Dr. Hannah Roberts

Dr. Hannah Roberts · April 11, 2024 ·

Think You Want to Become a Therapist?

Go to Therapy!

“Understanding why people suffer,

how they change, and how to help them live satisfying lives

is a fascinating and important undertaking.”

~John & Rita Sommers-Flanagan

by Gavin Hannegan, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo undergraduate intern, supervised by Dr. Hannah Roberts

How can you tell if being a therapist is the right career path for you? Maybe you know that you want to help others through therapy. You might want to work with a specific population, or specialize in certain topics. Or maybe you’re interested in learning more about the vast diversity of mental health. Although these interests are great, they may not provide a full picture of all that therapists do. And Google searching may only give you half the story. If you’re thinking about becoming a therapist, one of the best resources to help you decide is to experience therapy for yourself. Therapy for future therapists can be a guiding force–even for your career! Here are some ways that therapy can equip you for your future endeavors into this helping profession.

The Skills You Learn Will Be Shared With Your Own Clients

Consider your own personal development throughout therapy. If you feel like you have made powerful strides towards becoming your better self, that is a good indicator that you can leave a positive impact on your future clients. Because each client has their own unique background, your clients may not respond to your self-care strategies in exactly the same ways. But there are some core components of personal development that both therapists and clients can help foster.

Take empathy, for instance. Empathy is a skill that can be strengthened in people over time just by having practice with identifying and responding to the emotions of others (van Berkhout & Malouff, 2015). Therapy for future therapists is an ideal place to develop these skills, whether you’re the client or the therapist. In this safe space, clients can talk about their relationship problems and learn where the emotions of a friend, partner, or family member may be coming from. Throughout their practice, therapists gain multicultural competence and learn how to connect with clients that may seem completely different from them. By practicing empathy yourself, you can become a model of empathy for others.

Another valuable skill is self-reflection. A quick check-in with yourself can go a long way. In one study, CBT trainees reported that engaging in self-reflective practices, such as writing about one’s experiences, improved their ability to function not only in their personal lives, but also in their clinical programs (Chigwedere et al., 2021). Self-reflective questions may look something like this:

“How has this new self-care strategy been working for me?”
“What are some ways I can help this client feel more comfortable during our sessions?”
“How can I hold more empathy towards this person in my life?”

Self-reflection allows you to be more present towards the people that you care about, including yourself. And like with empathy, this is a skill that is important for both clients and therapists. Set some time throughout your day to complete some of these check-ins and gain experience with self-reflection. If you do decide to become a therapist, you can use your own experiences to help develop self-reflective practices with your clients. We are constantly learning from others, so there’s no need to keep these skills a secret.

You Gain Direct Insight Into the Day-to-Day Life of a Therapist

Beyond just working with clients, consider what the working environment is like for a therapist. For those who attend therapy through a private practice, ask yourself if this is a setting that you would feel comfortable working at full- or part-time. Do you also feel comfortable meeting in-person or online? Also, think about the types of therapy techniques that you’ve been exposed to (CBT, mindfulness-based interventions, etc.) and whether there’s any particular one that you would feel confident practicing with clients. All of these questions may seem overwhelming at first, but the more therapy sessions you have, the more experience you’ll have to help you address these questions. Even if you’ve never worked in the field of mental health, you’ll still gain some familiarity with the environment. You may also need to consider aspects of the job that you may not directly see, such as taking session notes or promoting your practice. Additionally, you may be used to only one hour a week with your therapist, but keep in mind that therapists have to meet with multiple clients throughout the week.

If you still have questions about what being a therapist is like, you could ask your therapist, but do so sparingly. Although the focus of your therapy is on you, it’s common to want to know more about your therapist. Some clients feel more comfortable in the therapeutic relationship when their therapists allow their clients to feel curious or ask questions about them (González et al., 2022). Your therapist is a resource, and they want to support you. Just be aware that your therapist may not answer every question you have, or answer them as directly as someone like a career counselor would. Another option is to ask your therapist to connect you with someone who would be more willing to answer questions about the field.

Yes, Even Therapists Go to Therapy!

Our therapists are sometimes made out to be all-knowing beings that have the answers to every question. Or that they’re free from any sort of mental health concern because they are a therapist. But therapists, just like everyone else, can grow and develop into better versions of themselves. Hearing from your therapist directly that they also benefit from therapy can help you feel more comfortable with your therapist and may even reduce your own mental health symptoms (Levitt et al., 2015). Therapy needs to be demystified, and this transparency is one of the key ways that this can be achieved. This can be incredibly validating for clients and, over time, it reduces the stigma against mental health treatment.

