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Northeast Health Services has convenient clinics located throughout Massachusetts.
LGBTQIA+ Mental Health
Finding the right mental health support as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community goes beyond just getting the right services.
At Northeast Health Services, we are committed to supporting the mental health needs of the LGBTQIA+ people in our communities. Our clinics are welcoming, inclusive spaces, and many of our providers are either in the community themselves or specifically trained to offer empathetic, knowledgeable support. Everyone should be confident that they will receive care in a place where they feel seen, respected, and understood from the very first visit.
What Does It Mean to Be LGBTQIA+?
Everyone has a gender identity and a sexual orientation: gender identity refers to your internal sense of being male, female, nonbinary, or gender diverse, while sexual orientation involves your attraction to the opposite sex, same sex, both, or neither. People under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella have some form of their gender expression or sexual identity that differ from being cisgender (aligning with your gender assigned at birth) or heterosexual (being attracted to the opposite sex).
The LGBTQIA+ initials stand for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (or Questioning), Intersex, and Asexual. We include the “+” because there are other forms of gender and sexual identity that should not be discounted or ignored, and our language for these identities is ever evolving.
Every year, 40% of LGBTQIA+ adults experience a mental health disorder (compared to 18% of adults overall)
The Importance of LGBTQIA+ Mental Health
Let’s be clear: Identifying as LGBTQIA+ or queer in any sense is not a mental illness or disorder, but people under this umbrella can experience mental health issues just like anyone else. Plus, queer people of all identities experience higher levels of trauma, rejection, and discrimination, which can lead to developing a mental health condition like depression, anxiety, or PTSD.
Here are some statistics regarding higher levels of mental health concerns among LGBTQA+ populations:
- Every year, 40% of LGBTQIA+ adults experience a mental health disorder (compared to 18% of adults overall)
- LGBTQIA+ youth are six times more at risk of experiencing symptoms of depression, and twice as likely to feel suicidal
- 90% of LGBTQIA+ teens and young adults said that anti-LGBTQIA+ laws, policies, and debates caused them stress and anxiety
- Transgender and nonbinary young people who wanted hormone replacement therapy but couldn’t get it were about twice as likely to attempt suicide compared to those would could
- 44% of transgender adults report recent suicidal ideation, and about a third also report problematic substance use
Northeast Health Services is dedicated to supporting your mental health. If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, we encourage you to reach out for immediate support by calling/texting the National Crisis Hotline at 988, contacting your local emergency services, or visiting your local emergency room.
"Inclusive mental health care is important because everyone deserves the opportunity to feel seen and heard without prejudice. Inclusivity allows clients to walk into a space and know that it is safe. The less energy people have to spend protecting themselves, the more energy they can spend healing and growing."
Risk Factors for LGBTQIA+ Mental Health
LGBTQIA+ people face higher levels of discrimination, trauma, and rejection. These outside factors contribute to higher levels of mental health concerns like depression, anxiety, and PTSD for those in the community.
Here are some of the risk factors queer people face that heighten their chance of a mental health condition:
- Trauma: LGBTQIA+ people face higher levels of hate crimes, bullying, and all forms of abuse, as well as other forms of discrimination. These events lead to higher levels of trauma and PTSD.
- Rejection: Many LGBTQIA+ individuals experience rejection upon coming out to their parents, family members, or social groups, causing devastating mental health impacts. Only 37% of LGBTQIA+ youth said their homes felt like affirming spaces to them in a 2022 report from The Trevor Project.
- Substance use: Many queer people turn to substance use to cope with the rejection and trauma they’ve experienced. Transgender individuals are about four time likelier to develop a substance use disorder compared to cisgender adults.
- Homelessness: Many queer youth and young adults experience homelessness after being kicked out by their families for their identity. They may face additional hardship, discrimination, or harassment in homeless shelters.
- Suicide: One in 10 LGBTQIA+ young people attempted suicide in the past year, as did 7% of transgender adults
- Inadequate healthcare (including mental health): About 8% of LGBTQIA+ people have reported being denied healthcare. That number jumps to 27% for transgender individuals. In mental healthcare, stigma, lack of sensitivity, and consciously ignoring or downplaying risk factors and identity can lead to ineffective care.
The Benefits of Queer-Inclusive Mental Health Care
Seeking treatment from mental health experts who are well versed in concerns specific to LGBTQIA+ individuals can help you untangle any potential harmful messaging you may have learned or trauma you might have experienced due to your identity. Plus, a skilled, experienced therapist could be instrumental in providing support and information if you’re currently unsure or questioning.
Or maybe you’re needing therapy for a completely separate concern, like a big life transition or loss. Seeing an affirming, educated therapist means they’ll already understand enough about your background that you won’t have to explain these pieces of your identity unless they’re relevant to what you’re seeking therapy for.
Here are some of the benefits of finding queer-affirming mental health care:
- Helps you feel free to open up right away knowing that you don’t have to educate your therapist on queer issues
- Allows you to feel validated and cared for with someone who is staying up-to-date on current social and political concerns
- Offers you a safe space to investigate and experiment with your own identity, providing resources if you’re still questioning
- Can help you untangle any internalized shame or stigma and move forward with confidence
- Builds resilience, helping you better cope with stress and adversity
- Even if you’re completely secure in your identity, know that, for whatever you’re wanting to address in therapy, you won’t have to re-hash or explain these parts of your identity if you don’t want to
- Be confident that you’ll see progress: studies show that affirmative therapy in conjunction with other evidence-based modalities has a higher success rate for LGBTQIA+ clients
Affirming Care Matters Beyond Your LGBTQIA+ Concerns
No matter what brings you to therapy, one of the strongest signs that it will work is whether you trust the person you’re working with. When you build a good rapport, it becomes far easier to open up and share what’s really on your mind. For queer people, knowing that your therapist already gets your identity removes one obstacle, so you can focus on the actual issues you came to address.
