Championing LGBTQ+ Experience as a Psychological Practitioner

Date: Thursday 28th March 2024

Time: 09:15am - 10:30am

Following the success of our first event in November 2023, the widely requested second PWP Community of Practice’s ‘Championing LGBTQ+…’ Event took place last Thursday morning. The richness of discussion flowed thanks to the diverse group of Clinical Psychologists, Counsellors, MHWPs, PWPs, MHWP Course Leads and Assistant Psychologists present from across the Southeast.

Facilitated by myself and my fellow SCFT LGBTQ+ Champion, Danni Cooper-Evans (she/her), and proudly joined by Expert By Experience, Beth Dudley (she/her), this discussion was punctuated by two valuable questions:

1. What kind of worries or barriers might an LGBTQ+ person face when referring to a Talking Therapies service?​
2. What is in our power as Psychological Practitioners to promote LGBTQ+ affirmative care?​

Approaching these first in breakout rooms, exploration commenced into important factors that may barrier LGBTQ+ service-users such as a lack of LGBTQ+ friendly visibility in therapeutic spaces, fears of therapist judgement or ignorance, plus the potential disregarding or pathologising of LGBTQ+ identities. This fluently led to considerations to reassure or empower LGBTQ+ service-users by advocating for LGBTQ+ training as Psychological Practitioners and approaching uncertainty with curiosity and compassion rather than fear.

Breakout rooms returned to the main space for a wider discussion to share ideas, stimulating a rich and uplifting conversation around the aforementioned topics. With particular attention paid to how to promote LGBTQ+ affirmative care, attendees shared their takeaways from the event that they aim to take forward in their respective services. It was empowering to hear of ideas for actionable change to improve the experience of psychological therapies for the LGBTQ+ community, ranging from campaigned to increase the font size of pronouns on ID badges to petitioning for LGBTQ+ affirmative staff training.

It was inspiring to witness everyone’s dedication to the provision the effective and empowering support for the LGBTQ+ community and staff.

Many thanks to those who attended and contributed so passionately – we look forward to our next ‘Championing LGBTQ+…’ event on Thursday 13^th June 2024 09:15-10:30, where we are proudly joined by Professor Allán Laville for a talk on the upcoming LGBTQ+ Positive Practice Guide set to release this Spring.

Verity Sutcliffe (They/Them)

Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner 

LGBTQ+ Champion