How to counsel mental health fpr LGBT youth

Running head: PRACTICE PLAN

PRACTICE PLAN 3

Counseling Licensure Practice Plan

Practice Plan

The professional identity of mental health counselors is very important. Therefore, it is paramount that before anyone chooses a profession such as mental health counselor, they need to be level-headed, weigh all the available options for a while, and understand what is required of them. This paper is focused on a mental counselor for the LGBTQ population. The paper begins with a discussion on the historical background section, which covers the motivation and expected rewards for a mental counselor for the LGBTQ population and the historical developments on counseling for this group. Next, the paper explores the various mental health networks available for the LGBTQ population and identifies a specific professional niche for my practice. Fourth, the paper describes my plan for receiving post-masters clinical supervision and the professional community within the terms of reference of my case. Eventually, the document will identify several organizations that will facilitate the practice of mental health counselors.

Historical Background

Sexual orientation has never been a source of fear, distress, hate, or ridicule. However, with the continued growth of freedoms, various groups have emerged divergent from the conservative heterosexual. These people fall under the LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, and Pansexual) umbrella. There have been reports that indicate that they suffer from social stigma by most community members who identify as heterosexual. Thus, any other sexual orientation is wrong, a sin, or a curse. Counseling services are central to the LGBTQIA+ group as research that has been done shows that teens with this sexual orientation have a higher rate of suicidal thoughts (Baams, Grossman & Russell, 2015). The motives for suicide and self-harm are driven by the acts of discrimination they face from society. Ybarra and colleagues (2015) found that LGBT-identified teens were at higher risk of victimization and bullying in the community and were more likely to have thought about suicide than their heterosexual counterparts. The LGBTQIA+ community needs ongoing counseling due to repeated acts of discrimination. Sexual assault, physical and verbal bullying can lead to chronic stress and mental health deterioration (Akibar & Langroudi, 2021). Therefore, I am motivated to be available and provide counseling to members of the LGBTQIA+ group when they seek therapy.

The developments in mental health for the LGBTQIA+ group have been closely related to the legal and policy advancements related to recognition of the group in law. Several recent changes in the legal and political landscape have helped improve access to care and insurance for LGBT people and their families. These include the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the repeal of a large portion of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in the United States v. Windsor and the subsequent ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges to legalize same-sex marriages across the country (Kates et al., 2015). The ACA expands access to health insurance to millions, including LGBT people, and includes specific safeguards related to sexual orientation and gender identity. However, recent actions by the Trump administration have sought to reduce some of these benefits. The 2013 Supreme Court ruling on DOMA resulted in state recognition of same-sex marriages for the first time. It paved the way for recognition in many more states to recognize such marriages abroad, further expanding access and coverage throughout the country. Before the expansion of freedoms of same-sex marriages in the USA, there have been efforts to deliver mental health care by various healthcare facilities or healthcare professionals. Unfortunately, these efforts have always died out because of the lack of a legal framework to back the services. For instance, one of the first LGBT mental health centers in the US was the Eromin Center, which opened in 1973 in Philadelphia (Blackwood, 2019). Historically, LGBT people have struggled to find psychological care that did not treat sexual and gender norms deviations as signs of psychopathology. The authors show how Eromin’s proactive stance not only supported people in need of mental health care but also advanced a new model of LGBT affirmative clinical practice (Blackwood, 2019). The center closed in 1984, but it had made a crucial impact on the importance of counseling for the LGBT community.

Network and Practice

LGBTQIA+ persons primarily deal with depression, anxiety, and substance abuse because of the idea of coming out of the closet to their family and friends (Baams, Grossman & Russell, 2015). This points to the need for safe spaces where a member of the LGBTQIA+ group can get support in making the vital decision and planning for coming out of the closet. There are various services available for LGBT persons including, family therapy, couple therapy, domestic abuse counseling, individual therapy, and violence counseling, among others (“LGBTQI,” 2021). Various networks are available for LGBT persons. These include The American Psychological Association (APA), The Association of Gay and Lesbian Psychiatrists, the LGBT National Help centers, the Trevor Project, and the Family Acceptance Project, among others (“LGBTQI,” 2021).

With the growing acceptance of LGBT persons in the USA, especially after the legalization of same-sex marriages in 2013, the psychological challenges associated with being LGBT are less among the adults but more among the youth. Young LGBT persons experience depression, anxiety, substance abuse, suicidality, and eating disorders (Lothwell, Libby & Adelson, 2020). These factors are major causes of mortality and morbidity among the youth (Lothwell et al., 2020). Thus, in my practice, I would like to specialize in LGBT youths. Professional requirements as per the Occupational Outlook Handbook, I am required to have a Master’s Degree to practice as a Mental Health Counselor. According to O*NET, the skills required include critical thinking, social perceptiveness, and eloquent speaking. The average earning for a mental Health Counselor in my state in 2019 was $46,650 per year.

Supervision and Consultation

My plan for post-masters clinical supervision will be first to acquire a supervisor who meets the requirements described in Regulation 36-05(3). I plan to provide mental health counseling for a minimum of 1,500 hours either within or not less than two years. I will also target providing counseling to a diverse clientele, including individuals, families, couples, and groups, with at least 150 hours of counseling done in the supervisor’s presence (APA, 2014).

If I am confronted with challenges in my practice, I will undertake consultations with the various resources available in the field. These include (1) print materials through education, e.g., guidelines, available research, or precedence literature, and (2) fellow psychology professionals who are in my qualification level or rank higher, done through training, e.g., peer groups, or my supervisor (Clayton & Bongar, 1994). To ensure that consultation meets ethical and legal requirements, I will comply with client privacy requirements (APA, 2014; Clayton & Bongar, 1994) and ensure that any information gathered is not applied blatantly but as per the client’s needs.

Professional Organizations

There are various organizations for mental health professionals to join. These are available from the regional level to the national level. At the national level, the professional organizations available for mental health counselors include; the American Counseling Association (ACA), American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA), Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues in Counselling (ALGBTIC), and the American Psychological Association (APA). At the state level, some of the professional organizations include the Minnesota Psychological Association (MPA), Minnesota Career Development Association (MCDA), Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy, and the Minnesota School Counselor Association (MSCA). Based on the internet research conducted using Google.com for this paper, there was no regional professional organization for mental health counselors identified.