I'm pretty sure I want to switch therapists to someone who specializes in LGBTQ issues. The issue is I'm still under my parent's insurance and my mom is real nosey and would probably look up whoever I go to. I guess I don't really have a problem telling my parents I'm questioning as my sister is already out as bi and they're fine with it. I just don't know how to have the conversation or if I should even bring it up.
Have you brought this up with your current therapist? Are you assuming they aren't well versed, or do you know they aren't well versed? Perhaps you don't need to switch at all.
I have brought up that I'm questioning and I didn't get the feeling that I really connected with him on the issue. Not that he's never dealt with it with other patients before, but I don't think he's ever dealt with it himself which for some reason matters to me. I'm also switching because I'd prefer to have a female therapist.
Well then all your mother needs to know is that you'd rather work with a female. If that female happens to be gay, I'm not sure how your mother would know.
For what it's worth, I know some truly gifted and amazing therapists who are outstanding with LGBT issues who are not, themselves, LGBT. I also know some godawful therapists who are gays or lesbians. So a given therapist's orientation doesn't in itself have *any* correlation to their ability to relate and empathize if they are a talented therapist with experience in whatever your issues are. Much more important is the theoretical orientation (i.e., what type of therapy framework they use). For people with LGBT issues, someone who is insight, psychodynamic, or humanistically based will have much better success than a therapist whose orientation is cognitive-behavioral any day, in my opinion. It might be worthwhile to ask your therapist what his orientation is, as if you like that style, it would make sense to find a female therapist with the same style. But I think the most important thing is to find a therapist you connect with. It does make sense to work with a female therapist if that's what you feel would be more comfortable; there are different transference and countertransference issues that come about with different sex therapists, so it is actually a good idea to work with both male and female therapists during your time in therapy if possible. So I think it's perfectly reasonable to tell your mom you'd rather see a female therapist, and I don't think it will raise any suspicion.
Yeah, I guess I over-thought it. My thought was that I don't want to limit myself from going to a center or practice that specializes in LGBTQ issues something like that. But I could still just say the name of the therapist I see and not give her anymore info. Thanks ---------- Post added 14th Oct 2011 at 04:33 PM ---------- Chip, thanks for the input. I don't know much about styles of therapy beyond what I learned in a high school class, so it's good to have some practical input.