Along with their personal lives, therapists also strive to become better at their jobs. Outside of a session, therapists may use “deliberate practice” to develop personalized strategies to hone their interpersonal skills. One study described the various forms that deliberate practice can take, which included:

Basic skill development such as listening and challenging clients
Relationship-based work such as establishing authenticity, and
Self-care exercises such as learning how to say no (McLeod, 2021).

It is unrealistic (and too stressful!) to aim for perfection while attending therapy. The same goes for therapists: you don’t need to be perfect to be a strong support system for your clients.

Each session you have with a therapist gives you more insight into what therapy is like and how to be an effective therapist. Your growth throughout your own therapy sessions can inspire your current and future clients, whether you’re just beginning your career or have been a therapist for decades. By healing yourself, you can heal those around you. Best of luck as you explore this rewarding field!

Have more questions or feel like you need supportive therapy? Schedule a session with one of our therapists today! You can schedule online here!

We hope you enjoyed this blog post! Have more topics you’d like us to blog about? Contact us and we’ll be sure to include your topic in a future post!

References

Chigwedere, C., Bennett-Levy, J., Fitzmaurice, B., & Donohoe, G. (2020). Personal practice in counselling and CBT trainees: The self-perceived impact of personal therapy and self-practice/self-reflection on personal and professional development. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, 50(5), 422-438. https://doi.org/10.1080/16506073.2020.1846608

González, J. M., Pérez-Rojas, A. E., Darby, M. E., & Marks, E. C. (2022). “Where have you been in this world?” A qualitative study of clients’ curiosity about their psychotherapists. Psychotherapy, 59(4), 572-583. https://doi.org/10.1037/pst0000451

Levitt, H. M., Minami, T., Greenspan, S. B., Puckett, J. A., Henretty, J. R., Reich, C. M., & Berman, J. S. (2015). How therapist self-disclosure relates to alliance and outcomes: A naturalistic study. Counseling Psychology Quarterly, 29(1), 7-28. https://doi.org/10.1080/09515070.2015.1090396

McLeod, J. (2021). How students use deliberate practice during the first stage of counsellor training. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 22(1), 207-218. https://doi.org/10.1002/capr.12397

van Berkhout, E. T. & Malouff, J. M. (2015). The efficacy of empathy training: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 63(1), 32-41. https://doi.org/10.1037/cou0000093

Dr. Hannah Roberts · April 4, 2024 ·

Accessing Therapy Beyond Crisis Situations

“When we are no longer able to change a situation,

we are challenged to change ourselves.”

~Viktor E. Frankl

by Gavin Hannegan, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo undergraduate intern, supervised by Dr. Hannah Roberts

There’s a misconception that therapy should be complete once you start “feeling better.” It’s important to recognize your progress, but there shouldn’t be a deadline to feel your best. Mental health is complex, and oftentimes, your progress doesn’t follow a linear fashion. One week, you might feel stable and secure, and then the next week, you might feel like you fell a few steps back. Don’t worry, these ups and downs are perfectly normal. But what if you’ve been “feeling better” for months, or even years? Or, what if you’ve never had a mental health crisis? Therapy can still be a valuable resource! No matter your background or previous experiences, you are deserving of this kind of care.

Here are 3 reasons for considering therapy beyond the context of a crisis:

#1: The Brain Doesn’t Function Properly While Under Distress

Chronic stress can make your body feel like it is in a never-ending fight-or-flight state. This is because of how chronic stress delays two important parts of the brain: the prefrontal cortex and the neurotransmitter GABA. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for processes such as cognitive planning and self-regulation, while GABA produces a calming effect meant to counteract stress. Because of these delays, traumas or other ongoing adversities can impair daily functioning. For example, those who experience such stressors have significant declines in working memory, a component of short-term memory that allows you to actively process information. As we age, our working memory skills decrease naturally, but chronic stress accelerates this process (Gandy et al., 2024). COVID-19 has contributed to global increases in chronic stress, which has subsequently produced similar accelerated aging effects in adolescents (Gotlib et al., 2022). Our bodies are not equipped to handle such extreme amounts of stress in small amounts of time, which can increase the risk of cognitive and health-related deficits.

