Recommended ACA Resources for Assisting LGBTQ+ Clients

• Affirming all shades of the rainbow
• The use of evidence-based practices with oppressed populations
• Promoting LGBTQ students’ well-being in schools
• In search of an affirming faith
• Conversion therapy: Learning to love myself again
• Comic books as a bridge to healing
• Fertile grounds for bullying
• A systemic perspective for working with same-sex parents
• License to deny services
• Embracing the ongoing push for progress
• Beyond LGB
• Partners in transition
  

Competencies

ALGBTIC Competencies for Counseling LGBQIQA Individuals. June 2012
The aim of these competencies is to provide a framework for creating safe, supportive, and caring relationships with LGBQIQA individuals, groups, and communities that foster self-acceptance and personal, social, emotional, and relational development.

ALGBTIC Competencies for Counseling Transgender Clients. September 2009
This document contains suggested competencies for use in counseling with transgender clients. These competencies are geared toward professionally trained counselors who work with transgender individuals, families, groups, or communities.

Practice Briefs

Practice Briefs are research-based summaries of best practices, evidence-based practices, and research-based approaches covering a wide variety of client-presenting issues and counseling topics.

Practice Brief: LGBTQQ - Affirmative Counseling 12/2014

Other ACA Resources

Counseling LGBTQ Adults Throughout the Life Span is a training and conceptual guide that can supplement the literature and practice knowledge for those working with adults who identify as a member of the LGBTQ community. The guide is a compilation of experiences of many professional counselors, counselor educators, counseling supervisors, and leaders in the counseling profession, and it is hoped that the guide will illuminate the diverse views within the adult developmental process as it pertains to issues of mental health, life satisfaction, and a focus on the uniqueness of the LGBTQ adult population.

Roland, C. B., & Burlew, L. D. (Eds.). (2017). Counseling LGBTQ adults throughout the life span.

Online Courses

Developing Competence in Working With LBGTQI+ Communities: Awareness, Knowledge, Skills, and Action
Speakers: Misty M. Ginicola, PhD, Joel M. Filmore, EdD, Cheri Smith, PhD, Professor

Serving the Needs of the LGBTQ Clients: The State of Civil Rights Protections in Schools and the Workplace; Advocating for LGBTQ Students and Clients
Speakers:Amy Zavadil, Ph.D., NCC

De Opresso Liber, Part II: Counseling and Advocating for Trans* Military Service Members During Uncertain Times
Speakers: Deanna N. Cor, PhD, Megan J. Doughty Shaine, PhD

Identity Development of South Asian Same-Sex Attracted Women: Implications for Counseling
Speaker: Surinder Bal, PhD, LPC, NCC

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Youth: Family Acceptance and Emotional Development
Speaker:Julie Basulto, MA in Marriage and Family Therapy

Transgender- Moving from Awareness to Advocacy
Speaker:Rebecca Smith, LPC, CPCS

Ethical and Legal Considerations: Complicated Issues in Challenging Times
Speaker: Stephanie F. Dailey, EdD

Resiliency Factors of Trans-College Students: Implications for Professional Counselors and Higher Education Professionals
Speakers:Jane E. Rheineck, PhD, Matthew Lonski

If You See Something, Say Something: Responding to Student and Supervisee Microaggressions
Speaker(s): Anita A. Neuer, PhD, John F. Marszalek, PhD, Kevin C. Snow, PhD, Mary Aab, LPC

An Affirmative Approach in Evaluating and Recommending Candidates for Gender Transition
Speaker: Varunee Faii Sangganjanavanich, PhD

ACA Partner Resources

The 2018 LGBTQ Youth Report. The HRC Foundation and the University of Connecticut released the largest-of-its-kind survey of more than 12,000 LGBTQ teenagers across the nation, revealing in distressing detail the persistent challenges so many of them face going about their daily lives at home, at school, and in their communities.
Human Rights Campaign (2018). 2018 LGBTQ youth report. Retrieved from
https://assets2.hrc.org/files/assets/resources/2018-YouthReport-0514-Final.pdf 

 ACA290 - Queer People of Color
Adrienne N. Erby, PhD, NCC and Christian D. Chan, MA, NCC

The presenters discuss Queer People of Color and Intersectionality Issues in Counseling. Dr. Erby and Mr. Chan explain the history of the term “queer people of color” and offer practical suggestions to help counselors better assist clients with unique experiences and cultural identities. Assessment, minority stress, suggestions to help clients and the concept of intersectionality are defined. Finally, the presenters offer suggestions to explore the cultural context as a way for counselors to understand the needs of their clients.

