Most parents don't expect that their child will identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. Whether parents are experiencing a sense of loss, are struggling with personal and/or religious beliefs, or unsure what comes next, therapists can be crucial to the process of moving towards acceptance. This training covers best practices, current research, and experiences of families as they moved towards acceptance of LGBTQ children of all ages.
Learning objectives: 1. Participants will be able to identify the differences between and effects of accepting behavior and rejecting behavior in families towards LGBTQ family members. 2. Participants will be able to identify strategies for meeting families where they are and supporting them to build acceptance to their LGBTQ family member. 3. Participants will be able to identify coping skills for LGBTQ people with rejecting or unsupportive families.
Melissa MacNish, MA, LMHC, is an independent mental health clinician at a collaboration of health professionals at The Meeting Point. Melissa is a member of the American Counseling Association, the American Family Therapy Academy, Massachusetts Mental Health Counseling Association and World Professional Association of Transgender Health.