Finding Safety, Building Community, and Providing Hope: The Creation of Pride Healing Center

Abstract

Pride Healing Center (PHC), a trauma-informed specialty clinic for the LGBTQ+ community, opened its doors at Long Island University Post on January 22, 2017. Following the tragic shooting in Orlando at Pulse nightclub and the shift in our political climate, many LGBTQ+ community members were left scared to be themselves and feeling unsafe in their communities. This is when members of the nationally recognized Trauma Response and Research Team at Post decided to act. With the help of local and national experts on trauma and LGBTQ+ cultural competency, student leaders worked to create a space where members of the LGBTQ+ community would feel welcome and their voices would be heard. Each decision from the name to the marketing materials, treatment modalities, and training of clinicians was carefully considered in an effort to ensure both cultural competency and a high level of trauma services. Now in its infancy, Pride Healing Center continues to grow in clientele, community partnerships, and recognition. The PHC continually hears how safe it feels for clients to be themselves in this space. Readers will benefit from a conversation about the creation and development of this clinic, the benefits of trauma-informed treatment for the LGBTQ+ community, and how to take steps toward cultural competency in their own practices.

Appendices

Appendices

Appendix A

PHC Training Plan (Used with permission of the Pride Healing Center)

Watch the following five videos/webinars:

(Accessible through http://www.lgbthealtheducation.org/topic/behavioral-health/ and http://www.apa.org/apags/governance/subcommittees/lgbt-training.aspx)

• Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Mental Health in Children and Adolescents (1 h)

• Behavioral Healthcare for Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual People (1 hr.)

• Mental Health Care and Assessment of Transgender Adults (59 min)

• Working on Shame with Sexual Minority Clients (10 min)

• Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Microaggressions in Clinical Settings (18 min)

Choose one of the following:

• Structural Stigma and the Health of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Populations (1 h)

• Providing Care for Addictions in the LGBT Community (1 h)

• Same Sex Domestic Violence: Considerations, Suggestions, and Resources (58 min)

Visit three of the following websites:

• http://www.hrc.org/

• http://www.thetrevorproject.org/

• http://www.wpath.org/

• http://www.transequality.org/

• http://www.transpeoplespeak.org/

Read three of the following:

• APA Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Clients

• APA Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Transgender and Gender Nonconforming People

• Lesbian and Gay Parenting

• Human Rights Campaign – National Coming Out Day Youth Report

• Human Rights Campaign  – Supporting and Caring for our Gender Expansive Youth Report

Appendix B

PHC Training Plan (Used with permission of the Pride Healing Center)

Thank you for your interest in the PHC! We are thrilled you have decided to take part in this exciting new opportunity, and we can’t wait to see what successes and challenges the PHC will present for each of you.

The training protocol will take approximately 15–20 h to complete. We recognize that this is a large time commitment. However, we feel that as a training clinic, it is important to ensure that we, as clinicians, are well versed in the current literature and cultural issues for this population.

Prior to the start of the training, you will be asked to take two self-report measures, which will assess your own attitudes and feelings of competency in working with members of the LGBTQ+ community. Throughout the training, you will be asked to complete five training modules. At the completion of each training module, you will complete a post-test to assess your understanding of the material. After completing the entire training, you will take the two self-report measures again.

All of the training materials you will need, including readings, as well as links to the websites are included in a Dropbox folder (titled PHC Materials) so that you can easily access them. Before getting started please carefully read all of the instructions. You will notice there are several different tasks you are asked to complete.

Training Instructions : The goal of this training is for you to begin to think about your own motivations for working at the PHC, to better understand cultural bias that this community faces (even in therapy settings), and to begin to think about how to approach working with gender and sexual minorities to meet their unique needs. This means thinking critically about yourself and your implicit and explicit biases as you work through this process. It’s ok, we all have them, now is the time to explore them! As you watch, look, and read – think about how each of these things resonates with you, what you are learning, and how it is impacting you.

Videos : Watch each video with a critical eye. What did you learn? What resonated with you? What questions do you still have? What left you feeling uncertain or left you feeling like you might not be able to do it yourself?

To watch the webinars, you will need to access the following websites:

• http://www.lgbthealtheducation.org/topic/behavioral-health/

  • On the Fenway Health website, you’ll be asked to create a login in order to watch the videos. This is completely free.

    • (All of the webinars are located under the Behavioral Health topic should you happen to navigate away from the page and can’t locate the videos.)

• http://www.apa.org/apags/governance/subcommittees/lgbt-training.aspx

  • The shorter length videos (10 min, 18 min, and 21 min) are located on this website.

Websites : Unless otherwise noted , look through each website as if you were choosing what sites you might recommend to a future client. What makes this website a good choice? What makes it not so good? What questions are you left with? What resources are offered here? How might this be useful to a particular client/population? Think and look critically.

Readings: Each reading was selected for a different reason, some to provide clinical skills, others to educate you about unique aspects of LGBTQ+ culture, and so on. Think critically about what you are reading. What did you learn? What resonated with you? What questions do you still have? What left you feeling uncertain or left you feeling like you might not be able to do it yourself?

Feel free to watch the videos, look at websites, and do the readings in any order that you like as long as you complete each piece before moving on to the post-test for the module. Upon completion of all materials in the module, self-study participants should contact Rae Egbert for access to your post-test. Group study participants will be given access to the post-test on the day marked on their group calendar.

Please reach out with any questions or concerns . We are here to help!!

