“We have to be visible. We are not ashamed of who we are.” -Sylvia Rivera
As Pride parades take place across the country this weekend, the staff at Restoring Wellness Clinical Services want to wish our LGBTQ+ community a wonderful and safe celebration. We recognize the importance of this weekend to commemorate the events of the Stonewall uprising and renew our focus on the work we have ahead of us to build an equitable and affirming society.
With over 20 million people identifying as part of the LGBTQ+ community in the US, all of us have a role in creating welcoming homes, schools, and businesses. The effects of social stigma and discrimination on the LGBTQ+ community are profound: over 40% of LGBTQ+ youth seriously considered suicide in the past year and LGBTQ+ people of all ages are more than 2.5x more likely to experience mental health problems than heterosexual cisgender counterparts. We know that having affirming support at home and in school is one of the most important protective factors against the mental health impacts of navigating a society with anti-LGBT+ legislation, attitudes, and policies. We’ve included a few resources for folks who identify within this community and for those who act as allies.
Resources for the LGBTQ+ Community:
- LGBT National Youth Talkline: 800-246-7743
- Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860
- Inclusive Therapists: https://www.inclusivetherapists.com/
Resources for LGBTQ+ Allies:
- PFLAG: www.pflag.org
- Human Rights Campaign: https://www.hrc.org/get-involved
- A Guide to Understanding Gender Identity Terms: https://www.npr.org/2021/06/02/996319297/gender-identity-pronouns-expression-guide-lgbtq
Restoring Wellness Clinical Services is dedicated to providing accessible services to people from all genders and sexual orientations. Dr. Andrea Graves and Dr. Melissa Heinemann are proud to be PSYPACT licensed and can provide affirming care across 40 States. We are happy to provide additional resources or discuss scheduling with an affirming provider for therapy and/or gender-related documentation needs. Happy Pride!!
About the Author: Dr. Melissa Heinemann, Psy.D. provides individual psychotherapy for adolescents through adults using an integrative, evidence-based approach as well as comprehensive psychological assessments across the lifespan. In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Heinemann serves as the Training Director at Restoring Wellness Clinical Services where she supervises doctoral psychology students as they learn to provide thorough psychological assessments and effective psychotherapy.