Counseling and LGBT Population (Research Paper Sample)

Counseling and LGBT Population Student’s Name Institution Course Title Professor Date Walker, J. A., & Prince, T. (2010). Training Considerations and Suggested Counseling Interventions for LGBT Individuals. Journal of LGBT Issues in Counseling, 4(1), 2 - 17. doi:10.1080/15538600903552756 Despite the improved societal acceptance of the LGBT community in the modern society, there still exists numerous challenges. Their will to open up about their orientation remains a difficult choice, especially among the youth due to subsequent the discrimination that might follow. Multiple factors in the society appear to work against the LGBT community causing them both psychological and mental unrest in their day to day activities. In places where there is no acknowledgment and support of the existence of homosexuals, they are subjected to discriminative treatment through legislative initiatives aimed at limiting the rights of the LGBT society. The apparent disregard by institutions such as organized religious bodies that discourage homosexuality and bisexuality people in the community all act to cause a considerable amount of torture to these individuals. While counseling services are essential in helping the individuals, concerns have risen indicating that the counselors do not possess the requisite training on attending to LGBT clients. The counselors either fill inadequate or incapable to handle this group of customers or lack the self-awareness and knowledge on the issues affecting LGBT individuals. As such, there is an evident need to adequately equip counselors dealing with LGBT individuals to advance their skills and aid in better service to their clients – without prejudice and discrimination. This professional void calls for the creation of a robust model and strategy to cover all issues affecting the LGBT society. Counselor educators are obliged to equip their students with the required skills and awareness that enable productive working with the LGBT individuals. On the same note, transgender counselors must inform themselves about the gender identity aspects and the standards of care essential in serving their transgender clients. It is crucial that counselors continue to pay close attention to all emerging issues affecting this area of study for continuous improvement of their knowledge and ability to approach the LGBT issues in the community. Falender, C. A., Shafranske, E. P., & Falicov, C. J. (2014). Multiculturalism and Diversity in Clinical Supervision: A Competency-Based Approach. Washington, D.C: American Psychological Association. doi:10.1037/14370-009 Though research shows an increase in the number of lesbian, gay and bisexuals (LGB) continuously seeking the assistance of couple and family therapists (CPT), the majority of the therapists do not feel competent enough to deal with such clients. CPT training programs take the blame for the failure to provide adequate preparation to the students by failing to incorporate the LGB affirmative training practices associated with students’ clinical competence with LGB clients. This failure to train students on important LGB issues leaves the clients exposed and vulnerable to prejudice and biases of the therapists. CPT training is encouraged to be more practical, exposing the students to real LGB matters and providing a guideline on how to best relate to them. The practical approach is a substantial improvement to the current literature-based teaching. Above teaching, the students should be encouraged to change their personal approach to issues touching their clients. Through an open approach, the students will attain an awareness of the unconscious biases held against the LGB population and the assumptions on their sexual orientation. It is also important that CPT students understand the concept of heterosexual Privilege and its influence on the therapy process. The scholars should be made aware of the negative impact that living in a heterosexist society has on the lives and relationships of LGB individuals, couples, and families. Studies carried out to assess the effectiveness of the LGB affirmative approach provides valuable insights implying the significance of improving the competence of the students in handling their clients. Further, studies on the effectiveness of using LGB affirmative therapy in teaching, provide empirical support to show it improves the competence of the students in working with their LGB clients. Bidell, M. P. (2013). Addressing Disparities: The Impact of a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Graduate Counselling Course. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 13(4), 300 - 307. doi:10.1080/14733145.2012.741139 The numerous mental and psychological trauma challenges faced by the LGBT society highlight the need to provide counseling for this segment of the community. The professional counselors who should offer such services, however, have low levels of competence in handling these issues attributing it to lack of adequate training. More studies should be conducted on the improvement of the aptitude of these counselors to meet the increased demand for their services among the LGBT population. LGBT affirmative counselor training is essential in equipping the students with the necessary skills and improving the competence of the students in dealing with LGBT clients. Although there have been several training modalities including workshops and attitudinal explorations, there is a need to go beyond these methods and empirically evaluate the impact of the courses developed for LGBT population approach. In the psychology profession, it is highly unethical to purposely not improve on the competence of the LGBT counselors. From this article, it clearly comes out that the use of a multicultural approach provides valuable exposure to different cultures and ethnicities, and broadens the understanding of LGBT population hence improving the competence of the counselor. Use of experimental activities and assignments, as well as the use of speakers, was attributed to the improvements realized in the skills of the students. The use of such training techniques gave the students an experience of the LGBT community providing numerous prospects to learn and feel competent on utilizing LGBT counseling skills. Subsequently, crucial that counselors and psychotherapists adopt particular clinical skills, knowledge, and awareness as part of providing well-informed services to clients. Halpert, S. C., Reinhardt, B., & Toohey, M. J. (2007). Affirmative Clinical Supervision. In K. J. Bieschke, R. M. Perez, & K. A. DeBord, Handbook of Counseling and Psychotherapy With Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Clients (pp. 341 - 357). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. doi:10.1037/11482-014 Affirmative supervision is a theoretical framework that is anticipated to supplement and to be used consistently with the supervisor’s existing theoretical models. LGBT affirmative guidance approach has its foundation in the belief that all genders are equally valid. According to the Pett model of affirmative control, there should exist respect of each other’s sexuality – supervisor and supervisee – it is the duty of the administrator to affirm the sexuality of their clients. There is an emphasis on the need to create awareness of the homophobia experienced by LGBT population. In the Bruss developmental model, it is important to assess – using the eight domains – the strengths and the weaknesses of the supervisee as well as identifying their developmental levels as they are important in the determination of their ability to productively work with LGBT clients. In Buhrke’s Conflictual Situation Model, he examines the extremes of working with homophobia. In the model, it is necessary for both the supervisor and supervisee to disclose their sexual orientation as a measure to facilitate working out their differences and creation of a healthy working relationship. In case the supervisor is simultaneously LGBT and homophobic, it might be detrimental to the relationship with their supervisee and clients. The supervisor will be reluctant to disclose their sexual orientation and would not support the supervisee to do so. Such a deliberate non-disclosure will highlight the LGBT sexual orientation as evil and unacceptable even within professional psychology circles. Affirmative supervision is essential in developing therapists that are competent enough to handle LGBT clients without bias or prejudice. There should be continued evaluation and improvements of all the theoretical and practical models to ensure that the attainment of affirmative supervision. Case, K. A., & Meier, S. C. (2014). Developing Allies to Transgender and Gender-Nonconforming Youth: Training for Counselors and Educators. Journal of LGBT Youth, 11, 62 - 82. doi:10.1080/19361653.2014.840764 Studies reveal that most education systems fail to produce well-trained practitioners with the required competence to handle the needs of the transgender population especially the youth. This scenario underlines the necessity to provide counselors’ training in more advanced education levels. Due to the increased harassment of the transgender youth, there is a need to have more trained people that are willing to associate with them and have a better understanding of handling the issues affecting these youth. In the creation of a healthy learning environment for transgender students, counselors and educators must start by gaining the trust of the administrators, to help improve their academic performances. Given the pivotal role played by teachers and other school personnel in ensuring the safety of LGBT students, they should be continuously trained in handling these students. Use of workshops to prepare the allies...