Therapy can help us navigate these stressors by providing coping strategies. However, deficits in working memory impair the learning of these strategies, and delays in the prefrontal cortex and the firing of GABA impair the proper use of these strategies. This is not to say that therapy wouldn’t be helpful to someone actively experiencing a crisis. Rather, you don’t need a crisis to justify therapy. In fact, you might be more receptive to these strategies if they are learned before a crisis emerges.

#2: Therapy Can Be a Protective Measure Against Future Mental Health Crises

It’s never too early to consider therapy. We may not be able to predict when we will encounter another crisis, but we can take action to better prepare ourselves for one. This doesn’t mean that you need to be in therapy for the rest of your life. But attending therapy even when you feel stable can help you maintain that stability over time. One way that therapy operates as a maintenance tool is by teaching skills such as mindfulness, which can help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression (Eilert et al., 2021). Your therapist can work with you to develop mindfulness strategies that fit best for you. These can include daily affirmations, breathing exercises, or meditations. Additionally, compared to brief forms of therapy (~6 months), long-term therapy, which we often prefer at Thrive SLO (~3 years), is slightly more effective in reducing depressive symptoms and improving daily functioning (Knekt et al., 2016). For some individuals, short-term therapy may not be enough time to implement maintenance strategies and measure their effects, especially for those who are only focused on overcoming a chronic stressor. There isn’t necessarily an ideal length of therapy; it depends on the goals that you set with your therapist. You might have multiple short-term goals (e.g., wanting to be social at an upcoming party) or one overarching goal (e.g., adjusting to daily life after an unexpected loss). Each step you take towards reaching these goals can have a strong positive impact on your well-being, and the lessons you learn can be applied to new goals or concerns.

#3: Long-term Therapy Gives You More Time to Build an Alliance With Your Therapist

Another valuable aspect of therapy is that you have someone to talk to who knows you well. Someone who is unbiased, who recognizes your potential, and who encourages your personal growth. In one meta-analysis that reviewed over 30,000 therapy clients, the relationships those clients had with their therapists were consistently associated with positive outcomes such as symptom reduction (Flückiger et al., 2018). Your therapist can be a consistent form of support. Even having one such person in your life can make a difference.

As with many other kinds of relationships, though, it can take some time for you and your therapist to form a close bond. You may be hesitant to be vulnerable to a new person in your life, while your therapist has to adapt to your level of comfort with certain topics or situations. If you’re experiencing a crisis, then your typical responses to these topics may be exaggerated or distorted. You could be more on edge, less willing to disclose personal information, or you could be more likely to think irrationally. As a result, there could be misinterpretations between the two of you that can threaten the therapeutic alliance. By spending more time with your therapist, they will have more opportunities to learn about who you are outside the context of a crisis situation. Remember that crises are temporary, and the skills you develop with your therapist can help protect you not just against the crisis you’re currently facing, but also against many other future challenges. There is no concern too small for therapy.

Have more questions or feel like you need supportive therapy? Schedule a session with one of our therapists today! You can schedule online here!

We hope you enjoyed this blog post! Have more topics you’d like us to blog about? Contact us and we’ll be sure to include your topic in a future post!

References

Eilert, N., Wogan, R., Adegoke, A., Earley, C., Duffy, D., Enrique, A., Palacios, J., Timulak, L., & Richards, D. (2023). The relationship between posttherapeutic cognitive behavior therapy skills usage and follow-up outcomes of internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 79(1), 55-67. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.23403

Flückiger, C., Del Re, A. C., Wampold, B. E., & Horvath, A. O. (2018). The alliance in adult psychotherapy: A meta-analytic synthesis. Psychotherapy, 55(4), 316-340. https://doi.org/10.1037/pst0000172

Gandy, H. M., Holis, F., Hernandez, C. M., & McQuail, J. (2024). Aging or chronic stress impairs working memory and modules GABA and glutamate gene expression in prelimbic cortex. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2023.1306496

Gotlib, I. H., Miller, J. G., Borchers, L. R., Coury, S. M., Costello, L. A., Garcia, J. M., & Ho, T. C. (2023). Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and brain maturation in adolescents: Implications for analyzing longitudinal data. Biological Psychiatry Global Open Science, 3(4), 912-918. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpsgos.2022.11.002

Knekt, P., Virtala, E., Härkänen, T., Vaarama, M., Lehtonen, J., & Lindfors, O. (2016). The outcome of short- and long-term psychotherapy 10 years after start of treatment. Psychological Medicine, 46(6), 1175-1188. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291715002718

Dr. Hannah Roberts · March 28, 2024 ·

Why Therapy Is Important for College Students

“Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable.

