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MN LGBT Therapists Network News
January 2012 20+ years of LGBT-friendly mental health networking
vol. V, Issue 1 First, I want to open the newsletter by saying, HAPPY NEW YEAR! Like many of you, I have set some resolutions for the year, and am hoping to retain them past the first few weeks of the New Year!
One of my resolutions is to ensure that the newsletter continues to be a helpful resource for inspiration and information for our members. As such, I would love to get some feedback on what YOU want to hear and read about. What are some topics that you would like to have as a focus for an upcoming newsletter? Are there trainings that you would like to have?
As always, I would love to hear more from our members and to have some of you reach out and share some information on who you are and what you do as our featured member so that we can strengthen our network and have a better understanding of the resources that are out there for our clients. I can be contacted at 320-583-0145 or via email.
Lastly, please know that we are now on Facebook – take a moment to visit us, like us, and become our friend!
Groups & Classes
Please see our website for a full listing of groups.
1.) Health Interventions for Men (HIM): The HIM Program is a sexual health program for men who have sex with men. Provides education about safer sex practices, risk for HIV/STD infection, positive sexual attitudes, healthy man-to-man relationships, eroticizing condoms and lube, up-to-date HIV/STD information, dating and personal boundaries. Programs and support groups include between men discussion group and men's monthly drop-in discussion group and a married men's program for men married to women who are also attracted to men. Gay and bisexual men can contact the HIM Program to schedule an appointment for the rapid HIV test and/or a syphilis screening with results available in less than an hour for the HIV test and in about a week for the syphilis test. For more information about HIM, call 612-348-9100 or visit www.himprogram.org. Additional syphilis information is available at www.stopsyphilisnow.org.
CAPS: Care Access and Prevention Services. Support for those newly diagnosed with HIV infection, connections to social services and HIV counseling and HIV testing by appointment, call 612-348-3307. Positive Perspectives support group meets weekly and is open to anyone living with HIV.
2.) It's so important to Source Within – to anchor oneself in the Heart. Take a small break from your day & connect to this essential part of yourself. Next class begins Tuesday, January 10th 12:30 - 1:30 pm. Call 952.922.1848 with any questions or to Register.
*Please pass along to others who may be interested.
*Ask about other Lunch-hour classes available.
Mind-Body Psychotherapy & Healing - Transformative Therapy for Children, Adolescents, Adults & Couples
Susan Broadwell, MA, PsyD
4601 Excelsior Blvd, Suite 339
St Louis Park, MN 55416
952.922.1848
MindBodyTherapyMN.com
Susan@MindBodyTherapyMN.com
January Focus: Historical Trauma and Discrimination in Therapy & in Our Community Recently, scholars have begun to conceptualize oppressive experiences as traumatic events and have advocated that categories of traumatic events be expanded to include experiences of oppression that do not meet the traditional diagnostic criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While many of us in the community have lived through a variety of oppressive experiences and varying degrees of trauma from bullying, discrimination and violence, the significance of this has been either down-played or overlooked in society for a number of years. Only in the recent past have these issues come to light and are we looking at the significance of these types of events. To truly understand the concept of historical trauma and to be able to look at resilience is one of the greatest gifts that we can give to not only our clients – but to our community. I also strongly urge additional readings on bisexuality and persons of color – as these add additional layers of discrimination – sometimes even in our own community.
I have included some articles that highlight some of these issues:
The January 2012 cover article in Diversity Rules Magazine is "Question Authority", an interview with bisexual rapper, model and activist "Imani The Misfit".
Says Imani, "I really don't understand how its so hard to understand that a man can simultaneously be attracted to Usher in the same way he's attracted to Nicki Minaj. Anyone that believes that bisexuality doesn't exist is either in denial, or they have been miseducated about human sexuality . . . Scientific studies and research are now proving that bisexuality exists in humans as well as animals . . . Honestly, It’s an outrage that this issue of whether or not bisexuality exists is even debated among educated adults."
Read the full interview here (click 'Current Issue'):
* http://www.diversityrulesmagazine.com
* http://www.ifoldsflip.com/title/8558
New report highlights discrimination against bisexuals by both gays and straights
“From disbelief of existence, to the branding of “slut,” the “B” is often invisible in LGBT, according to the report. Bisexuals experience high rates of being ignored, discriminated against, demonized, or rendered invisible by both the heterosexual world and the lesbian and gay communities. Often, the entire sexual orientation is branded as invalid, immoral, or irrelevant….” Story to be read at: http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2011/03/new-report-highlights-discrimination-against-bisexuals-by-both-gays-and-straights
“Just getting out of bed is a revolutionary act”: The resilience of transgender people of color who have survived traumatic life events.
Singh, Anneliese A., University of Georgia, Athens, GA
Contact the author: asingh@uga.edu
Source: Traumatology, Vol 17(2), Sep, 2011. pp. 34-44
This article and many more can be found at: tmt.sagepub.com/content/current
This study was a phenomenological and feminist investigation of the resilience of transgender people of color who have experienced a wide range of traumatic life events (e.g., hate crimes, intimate partner violence, child sexual abuse). Eleven transgender people of color (6 African American, 3 Latino/a, 2 Multiracial) participated in semi-structured interviews (60-90 minutes each) exploring their expression of resilience in response to traumatic life events. Findings included six major themes common among all participants: (a) pride in one’s gender and ethnic/racial identity, (b) recognizing and negotiating gender and racial/ethnic oppression, (c) navigating relationships with family, (d) accessing health care and financial resources, (e) connecting with an activist transgender community of color, and (f) cultivating spirituality and hope for the future. Specific clinical and advocacy implications for trauma work with this group are provided
The impact of client sexual orientation and gender on clinical judgments and diagnosis of borderline personality disorder
Carter, C.E. & Goldfried, M.R. (2006).
Journal of Clinical Psychology, 62(6), 751-770.
This study attempted to address the issue regarding individuals who have difficulty coming out as gay or bisexual often get diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. 141 psychologists evaluated a client with problems resembling borderline personality disorder and sexual identity crisis. Results of this study revealed effect of sexual orientation for male clients, but not for female clients. Male clients who were perceived as gay or bisexual or with partners of unspecified gender were more likely diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. Therapists were more confident and willing to work with female clients. This study attempted to uncover how clients’ gender and sexual orientation influence therapists’ clinical judgments. Therapists’ bias may have contributed to the outcomes of this study.
This is a very interesting article to use in mental health to address issues around assessment, labeling and diagnosis, with emphasis on gender roles and sexual orientation as influential factors.
Gay & Bisexual Men’s Health: Stigma & Discrimination
Homophobia, stigma, and discrimination are social determinants of health that can affect physical and mental health, and outlines various issues as well as ways to minimize some of the effects.
Article can be read at: http://www.cdc.gov/msmhealth/stigma-and-discrimination.htm
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