Understanding Different Types Of LGBTQ Counseling NY

By Steven Cooper


When living an alternative lifestyle, individuals often face a lot of judgement. As a result, many often turn to LGBTQ Counseling NY for support. When needing to do so, The Center, a local LGBTQ community center in New York can often be a great resource.

New York has a number of gay affirmative psychotherapists working in and outside The Center. It should be noted that while this is the case, there are others whom are not supportive and only work to motivate individuals to live a heterosexual lifestyle, even if the individual has desires for same-sex partners. As such, it is important to know what type of counseling a counselor provides before making an appointment.

Individuals looking for a counselor to assist with self-acceptance of the authentic self need to look for those working in and with the community. For, these individuals use a form of psychotherapy which is designed specifically for those dealing with and living alternative lifestyles. As such, these individuals often have more knowledge, insight and experience in the area.

While conversion therapy is designed to modify the sexual orientation of an individual, affirmative therapies work to overcome the stigma and homophobia associated with the lifestyle. For, while originally believed to have been related to a mental illness, research has shown otherwise. As a result, the Psychological Association of America now works to help therapists treat these individuals in a positive and compassionate way.

One of the most important aspects an individual can learn from this type of program is that bisexuality and homosexuality are not related to mental illness. For, science has proved that there are genes related to individuals which relate to the lifestyle. In fact, as many of these individuals have issues with anxiety and depression, science has shown that acceptance of the authentic self can often benefit in recovering from anxiety and depression as well as alcoholism and substance abuse.

Individuals from families with intense religious beliefs are often the focus of conversion therapies. While this is the case, it is important that the individual understand the process. For, in most cases, even after having gone through this therapy, many return to a LGBTQ lifestyle. As such, it is important that a great deal of thought and contemplation take place before entering this type of treatment.

While the fields of psychiatry and psychology had focused on homosexual tendencies being related to a mental illness over the last 100 years, times are different. In fact, current guidelines encourage therapists to assist clients in overcoming the bigotry, discrimination, hatred, homophobia and biases which too often effect those living a LGBTQ+ lifestyle. For, there have been a number of studies which prove that homosexuality and bisexuality identities are as valid as that of an heterosexual identity.

Promoting acceptance and self-worth while encouraging therapists to study issues related to coming out are now priorities of the APA and other medical associations. For, it can often be obvious that an individual has an attraction to others of the same-sex yet difficult to come out. For, while many LGBTQ+ individuals have recently found freedoms not had in the past, there are those in the U. S. Government and elsewhere which are now backtracking many of those freedoms.




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