Course Description:
This course is based on the guidelines for psychotherapy published and promulgated through the American Psychological Association. This publication includes 16 guidelines for practice which are divided into 4 categories; attitudes toward homosexuality and bisexuality; relationships and families; issues of diversity and education. These guidelines provide psychologists and other mental health professionals with principles by which to guide their practice and interventions with lesbian, gay and bisexual clients.

This course provides useful information for a wide range of disciplines who work with gay and lesbian clients.  It provides guidelines for interactions that are based upon respect and dignity for clients.  Although the principles were produced by the APA, they are helpful for social workers, mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists and certified addiction professionals as well. 

This course is appropriate for psychologists, social workers, mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists, midwives and others.  This course is targeted for all levels of practitioner, particularly those with little training or experience working with lesbian, gay and bisexual clients.

Author: American Psychological Association

Learning Objectives:  This course will provide a clinician with detailed information and guidelines for working with lesbian, gay and bisexual clients.  Specfically, after completing this course participants will:

• Identify a frame of reference for the treatment of lesbian, gay and bisexual clients.
• Identify areas of assessment, intervention, when working with lesbian, gay and bisexual clients.
• Identify guidelines for practice with lesbian, gay and bisexual clients.

This course was reviewed and determined to be current on 3/15/18 by TM DiDona,PhD- according to the APA website  “Each of the 21 new guidelines provide an update of the psychological literature supporting them . . . the guidelines are intended to inform the practice of psychologists and to provide information for the education and training of psychologists regarding LGB issues.”

Reviewed by TM DiDona, PhD 2018 and found to be current.  Updated references include:

• Avila, J., Chelvakumar, G., & Ford, N. (2017). Gender and Sexual Minorities Cultural Competency Training for Pediatric Residents. Journal of Adolescent Health, 60(2), S87.
• Betancourt, J. R., Green, A. R., Carrillo, J. E., & Owusu Ananeh-Firempong, I. I. (2016). Defining cultural competence: a practical framework for addressing racial/ethnic disparities in health and health care. Public health reports.
• Bleidorn, W., Arslan, R. C., Denissen, J. J., Rentfrow, P. J., Gebauer, J. E., Potter, J., & Gosling, S. D. (2016). Age and gender differences in self-esteem—A cross-cultural window. Journal of personality and social psychology, 111(3), 396.
• Donaldson, W. V., & Vacha-Haase, T. (2016). Exploring staff clinical knowledge and practice with LGBT residents in long-term care: A grounded theory of cultural competency and training needs. Clinical Gerontologist, 39(5), 389-409.
• Rosenkrantz, D. E., Black, W. W., Abreu, R. L., Aleshire, M. E., & Fallin-Bennett, K. (2017). Health and health care of rural sexual and gender minorities: A systematic review. Stigma and Health, 2(3), 229.
• Tan, J. Y., Xu, L. J., Lopez, F. Y., Jia, J. L., Pho, M. T., Kim, K. E., & Chin, M. H. (2016). Shared decision making among clinicians and Asian American and Pacific Islander sexual and gender minorities: An intersectional approach to address a critical care gap. LGBT health, 3(5), 327-334.