Don’t ever be afraid to show your true colors!
"When all Americans are treated as equal, no matter who they are or whom they love, we are all more free."-Barack Obama
Affirmative Therapy.
As a therapist I am aware that openness does not translate to competence, and so I continue to strive to learn and gain the skills to be a competent mental health counselor for LGBTQ+ clients. Self-awareness, my willingness to educate myself and being humble in my not knowing everything, I bring my clients affirmative therapy no matter how they identify.
Empathy.
A deep understanding of the impact of intersectional identities, privilege, and marginalization allows for a greater ability to advocate for LGBTQ+ clients and to offer more specific, affirmative and celebratory counseling to each client.
Transgender & Gender Expansive.
As someone who identifies as queer and gender expansive, I understand some of the implicit biases that need to be overcome. That being said, being part of the LGBTQ+ community alone, does not qualify me to be an affirmative counselor yet does help me have a deeper level of understanding at times. Other times, I need to research, read, ask and discover how best to help and my promise to you is that I will do all I can to support you on this challenging, yet rewarding journey!
Additional Resources:
https://thecenterorlando.org/
https://www.eqfl.org/
Helpful Teen Resources:
https://www.thetrevorproject.org/
https://zebrayouth.org/
https://orlandoyouthalliance.org/
https://pflag.org/
Krissy is a member of the Society for Sexual, Affectional, Intersex, and Gender Expansive Identities (SAIGE) and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), and continues to advance their knowledge and skills in helping LGBTQ+ clients with up-to-date training and research.
