’s nothing more beautiful and powerful than someone who chooses to be themselves”.
This article is written by:
Audrey Blake, Pre-Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor
Supervised by: Lital Diament, MA LMFT #56973