LGBTQIA+ COUNSELING
From Coming Out to Being Out
You’ve come out to yourself, and would like to come out to others, but just aren’t sure that you’re ready yet. Or maybe you are ready to come out to your friends and family, but need a little support around it. Or perhaps you came out years ago but are about to start at a new school or workplace, and have to decide how to handle the process all over again, which is getting a little tiring. Coming out is constantly evaluating a balance between authenticity and safety, whether emotional, physical, or financial. It is different for everyone.
You might have thought it would be no big deal, but it’s turning out to be a little different.
Once you’re out, you may feel joy in being yourself, and allowing others to fully know you, but you may also encounter some challenging situations. You are navigating a world where you may frequently be surrounded by others who are not LGBTQIA+, exploring the meaning of labels, shifting between LGBTQIA+ culture and the dominant culture, discord within the LGBTQIA+ culture (like we don’t have enough from outside!), looking for positive representation, watching for laws and court rulings that may impact you, and navigating various relationships, romantic or otherwise.
You might have friends or family members who seem to do all of this with ease, but that hasn’t necessarily been your experience, at least not consistently.
It’s not easy, people.
If you’ve found yourself turning to unhealthy coping skills, withdrawing, or otherwise struggling, it’s time to reach out and find a supportive environment where you can cope with stressors that go along with being LGBTQIA+ in our mainstream culture (plus any other stressors that happen to pop up).
We are here to listen to you in a safe place where you can be open about your thoughts, joys, and fears. We can talk about ways to build community, find supports, and coexist with challenges so they do not prevent you from feeling comfortable and content in your day to day life.
If you are struggling with LGBTQIA+ related issues, we can help.
And, if you are a parent or other family member of an LGBTQIA person, and feel that you need to talk to someone about how to support your child, we can help with that too.
