The role of the mental health professional during coming out (Reading)
- The main point is not to presume one’s sexual orientation or gender identity, but to ask how they identify and which terms they use.
- For mental health professionals working with LGBTI+ person for the first time, it is good to find support and supervision from LGBTQI+ informed colleagues.
- Carefully examine potential risks of timing and the decision to whom and in which context coming out takes place.
- Get familiar with current models of identity development and coming out – these can help understand clients better, also can be helpful in pointing out to them that they are not alone with their experiences.
- Mental health professionals should also be competent in finding out whether their client represses their sexuality or gender identity due to social oppression.
- Also “hold lightly” these theoretical models and know that every journey of coming out is very different.
- Take into account the client’s age, religion, intersectional identities, cultural, racial/ethnical and political context.
- Restrain from pushing the client out of the closet if they’re not ready: they can only support clients along the process and decision to eventually self-disclose.
