Gay Affirmative Therapy for the Straight Clinician: The Essential Guide

by Joe Kort

All the answers straight clinicians need to work effectively with gay and lesbian clients. It has been over three decades since the American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality as a category of deviant behavior from the DSM. Same-sex marriage is recognized in certain states, gay-straight alliances are springing up in high schools across the country, and major religious denominations are embracing gay clergy. Yet despite the sea change of attitudes toward homosexuality, many well-meaning straight therapists are still at a loss as to how to effectively counsel their gay and lesbian clients. This book will offer straight therapists the tools they need to counsel gay and lesbian clients effectively.

Genres: Sexuality

304 pages, Hardcover

First published March 17, 2007

Reviews

[Morgan Blackledge · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a psychotherapist at a dual diagnosis residential alcohol and drug treatment center in West Hollywood (WeHo).

We typically have a large population of gay male clients. Generally speaking, the gay men we see in our clinic are often severely traumatized and frequently use methamphetamine paired with habitual anonymous sex via hook up apps.

This trifecta of trauma, meth and sex addiction is really difficult.

It's chilling how fast these clients become activated and leave treatment, or relapse despite high motivation, even after doing really good work.

I consider myself a life long LGBTQ ally. I have spent a lot of time around gay men. I have worked for and with gay men for decades, and I have close friendships with gay men.

But I (and my colleagues) have struggled tremendously to help our clients with this particular profile e.g. trauma, meth and sex addiction (chem-sex).

First off.

Methamphetamine.

It's an awful drug.

Overdriving dopaminergic systems up-regulates craving/wanting systems in the brain (ventral regimental area), down regulates areas responsible for 'liking' (nucleus accumbans), up regulates the memory encoding processes (hypocampus) and disables executive function (pre frontal cortex).

So. In a nut shell, you want the drugs more, you like them (and everything else) less, everything associated with the drugs are a trigger and you can't say no.

And when you add unlimited, anonymous, internet delivered sexual encounters to the mix. It's a perfect storm.

All that aside, I have struggled to help my gay male clients in general. I frequently find it difficult to conceptualize their cases and I often get the sense that I am missing something important from my experience and training.

I'm not alone.

I have witnessed colleges doing what seemed to be real damage to some of our gay male clients by inadvertently invalidating them and abandoning them when they protest.

Its like everyone in the therapeutic system, the clients and the clinicians, all get caught in this awful recapitulation of some other, larger, very wounding dynamic, despite our best intentions to help, and despite their best intentions to seek help and recover.

This book is an answer to my prayers (I don't actually pray but you get what I mean).

It's been so helpful to have author Joe Kort systematically explain the biological, psychological, social and epistemic factors that contribute to gay male and lesbian trauma, depression and relational difficulties.

Additionally he maps out how therapy can be either affirming or invalidating and wounding for gay men and women, and posits a model for gay affirmative therapy (GAT).

All I can say is that this is an important book for all therapists to read.

My only criticism is that the title may be off putting to many gay and lesbian readers.

I think many of my gay male and lesbian colleagues, and clients could benefit from reading this material.

It's incredibly eye opening and normalizing.

Thank you Joe Kort.

[Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would strongly recommend this book to any ethical therapist/counselor/social worker/psychologist, etc.

Being gay friendly, I went into this book thinking I'd learn a few things here and there but that overall, there wouldn't be much new information. I was totally wrong. Being a gay friendly therapist is not the same thing as being a gay affirmative therapist. Some of the most interesting topics covered were the stages of the coming out process, covert cultural sexual abuse, and how growing up as LGBT can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder. I also gained a greater awareness and comprehension of transference and countertransference.

The author is informative and clearly knowledgeable in this area. He includes many detailed case studies that help provide a deeper understanding of each topic and how it may present in the clinical setting. The book is easy to read and keeps your interest along the way. My biggest complaint is the several typos, but the importance of the material makes it easier to overlook.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely a must read for clinicians in any setting.