Maybe you’re working through a big life change, coping with grief, or dealing with something that has nothing to do with your identity at all. An affirming therapist already understands enough about your background that you won’t have to explain yourself from scratch. Then, that context only comes into play when it directly connects to what you’re working through.
Working With an LGBTQIA+ Affirming Therapist at NEHS
When you call one of our clinics as a new client or fill out the new client intake form, you can indicate that you would prefer to work with someone who has experience working with LGBTQIA+ populations. Our intake specialists will take all your concerns into account to match you with the provider who best suits your needs, including aspects of your identity.
Then, your first appointment with the therapist can be a good time to ensure that they’re a good fit for all your concerns, including being educated about and having experience working with the LGBTQIA+ population.
Questions to Ask in Your First Session
Think of your first session with a new therapist as a bit of an interview. They’ll ask questions about your background and what you’re coming to therapy for, and they’ll also give you a chance to ask questions and ensure it feels like a good fit. You should feel free to ask about any concerns you have regardless of what you’re coming to therapy for, as one of the keys to successful therapy is feeling like you can trust your therapist.
Here are several questions you could ask to ensure your therapist will be LGBTQIA+ affirming:
- What experience do you have working with LGBTQIA+ clients? Get a feel for what percentage of their current client base identifies as queer. If the answer is “none yet,” that isn’t necessarily a red flag, but see what they say next. Make sure they say out loud that it’s not your responsibility to educate them on queer issues.
- What specific training have you done to ensure you’re knowledgeable about LGBTQIA+ issues? This, again, puts the onus on them to do the work. So, even if they have little experience working with queer clients, knowing that they’ve taken a specific class or are doing the work on their own to learn more about queer identities and concerns.
- Can you give me examples of how you’ve supported queer clients in the past? Getting a clear example can give you a taste of what it could be like to work with this therapist and feel more comfortable sharing about the concerns you have.
- How do you stay up to date on systemic or political issues that impact queer mental health? This shows you that the therapist is consistently learning more, building personal compassion, and can help you respond to real-time issues as they arise.
- I struggle with ___, do you have experience with that? While you want to ensure that your therapist is queer affirming, you should also express what else you’re concerned about and guarantee they’re a good fit for all your concerns
- What’s your approach to therapy? What can I expect from sessions? Beyond being queer affirming, you should take this time to learn more about what sessions will look like and ensure that their approach makes sense for you.
- Are you trauma informed? What is your training and experience in trauma work? LGBTQIA+ people are more likely to have experienced trauma, so it’s important to make sure that your therapist has specific training in this area.
- Do you accept feedback from your clients? Before working with any therapist, you should make sure you feel comfortable sharing with them what’s working and what could be better. If you don’t trust your therapist and you can’t be honest with them, the therapy is less likely to be effective.
Finding LGBTQIA+ Care at NEHS
Every queer person is coming to therapy with different concerns, but many are looking for support due to trauma they’ve experienced or help untangling pieces of their identity. Many of our therapists and psychiatric providers have specific training and experience working with a diverse range of queer clients, and can help you feel supported as you seek healing.
Cost & Insurance Coverage
You deserve to find compassionate mental healthcare that doesn’t add another stressor to your life when thinking about cost. At NEHS, we are dedicated to connecting clients to care in a way that works for their individual needs. To best serve our neighbors, we are in-network with most major insurance companies, including Medicare and Medicaid.
External Resources
If you’re looking for more information and support, check out these resources:
FAQs
Why are LGBTQIA+ people more likely to have a mental health condition?
People with LGBTQIA+ identities can face social stigma and discrimination that heightens their risk of developing a mental health condition, like depression or anxiety, as a response. Unequal treatment, negative stereotyping, bullying, and marginalization are all more common for those with queer identities, leading to worse mental health outcomes.
What issues can LGBTQIA+ people have with mental healthcare?
Some LGBTQIA+ people have reported facing stigma and discrimination when seeking mental healthcare. While all major organizations have specific guidelines against discrimination, stigma, lack of cultural sensitivity, or reluctance to address sexuality or identity may lead to incomplete or ineffective mental healthcare.
What does LGBTQIA+ mean?
LGBTQIA stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, and asexual. The “+” represents the fact that our language around these identities are always expanding, and that there are other identities who should feel welcomed under the queer umbrella, including nonbinary, Two-Spirit, pansexual, etc.
Where can I find LGBTIA+ friendly therapists?
Most directories allow for therapists to add whether they are LGBTQIA+ affirming. Look for language in their “specialties” or “treatments” sections that specifically state working with LGBTQIA+ populations. If you’re interested in a therapist who doesn’t specifically mention their queer-affirming practices, it could be worth reaching out over email or phone call to see what experience they have before getting started. You can also look for inclusive language and LGBTQIA+ filters on mental health practice websites as an indication of inclusion and support.
Take Control of Your Mental Health Journey with Northeast Health Services
At Northeast Health Services, you can rest assured that our LGBTQIA+ therapy and counseling is person-centered, evidence-based, and tailored to your unique needs. Our team is trained to help you achieve optimal mental health and wellness through compassionate care, personalized treatment plans, and ongoing support. Call 508.794.8711 to learn more.
If you’re ready to take the next step in your mental health journey, reach out to our team of empathetic mental health care experts. For existing clients, please find your office location to contact your office directly.
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Opportunities
Are you interested in learning more about joining our team? Find information about our career opportunities by clicking the links below.