When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary.”

~Fred Rogers

by Gavin Hannegan, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo undergraduate intern, supervised by Dr. Hannah Roberts

College life is exhilarating! You’re able to explore your passions and fine-tune what you want your career to look like. It’s a chance for new connections, new experiences, and newfound freedom. Sometimes, all of these new opportunities can feel overwhelming. They may create struggles or exacerbate those that were already present. Juggling everything that college life has to offer can be challenging, but you can always ask for help when you need it! Therapy can be a great resource to help you navigate this chapter of your life. For those who might be unfamiliar with therapy for college students, we wanted to address a few common concerns about therapy to help you feel more comfortable.

Why Would I Need Therapy?

The responsibilities of a college student can feel demanding. On top of academic obligations, you also may have to adjust to living away from home and paying for your own needs. Each of these factors have been linked to increases in depression, anxiety, and stress among college students. Certain types of college students are more likely to experience these increases, such as juniors who are not provided with as much school-based support as first-years or seniors (Beiter et al., 2015). Current students also had to transition from high school to college during the COVID-19 pandemic, a time period that substantially worsened students’ mental health concerns (Lee et al., 2021). Having such high levels of stress or anxiety can impair your ability to fulfill your duties as a college student. One study found that students with ongoing mental health problems saw a decrease in their GPA compared to those without these problems (Bruffaerts et al., 2018). When left untreated, mental health concerns can amplify the already stressful roles that college students have to fulfill. Therapy can provide you with tools to manage these responsibilities, while also offering self-care strategies to address the stress in life. For those of you who feel like they don’t need therapy yet, consider that therapy can also be a way to help you prepare against future stressful events.

Does therapy really work?

Yes, but it depends on the type of therapy you’re participating in and the strength of your relationship with your therapist. When thinking about scheduling an appointment with a new therapist, it is important to make sure that their practices are evidence-based. Examples of evidence-based therapy for college students at Thrive San Luis Obispo include:

Interpersonal Therapy
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Gestalt Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Mindfulness-Based Interventions
Behavioral Activation

Therapies that are supported through research tend to be more reliable than other types of clinical treatment. When participating in these treatments, many college students experience at least moderate reductions in symptoms of trauma, depression, or anxiety (Huang et al., 2018; McIndoo et al., 2016). Each of the Thrive SLO Therapists gives you a sense of the types of treatment they use on their profile in the Meet Us section. You can also email or talk to a therapist directly if you’re still unsure.

Successful therapy also requires active participation from both you and the therapist. This means that a therapist won’t necessarily tell you what to do, but will rather work with you to develop strategies that best fit your individual needs and level of comfort. Forming this relationship may take some time, and your ideal relationship may not be with the first therapist you meet with. Once this relationship is established, your therapist can help you feel satisfied with your treatment (McIndoo et al., 2016). Instead of asking, “What’s wrong with me?”, therapy often helps you answer the question of “How can I become my best self?”

I’m Nervous About Starting Therapy

That’s okay! You are not alone in your feelings. If you have some reservations about seeing a therapist, it could be helpful to reflect on where these feelings are coming from. Globally, college students underutilize forms of mental health treatment, with one study reporting that nearly 75% of college students would not use these resources even if they were experiencing clinical symptoms of depression or anxiety. Some of the most common reasons for not wanting to go to therapy include the desire to fix problems on one’s own and feeling embarrassed about therapy (Ebert et al., 2019). The stigma surrounding therapy for college students can feel intimidating, but know that you are still deserving of this care. You can address these feelings in the following ways:

Take a screening test to more accurately identify the next steps towards treatment.
Feel free to keep your relationship with therapy private for as long as you need.
Be honest with your therapist about your fears regarding therapy.

Allow yourself to feel what you need to feel at first. Know that your therapist is here to help you, and here at Thrive SLO, we specialize in working with college students. All of our therapists they have worked with hundreds of other college students who have experienced similar concerns. These nerves are healthy. Even considering therapy shows that you care about your well-being. Therapy doesn’t define your college experience; it helps you enjoy it.

Have more questions or feel like you need supportive therapy as a college or university student? Schedule a session with one of our therapists today! You can schedule online here!

