Counseling For LGBTQ+ With Empower Counseling.
For any LGBTQ+ person reading this, it will surely come as no surprise that LGBTQ+ persons
experience much higher rates of mental health issues than many other populations. The stress
of coming out, trying to cope with discrimination, learning what their true self is, and many other
obstacles they face often leads to much higher rates of anxiety and depression. There also
tends to be higher rates of unhealthy coping strategies to deal with said stressors, such as
substance abuse and dissociation. What this means is that LGBTQ+ individuals have
a greater need for counseling services so they can learn better ways to cope with what life is
throwing at them and a safe place to vent their stress so they can learn to process what they’ve
been through. Below are three common issues LGBTQ+ clients seek help for in counseling and
how Empower Counseling can help you deal with them!
Counseling for LGBTQ+ with empower counseling
Anxiety
Members of the LGBTQ+ community are at a much higher risk to experience anxiety in their life
than their CIS/Hetero counterparts. Anxiety often develops as a response to trauma or chronic
high levels of stress, which unfortunately LGBTQ+ persons are much more likely to experience.
Whether it be from harassment, the stress of coming out to family, or struggling to find your
self-identity; there are numerous ways that anxiety can develop over time.. In counseling we
work on changing how we look our anxious thoughts and work on addressing the underlying
causes of it. If you have been through something that has left you with anxiety, or if you have
experienced it your whole life, it might be time to seek professional help that can teach you how
to cope with anxiety and eventually experience it less.
Depression
Depression is another mental health issue that LGBTQ+ individuals experience at a much
higher rate than other groups. As mentioned above this can develop as a response to the many
life stressors that LGBTQ+ persons experience. When depression can feel overwhelming, like
there is no point to trying to help ourselves and no energy to do it, it is important to reach out to
others for help and make sure we do not isolate. If you are reading this and experiencing this
right now, think about reaching out to someone close to you and let them know what you are
going through. It may also be time to seek professional help that can teach you ways to push
through depression and lessen its grip on you.
Dissociation
When a person is dissociating they feel like they are disconnected from themselves, from their
thoughts or body. It is something that happens to us when we are under extreme stress or
experiencing traumatic events, and unfortunately it is something that many LGBTQ+ individuals
report experiencing at some point. It can feel like you are stepping out of your body or like you
have lost a period of time. If it is not addressed it can develop into a habit that happens more
and more frequently, often in inopportune moments. In therapy I work with clients to teach them
groudning techniques to bring them back to themselves, as well as help them process andaddress the things they have been through so they do not feel such a strong urge to avoid what
they’ve been through. If this is something you experience it can be a sign of much more serious
mental health concerns that you should see a professional to help you through.
If you are struggling, reach out to Adam at Empower Counseling for help with any of the above issues.
Kathryn, Adam, and Kristine of Empower Counseling are all trained in Acceptance Commitment Therapy for Anxiety, Depression, and difficult life transitions. ACT is a scientifically proven effective form of anxiety counseling and depression therapy. We offer in-person and online therapy for adults, college students, and teens. If you are struggling with addiction issues, Adam is a certified addiction counselor as well.
Contact Empower today 205-730-6570
Written by Adam Elliott