In honor of Pride Month, I wanted to call attention to the LGBTQ+ experience and how it relates to mental health concerns and treatment. As a counselor who works with people in the LGBTQ+ community, and as someone who is part of this community myself, I have yet to meet another from this community who has not experienced adversity along the way. What do we, as a community, know about these experiences?
The adolescent years are full of confusion in terms of finding who you are. Adolescents not only face internal challenges of assessing their own values and interests but also have the pressure of fitting in with their peers and feeling accepted. One area that an increasing number of adolescents are exploring today is their sexual and gender identity. As a parent, this can stir up an array of different emotions, and you may not know how best to help your child through this time in their life.