We hope you enjoyed this blog post! Have more topics you’d like us to blog about? Contact us and we’ll be sure to include your topic in a future post!

References

Beiter, R., Nash, R., McCrady, M., Rhoades, D., Linscomb, M., Clarahan, M., & Sammut, S. (2015). The prevalence and correlates of depression, anxiety, and stress in a sample of college students. Journal of Affective Disorders, 173, 90-96. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2014.10.054

Bruffaerts, R., Mortier, P., Kiekens, G., Auerback, R. P., Cuijpers, P., Demyttenaere, K., Green, J. G., Nock, M. K., & Kessler, R. C. (2018). Mental health problems in college freshmen: Prevalence and academic functioning. Journal of Affective Disorders, 225, 97-103. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2017.07.044

Ebert, D. D., Mortier, P., Kaehlke, F., Bruffaerts, R., Baumeister, H., Auerback, R. P., Alonso, J., Vilagut, G., Martínez, K. U., Lochner, C., Cuijpers, P., Kuechler, A. M., Green, J., Hasking, P., Lapsley, C., Sampson, N. A., & Kessler, R. C. (2019). Barriers of mental health treatment utilization among first-year college students: First cross-national results from the WHO World Mental Health International College Student Initiative. International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research, 28(2), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1002/mpr.1782

Huang, J., Nigatu, Y. T., Smail-Crevier, R., Zhang, X., & Wang, J. (2018). Interventions for common mental health problems among university and college students: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 107, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2018.09.018

Lee, J., Jeong, H. J., & Kim, S. (2021). Stress, anxiety, and depression among undergraduate students during the COVID-19 pandemic and their use of mental health services. Innovative Higher Education, 46, 519-538. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-021-09552-y

McIndoo, C. C., File, A. A., Preddy, T., Clark, C. G., Hopko, D. R. (2016). Mindfulness-based therapy and behavioral activation: A randomized controlled trial with depressed college students. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 77, 118-128. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2015.12.012

Dr. Hannah Roberts · March 14, 2024 ·

Creating a Safe Space for LGBTQ+ People in Therapy

“It takes no compromise to give people their rights…

it takes no money to respect the individual.

It takes no political deal to give people freedom.

It takes no survey to remove repression.”

~Harvey Milk

by Gavin Hannegan, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo undergraduate intern, supervised by Dr. Hannah Roberts

Therapy can be an incredibly rewarding experience, so it is important to create a comfortable environment for your clients. For LGBTQ+ folk, it is even more important. The therapist-client relationship can offer a safe space for LGBTQ+ individuals to be able to freely express themselves without judgment. But this community may feel overwhelmed trying to find a therapist that affirms them. You might explicitly state that you welcome people of all backgrounds, which is a great start, but how can you follow this statement up with action?

Here, we will be offering a few tips to help you better affirm your LGBTQ+ clients. As you read, keep in mind that the process of building that trust with your client may take time. Some clients may be more receptive to you than others. But with enough time, the relationship you build with your LGBTQ+ clients can become a valuable resource for that community.

Be Open to Learn

A common misconception is that to be an LGBTQ-affirming therapist, you have to also identify as a member of the LGBTQ community, but practicing empathy with your clients can help bridge any gaps. One theme that emerged in interviews with SLO County residents who attended therapy is that positive experiences with therapists occurred when the therapist were willing to learn more about LGBTQ identities, regardless of if the therapist identified as LGBTQ or not (Bettergarcia et al., 2021). You might ask your clients some questions about their identities to better understand your perspective. Here are some examples:

“Tell me more about this.”
“I’m not sure I fully understand where you’re coming from. Could you help me understand?”
“What makes you feel most affirmed?”

Allow your clients to educate you too. They should feel comfortable enough to correct you and explain how that made them feel. However, it is not their job to teach you everything about how to effectively work with the LGBTQ+ population; you may need to do some homework and develop your knowledge outside of the session.

Actively Validate Their Identities

An active effort with your LGBTQ+ clients is key. In their research, Anzani et al. (2019) distinguish between passive forms of affirmation towards trans people (i.e., not using microaggressions) and active forms of affirmation (i.e., encouraging gender exploration). While both forms can be helpful, Anzani et al. (2019) recommend that therapists strive to be actively affirming in order to help their clients navigate the cisnormativity that exists within society. Active validation looks like:

Connecting your clients to local groups and resources
Using your client’s correct name and pronouns before, during, and after transitioning
Treating your client’s identities as normal and authentic

In other words, an affirming therapist should do more than the bare minimum. The work that you do with the LGBTQ+ population can create positive change both in and out of a session. Take some time to reflect on how you approach LGBTQ+ issues with your clients. Do you simply acknowledge homophobia or transphobia or do you work with your clients to develop tactics to combat these prejudices?

