LGBTQIA+
All clinicians at Protea Wellness have special training and experience working with LGBTQIA+ clients, including those at various stages of coming out and gender transition.
We have a separate section for this population, because we believe it is important for you to understand that although you will still have to teach us about your personal, individual life, you will not have to teach Protea Wellness clinicians about LGBTQIA+ issues or the oppressions faced by this community, both from within and from the outside. Click these links to learn more about our work with individuals and relationships, regardless of sexual or gender identity, or relationship structure. Click these links to learn more about our work with LGBTQIA+ youth & families.
Working together with your clinician at Protea Wellness, we might work on:
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Exploring your sexuality identity, including (but definitely not limited to): lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, demisexual, demiromantic, asexual, or aromantic
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Exploring your gender, including (but definitely not limited to): transgender, two-spirit (for Native American clients), gender non-conforming, non-binary, gender fluid, or agender
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Coming out to family, friends, schools, work, or partners as LGBTQIA+
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Exploring societal, institutionalized, and internalized oppressions associated with being LGBTQIA+
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Preparing for the experience of medical gender transition, of yourself or a loved one
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Writing letters of support for medical gender transition.
When working with transgender adults, Protea Wellness clinicians use an Informed Consent model and work with you at a pace that makes sense for you. We are familiar with various standards of care including WPATH and ICATH, and have experience collaborating with clients in navigating these models within health, mental health, and other systems. For more information on an Informed Consent model see the ICATH website.