Module #1: Introduction/Issues Facing the LGBTQ+ Community

(Approximate time to complete 4–5 h)

Videos

• Structural Stigma and the Health of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Populations (1 h)

• Addressing Social Determinants of Health for LGBTQ People (58 min)

• Intersectionalities in Psychology: Intersections of Race, Sexual Orientation and Gender (21 min)

• Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Microaggressions in Clinical Settings (18 min)

Websites

• http://www.hrc.org/

• https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/

  • Take the Transgender Implicit Association Test and the Sexuality Implicit Association Test – Think about your results. What do you think they say about you? What do they mean to you? How do they influence how you view the world ?

Readings

• Mental Health Care for LGBT People (Fenway Guide to LGBT Health, 2nd Edition, Chap. 9)

• Self-Discovery: A Toolbox to Help Clinicians Communicate with Clarity, Curiosity, Creativity, and Compassion (Fenway Guide to LGBT Health, 2nd Edition, Chap. 15)

• Obama Administration Record for the LGBT Community

Module #2: Youth

(Approximate time to complete 3–4 h)

Videos

• Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Mental Health in Children and Adolescents (1 h)

• Obesity, Feeding and Eating Disorders, and Body Dysmorphic Disorder Among LGBTQ Youth (1 h)

• Out Proud Families – Proud mom videos series (early years, elementary years, middle and high school years) (17 min). http://www.outproudfamilies.com/?page_id=25

Readings

• GLSEN – The 2015 National School Climate Survey: The experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth in our nation’s schools

• Human Rights Campaign – 2018 Youth Report

• LGBTQ Youth of Color: Discipline Disparities, School Push-Out, and the School-to-Prison Pipeline

Websites

• https://www.thetrevorproject.org/

• http://wearetheyouth.org/

• http://youth.gov/youth-topics/lgbtq-youth

Module #3: Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Adults

(Approximate time to complete 2–2.5 h)

Videos

• Behavioral Healthcare for Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual People (1 h)

• Working on Shame with Sexual Minority Clients (10 min)

Readings

• APA Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Clients

• Lesbian and Gay Parenting

Module #4: Transgender Youth and Adults

(Approximate time to complete 4–5 h)

Videos

• Transgender Competence in the Clinical Setting (90 min)

• Mental Health Care and Assessment of Transgender Adults (59 min)

Readings

• APA Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Transgender and Gender Nonconforming People

• Human Rights Campaign – Supporting and Caring for our Gender Expansive Youth Report

• Non-binary Gender Identities Fact Sheet

• Why Support for Trans Youth Matters

• Why Trans People Need More Visibility

Websites

• https://www.wpath.org/

• https://transequality.org/

• http://www.transpeoplespeak.org/

Module #5: Special Topics

(Approximate time to complete 3–4 h)

Videos

• Providing Care for Addictions in the LGBT Community (1 h)

• Same Sex Domestic Violence: Considerations, Suggestions, and Resources (58 min)

Readings

• Sexual Health of LGBTQ People (Fenway Guide to LGBT Health, 2nd Edition, Chapter 12)

• LGBT Relationships and Family Lives (Fenway Guide to LGBT Health, 2nd Edition, Chapter 6)

  Answers to Your Questions about Individuals with Intersex Conditions

Appendix C

PHC Training Plan  – Group Format (Used with Permission of the Pride Healing Center)

There will be approximately 2 weeks between each module. You will be emailed the module post-test 24 h before our group meeting, and you will have until 11:59 pm on the day of our group meeting to submit the test. Group meetings will be held on Thursdays, and we will vote as a group on the time. Each group will last 90 min. While it would be easiest to try and remain consistent on the day/time, I understand that we may need to be flexible in order to best meet the needs of the group. You may attend the group in person or via web conference (if you are out of town, etc.).

Module #1: Introduction/Issues Facing the LGBTQ+ Community

(Approximate time to complete 4–5 h)

Group meeting 6/14

Time TBA (90 min)

Module post-test emailed on 6/13 – must be submitted by 11:59 pm on 6/14

Module #2: Youth

(Approximate time to complete 3–4 h)

Group meeting 6/28

Time TBA (90 min)

Module post-test emailed on 6/27 – must be submitted by 11:59 pm on 6/28

Module #3: Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Adults

(Approximate time to complete 2–2.5 h)

Group meeting 7/12

Time TBA (90 min)

Module post-test emailed on 7/11 – must be submitted by 11:59 pm on 7/12

Module #4: Transgender Youth and Adults

(Approximate time to complete 4–5 h)

Group meeting 7/26

Time TBA (90 min)

Module post-test emailed on 7/25 – must be submitted by 11:59 pm on 7/26

Module #5: Special Topics

(Approximate time to complete 3–4 h)

Group meeting 8/9

Time TBA (90 min)

Module post-test emailed on 8/8 – must be submitted by 11:59 pm on 8/9

Appendix D

PHC Training Plan  – Module 1 Post-Test (Used with permission of the Pride Healing Center)

• 1. Please talk about what you learned in this module about issues facing gender and sexual minorities. Did anything surprise you? Are there still lingering questions left unanswered? (approximately 500 words)

• 2. What was your experience of the Transgender Implicit Association Test and the Sexuality Implicit Association Test? Briefly describe.

• 3. How do you think you will be able to apply the information you learned in this module to potential clients you may see in the PHC next year? Think about what you learned and how you might integrate it in to practice . (approximately 300 words)