Treat Your Clients as Individuals, Rather Than as Representatives of A Group

The ways in which one client experiences their identities might not be the same ways that other queer folk experience their identities. If you generalize these experiences by saying something like, “All gay people experience…,” then that could harm your connection with your clients. Remember that the label of LGBTQ+ encompasses many different identities. In one survey, mental health clinicians reported that even though they might be affirming of lesbian, gay, and bisexual clients equally, they actually perceive themselves to be more competent when treating lesbian and gay clients compared to bisexual clients (Ebersole et al., 2018). Each of these distinct identities can bring unique experiences–on top of the unique experiences that each individual already has! If you feel unfamiliar with some of the identities within the LGBTQ+ label, it may be best to do some research on your own time. You can also ask your clients for clarification, but do this sparingly. You might also need to adopt a multicultural approach and to consider the interplay of multiple identities. Keefe et al. (2023) found that racial and ethnic minorities who also identified as LGBQ responded best to mental health programs that emphasized the minority stress model, compared to those that did not implement this model. In other words, racial and ethnic minorities may be subject to discrimination based on race and discrimination based on LGBTQ+ status, so you should account for each of these influences when they apply.

One last note: a client’s reasons for attending therapy might not even be related to their gender or sexual identity. While you should not outright ignore their identities, it may not be necessary to always attribute certain topics to their gender identity or sexual orientation. These identities are just a few aspects of who someone is. Remember that this is your journey, and you deserve to feel respected and affirmed in the ways that feel most comfortable to you.

Feel like you want your clients to have more information? Here’s a blog post that features the same tips, but directed specifically towards potential clients seeking LGBTQ-affirming therapists.

Have more questions or feel like you need supportive therapy? Schedule a session with one of our therapists today! You can schedule online here!

We hope you enjoyed this blog post! Have more topics you’d like us to blog about? Contact us and we’ll be sure to include your topic in a future post!

References

Anzani, A., Morris, E. R., & Galupo, P. (2019). From absence of microaggressions to seeing authentic gender: Transgender clients’ experiences with microaffirmations in therapy. Journal of LGBT Issues in Counseling, 13(4), 258-275. https://doi.org/10.1080/15538605.2019.1662359

Bettergarcia, J., Wedell, E., Shrewsbury, A. M., & Thomson, B. R. (2021). “There’s a stopgap in the conversation”: LGBTQ+ mental health care and community connection in a semi-rural county. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Mental Health, 26(1), 48-75. https://doi.org/10.1080/19359705.2021.1900973

Ebersole, R. C., Dillon, F. R., & Eklund, A. C. (2018). Mental health clinicians’ perceived competence for affirmative practice with bisexual clients in comparison to lesbian and gay clients. Journal of Bisexuality, 18(2), 127-144. https://doi.org/10.1080/15299716.2018.1428711

Keefe, J. R., Rodriguez-Seijas, C., Jackson, S. D., Bränström R., Harkness, A., Safren, S. A., Hatzenbuehler, M. L., & Pachankis, J. E. (2023). Moderators of LGBQ-affirmative cognitive behavioral therapy: ESTEEM is especially effective among Black and Latino sexual minority men. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 91(3), 150-164. https://doi.org/10.1037/ccp0000799

Dr. Hannah Roberts · March 7, 2024 ·

Celebrating International Women’s Day

“Women, if the soul of the nation is to be saved,

I believe you must become its soul.”

-Coretta Scott King

by Gavin Hannegan, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo undergraduate intern, supervised by Dr. Hannah Roberts

March 8th is International Women’s Day, an opportunity to both celebrate the contributions of women and promote efforts towards gender equity. “Inspire Inclusion” is this year’s theme, encouraging us to think about how women are represented and, also, what kinds of women receive representation. Even within the LGBTQ+ community, women are often the silent heroes. Without that representation, it can feel difficult for queer women to easily access role models who can relate to what they’re experiencing. We cannot let their voices go unheard. To inspire inclusion, I want to recognize the achievements of 4 queer women.

