Do No Harm: Mental Health Professionals and LGBTQ+ Patients

HealthcareMental healthLGBTQ

Apr 8

Written By Carys Mullins

The first time I spoke with a professional about my mental health was in elementary school. A school counselor was supporting my brother and me through my parent’s divorce.

I do not remember much of the experience except for the exercise the counselor had me do.

I drew pictures and talked.

Did it help? Maybe.

But we are not here to discuss the effectiveness of coloring Hello Kitty pictures while discussing the concept of divorce with a seven-year-old.

We are here to talk about how therapy and mental health services, in general, serve (or fail to service) LGBTQIA+ people. Today, you will also see how mental health professionals are at the forefront of making a monumental change in how the system functions.

By the end, I hope you realize what more they, and all of us, could be doing to protect LGBTQIA+ mental health equality.

Beyond the Degree

Therapists, psychologists, MHPs, and psychiatrists must help their clients improve, protect, or maintain their mental health.

These professionals serve us by using what they learned about clinical psychology in years of schooling, reading, and practical experience.

Examples of subjects often taught to these professionals include neuroscience, psychology, research methods, ethics, and best practices. However, the actual classes vary depending on the specific field of study.

Nevertheless, ethics and best practices are a part of most medical and counseling degrees.

If providers are coached on diverse populations and balancing values with clinical judgment, why are so many failing the LGBTQ+ population?

Well, it is likely because LGBTQIA+ populations are often left out of academic research. Even when the community is included, middle-class, white, able-bodied, gay men are disproportionately represented.

Like the straight and cisgender community, we are not defined by white men. We are also BIPOC, Asian, Native American, lower-income, and disabled.

The small quantities of quality LGBTQIA+ focused studies represent a heteronormative climate in clinical research.

As stated in a book authored by Dr. Jane Ussher:
“The assumption of heterosexuality …is an insidious practice which acts to make LGBTQ individuals invisible.”

While there are efforts to increase LGBTQIA-specific research and training within Universities in the future, there simply is not enough at this time. Last week I spoke with Dr. Gary Howell. He mentioned how many colleges lack enough training in this area.

While some people make a difference by teaching courses, seminars, and training, many are not. This adversely affects the abilities of students once they become mental health professionals. The efforts of the LGBTQIA+ rights movement may change this significantly in the future.

However, for now, we must deal with the current situation.

Advocates’ role is to spread awareness of the need for change and how it can be implemented.

The role of mental health professionals is to teach themselves the proper way to treat and approach LGBTQIA+ patients.

Not learning it in school is not an excuse for ignorance.

There are many resources for MHPs to learn about LGBTQIA+ mental health disparities, recommended best practices, and issues. The APA also offers suggested but not enforced best practices for professionals to take advantage of.

Additionally, organizations like NAMI, The Trevor Project, and the Human Rights Campaign offer free information on the subject. Other methods include books, podcasts, online webinars, or official research studies.

I do all of these things, yet I am not an MHP.

I am a blogger, podcaster, and pansexual eighteen-year-old with mental health issues.

If I can find the time and will to study these topics, I guarantee it will not hurt real experts to do the same.

Knowledge into Action

Knowing the information needed to best support LGBTQIA+ mental health patients is not enough. Practitioners must know how to put that knowledge to use effectively. This is where a lot of trial and error may occur.

That is okay.

It is better to try and mess up than to not try at all.

For mistakes like misgendering or assuming sexuality, just apologize and move forward with the new information.

A way to avoid making these mistakes is to ask questions before making blanket assumptions. Perhaps a therapist could include an area on their pre-appointment paperwork where people can indicate pronouns and sexuality.

This takes out the guesswork and avoids unnecessary upset. It also shows prospective patients that the therapist respects their identity.
Patients may also feel more comfortable going to that specific therapist. A simple form question can help LGBTQIA+ people feel safe and comfortable in mental health spaces.

Historically and currently, LGBTQIA+ people avoid or delay healthcare out of fear of discrimination. The highest avoidance rates are seen among transgender people.

A study by Rainbow Health found that 23% of transgender people refused to see a doctor out of fear of facing discrimination.

Mental health professionals can help lower these rates by making big and small changes to their practices. A form question would be a small change.

For large changes, a psychologist may offer group sessions for LGBTQ+ patients. Another way practitioners can make a sizable impact is by becoming advocates for change.

They have authority, connections, and insider abilities in the mental health industry that common folks do not.

Attending conferences, writing letters to representatives to push for equality-affirming legislation, and volunteering their services with LGBTQIA+ organizations are all ways to make a substantial difference.

Overall, there are plenty of routes mental health professionals can take to fight for LGBTQIA+ mental health equality.

There is no excuse for practitioners who do nothing that does not entail plain bigotry.

If hate stops a provider, the solution is for us to overpower that hate with courage and love. If a provider is not hateful but fears failure or overstepping, this quote sums up the solution: