People to People is proud to be an Ally counseling agency of LGBTQIA+ population. The first question that many may have is what does LGTBQIA mean. LGTBQIA is an acronym for: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning, Intersex, and Asexual.
Issues Facing this Population
- Lack of acceptance
- Discrimination
- Family rejection
- Isolation
- Loss of self-esteem
- Depression
- Substance Abuse
- Self Harm
- Bullying
- Stress
- Suicide or Suicidal thoughts
Suicide is the second leading cause of death for teenagers, and LGTBQIA teens are at a higher risk. A survey from 2015, by Youth Risk and Behavior Surveillance Systems showed; among high school students identifying as LGBTQIA 60.4% felt sad or hopeless, 42.8% seriously considered suicide, 38.2% planned how they were going to commit suicide, 29.4% have attempted one or more times, and 9.4% have a suicide attempt that resulted in a serious injury.
LGTBQIA Specific Services
Many issues facing this population are not unlike the ones faced by all individuals. However, Affirmative Therapy and in depth safety planning are individualized to help and support the LGTBQIA population.
What is Affirmative Therapy? Affirmative Therapy is an approach that embraces a positive view of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer identities and relationships and addresses the negative influences that homophobia, transphobia, and hetersexism have on the lives of LGTBQIA clients.
Links for Additional Information
Bravo- Bravo is Buckeye Region Anti-Violence Organization. They can be found on Facebook and Instagram. Their hotline number is 1-866-86- BRAVO
The Trevor Project- offers crisis services, Advocacy, Research, and Education