 ACA283 - Group Counseling with LGBTQI Persons
Kristopher M. Goodrich, PhD and Melissa Luke, PhD

Where does sexual/affectual identity and gender expression intersect? The authors discuss terms that may be new to some listeners. Group work appears to be a modality that is effective for LGBTQI persons. The authors discuss why that is the case. Ethical considerations are also discussed, along with the disclosure and "coming out."

ACA and the HRC Foundation offer an educational initiative designed to empower counselors serving the LGBTQ community. This series of free online learning modules focuses on critical skills and insights in counseling LGBTQ youth and young adults on college-and-career readiness concerns.

“The true success is seeing so many counselors committed to helping the LGBTQ community. We are thrilled counselors are taking advantage of this free resource," Dr. Lynn E. Linde, ACA Chief Knowledge and Learning said.

Click here to learn more or register.

In recent years ACA Governing Council has adopted a number of resolution and advocacy statements in support of the LGBTQ+ community.

Approved Advocacy Statement for Transgender and Nonbinary Issues and Concerns - March 25-27, 2019
The American Counseling Association (ACA) is committed to nondiscrimination and prevention of harassment in all forms (verbal, physical, sexual, emotional, and psychological), including protections for all diverse groups including protections for transgender and nonbinary individuals. ACA recognizes the stress and psychological impact of discrimination and is committed to helping counselors advocate for nondiscrimination policies and practices in their schools, colleges/universities, clinical mental health settings, communities, and in the nation. ACA encourages counselors to utilize the American Counseling Association Competencies for Counseling with Transgender Clients, the ACA Advocacy Competencies and the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies when working with individuals, their families, and the organizational institutions that are impacted.

Resolution on Reparative Therapy/Conversion Therapy/Sexual Orientation Change Efforts (SOCE) as a Significant and Serious Violation of the ACA Code of Ethics - December 19, 2017

Facilitating Mental Health Support for LGBT Forced Migrants: A Qualitative Inquiry

This article describes the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) forced migrants, who are often fleeing countries where mental illness and being a sexual or gender minority are stigmatized. These LGBT refugees arrive in host countries with persecution-related mental health problems, and they require affirmative counselors who understand the barriers they face as well as the intersection of gender, race, ethnicity, culture, class, and migration processes.

Kahn, S., Alessi, E. J., Kim, H., Woolner, L., & Olivieri, C. J. (2018). Facilitating mental health support for LGBT forced migrants: A qualitative inquiry. Journal of Counseling & Development, 96(3), 316–326.

The Counseling Experiences of Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Clients

The counseling experiences of 13 transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) individuals were examined in semistructured, in‐depth interviews. Implications for implementing culturally responsive TGNC affirmative counseling, TGNC sensitive counselor training, and social justice–oriented research are discussed.

McCullough, R., Dispenza, F., Parker, L. K., Viehl, C. J., Chang, C. Y., & Murphy, T. M. (2017). The counseling experiences of transgender and gender nonconforming clients. Journal of Counseling & Development, 95(4), 423-434.

Assessing the Intersectionality of Religious and Sexual Identities During the Coming-Out Process
The authors of this article explored the intersectional challenges that religious lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals face during their coming-out journeys. The Traffic Light Framework for Intersection of Sexual Identity and Religious Development is then proposed to help counselors assess and work with LGB clients.

Shurts, W. M., Kooyman, L., Rogers, R. C., & Burlew, L. (2020). Assessing the intersectionality of religious and sexual identities during the coming-out process. Counseling and Values, 65(1), 15–37.

Counselor Empathy; Religiosity; and Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Perspectives 
Values‐based conflicts, such as between counselor religiosity and ability to work with lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) clients, can present a challenge for counselors seeking to provide ethical, competent care. The authors of this study examined the relationships between counselor religiosity, empathy, and LGB perspectives, as well as the potential mediating effects of empathy on values conflicts.

Bayne, H. B., Conley, A. H., & Colburn, A. N. (2020). Counselor empathy; religiosity; and lesbian, gay, and bisexual perspectives. Counseling and Values, 65(1), 57–74.

Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) in Transgender Communities: The Need for Trans‐Competent SUD Counselors and Facilities 

This article provides a lens for viewing transgender clients and demonstrates the need for trans‐competent SUD counseling through a case illustration.

Oberheim, S. Tyler; DePue, M. Kristina; Hagedorn, W. Bryce. (2017) Substance use disorders (SUDS) in transgender communities: The need for trans‐competent SUD counselors and facilities. Journal of Addictions & Offender Counseling, 38(4), 33-47.