Sylvia Rivera

“We have to do it because we can no longer stay invisible. We have to be visible. We should not be ashamed of who we are. We have to show the world that we are numerous. There are many of us out there.”

Alongside Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera was a founder of the Gay Liberation Front, which began following the Stonewall uprising in 1969. While some say that Rivera threw the first brick at Stonewall, others say that she may have thrown the first cocktail instead. And others still say that she may not have even been at Stonewall. Rivera and Johnson also co-founded Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR), which provided resources such as clothing to homeless queer and trans youth. Although she advocated for the rights of all LGBT people, Rivera fought specifically to ensure that the gay liberation movement would not ignore the rights of trans women and drag queens of color, like herself.

Stormé DeLarverie

“It was a rebellion, it was an uprising, it was a civil rights disobedience – it wasn’t no damn riot.”

Stormé DeLarverie was another key player at Stonewall. Similar to the rumors that Johnson or Rivera threw the first brick, some witnesses recalled that DeLarverie threw the first punch. DeLarverie is also believed to be the person who prompted all of the bystanders to fight back against the police after she was violently thrown in the back of a police wagon. This initial confrontation ignited the gay liberation movement. DeLarverie identified as a biracial butch lesbian who presented herself androgynously. Outside of her efforts with the gay liberation movement, she performed as a drag king for the Jewel Box Revue, which was the first racially integrated drag revue, and also worked as a bouncer for lesbian bars.

Rachel Levine

“I hope that by being a public figure and being secretary of health during this public health crisis, that that educates people about LGBTQ individuals and transgender individuals — and if they are educated, then they fear less. Thus, they get less angry, and thus, they hate less.”

As the current assistant secretary of health for the U.S., Rachel Levine holds a historic position. She is the highest ranking public official who openly identifies as transgender, the first transgender woman to ever hold a position requiring Senate confirmation, and is among the few transgender people currently holding an official government position. One of Levine’s main goals while in office is to make healthcare more approachable for LGBTQ+ youth, especially within the context of anti-LGBTQ+ laws that target gender-affirming care. Before being confirmed to the assistant secretary of health position, Levine served in the Pennsylvania Department of Health. In this role, some of her key contributions include increasing accessibility to naloxone in response to the opioid crisis and guiding Pennsylvania through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ella Briggs

“A lot of kids don’t feel comfortable with who they are and that makes me really sad, because I just want everyone to be happy and be themselves. I like being myself.”

At just 11 years old, Ella Briggs was elected as Connecticut’s “Kid Governor,” and was the first openly LGBTQ+ individual to serve in this position. This program gives elementary school students an opportunity to practice and learn about the state government system, but their work can have lifelong impacts. Briggs’s Pride-Hope-Love campaign consisted of three components related to LGBTQ+ care: spread awareness of the LGBTQ+ homeless population, offer schools resources on how to start LGBTQ+ clubs, and foster affirming LGBTQ+ education and treatment in schools. In just one year, Briggs hosted webinars and conferences, developed a step-by-step guide to starting a Pride-Hope-Love club, and interviewed U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal. Briggs aspires to become the first lesbian president of the United States.

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References

CTKG Ella’s accomplishments and term highlights (n.d.). Connecticut’s Kid Governor. https://ct.kidgovernor.org/ctkgella/ctkgellahighlights

Fitzsimons, T. (2020, June 4). Pennsylvania’s top doc is ‘calm in the eye of the COVID-19 storm’. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/pennsylvania-s-top-doc-calm-eye-covid-19-storm-n1217171

LGBTQ+ women who made history (2021, June 3). Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum. https://womenshistory.si.edu/blog/lgbtq-women-who-made-history

McShane, J. (2021, June 1). Transgender federal official Rachel Levine tells LGBTQ youths: ‘I have your back’. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/transgender-federal-official-rachel-levine-tells-lgbtq-youths-i-have-n1268795

Rothberg, E. (2021, March). Sylvia Rivera. National Women’s History Museum. https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/sylvia-rivera

Wong, C. M. (2019, March 22). Meet the 11-year-old who wants to be America’s first lesbian president. HuffPost. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/connecticut-ella-briggs-kid-governor-lesbian-president_n_5c950965e4b0a6329e15f504

Yardley, W. (2014, May 24). Storme DeLarverie, early leader in the gay rights movement, dies at 93. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/30/nyregion/storme-delarverie-early-leader-in-the-gay-rights-movement-dies-at-93.html?_r=0