June Social Justice Seminar – “To be visibly queer is to choose happiness over safety:” Caring for LGBTQ+ Veterans (and Trainees)

“To be visibly queer is to choose happiness over safety:” Caring for LGBTQ+ Veterans (and Trainees)

Presenter: Georgina Gross, Ph.D.

Mental health disparities, such as markedly higher risk for suicide and PTSD, are well established for LGBTQ+ people, and are often even more pronounced among LGBTQ+ Veterans. This talk will include a discussion of some ways that we as psychologists can help to combat the forces, such as trauma, discrimination, and internalized stigma, that drive these disparities. I will start by providing information and resources within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) for fostering the wellbeing of queer Veterans, including current policies and future directions. Next, we will discuss common overarching themes that arise when providing mental health care for LGBTQ+ people, as well as specific strategies to promote inclusive and affirming care. Finally, I will discuss strategies for providing clinical supervision in the context of this work, including supervising fellows, residents, and interns who hold various personal identities, as well as creating an LGBTQ-focused diversity seminar for trainees, with the goal of intersectionality. My professional experience is in the context of the VHA; however, my hope is that the themes and principles we discuss in this hour will be applicable to caring for LGBTQ+ people across the many different settings and facets of our work as psychologists.

3 learning objectives:

• • 1. Learn about current VA services and policies to promote the health and well-being of queer U.S. military Veterans.
    2. Identify at least 2 specific clinical strategies to use in the therapy room to promote affirming mental health care for LGBTQ+ Veterans/people.
    3. Discuss at least 2 specific strategies for providing culturally humble and affirming clinical supervision.

1 CE Credit Available