Individuals who are gay, lesbian, or bisexual sometimes have no distress about their sexual orientation in itself, but often will seek a mental health therapist to work through issues as they relate to every day life and being homosexual in nature. These issues are often the same ones that heterosexuals struggle with such as relationships, family, finance, and work related challenges. However, there are unique aspects of being gay, lesbian, or bisexual which the heterosexual counterpart doesn’t experience in the same ways due to their sexual orientation, which sometimes prompt the necessity of talk therapy or counseling by a licensed clinical social worker or other type of mental health professional.

Additionally, even though cultural acceptance of diverse sexual and romantic orientations and gender identifications is growing, there are unique issues that pose challenges for LGBTQ+ people, such as oppression, discrimination, and marginalization; coming out to one’s family, and sorting out a genuine sense of identity. Over the decades, the more widely acknowledged and socially accepted nature of society also has presented newer challenges to the younger age groups at school level age where bullying, and other harsh negative attitudes tend to present themselves.

Although research shows that there is the potential for higher levels of mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, many of the stresses and worries experienced by those within the LGBTQ+ family are often the same types of issues in which others, whether homosexual, heterosexual or other persons identifying as a specific gender, struggle. Examples include such things as setting healthy boundaries, financial challenges, living in a pandemic, stress at work or school, or dealing with unexpected change.

LQBTQ+ issues are complex in such different ways that it is common for many individuals to seek help in sorting things out. Many times, these types of sexual orientation and gender related issues lead to confusion, questions, and a general overall distress which may result in additional struggles with anxiety, acceptance, depression, and other types of issues people often seek counseling for.

While sexual orientation is thought of as it relates more to the gay, lesbian, and bisexual community, there is a subgroup within the LGBTQ+ community whom identify as or with a variety of more diverse gender identities, such as transgendered, intersex, male, female, binary, pansexual, and others whom identify with gender identities which fall in between or outside of the traditional gender specific identities of strictly male or female. In addition to gender specific concerns, some may also have a range of different sexual orientation concerns to work out along with their gender identity. Many of these issues are often confusing to persons who are in the process of figuring themselves out or transitioning into the gender identification of themselves since this sub-group, but group of people included with the blanket term of the “LGBTQ+” community, often faces unique issues which relate to both gender identity and sexual orientation.

Along with the struggles of common everyday life issues, there is an added layer or layers which involve more in depth concepts as they relate to gender identity and societal or cultural beliefs and sometimes include sexual orientation, as well. For example, sometimes there is an internal “mismatch” between how one feels inside about their assigned gender and/or in the instances of lesbian, gay, and/or bisexual individuals the societal pressures generate issues related to what society believes these traditional sexual orientation roles ought to be verses a conflict what an individual may be genetically predispositioned to or feels.

Finding a qualified mental health professional who has experience and familiarity with the unique challenges that members of the LGBTQIA community often face can be critical to achieving mental health goals. As a licensed clinical social worker and therapist for over 25 years, Kristine has worked with many individuals in the LGBTQ+ community. If you or someone you care about could benefit from some support through your current life challenges, reach out to Kristine by calling 321-280-9120. She offers a free 15-minute consultation to answer any questions you may have before you begin work together.

As a licensed therapist with private practice in DeLand, Florida and St. Joseph, Michigan the option of online counseling is available to anyone who lives in the states of Michigan and Florida. In person counseling is available as well as the option of online therapy.

Whatever your preference may be – in person counseling or online counseling – reach out to discover which is the best fit for you and your journey.

Click here to make an appointment.

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