Queer Clinicians, Queer Clients, Queer Community

Thoughts from queer therapists on community and dual relationships.

By Alix Hegy (they/them) and Devan Livaudais (he/him)

Finding a place in the queer community is important for the mental health and wellbeing of any LGBTQIA+ individual. Time and time again we hear about how connection and representation can help make an individual feel less alone and supported. Being a therapist for the queer community we often encourage client involvement in these spaces, but where does that leave the queer therapists? 

It is often encouraged in our schooling and training to avoid dual relationships. Even relationships that can occur in the community are encouraged to be minimized. Because the LGBTQIA+ community is fairly small it can be a lot harder to avoid common communal dual relationships when both the therapist and the client want/need to be involved. A different example of this is a client seeking a relationship from a therapist who is involved in their same religious background. Because client and clinician are both in the same community the likelihood of them running into each other is much greater. So what should they do? Does the clinician have to stop being involved with their religious community? Do they have to avoid all religious events that their client might partake in? The same questions can be asked for the queer community and leads to a multitude of discussions around therapeutic relationships.

This is a topic that each individual may have different perspectives on and there is always room for further conversations, differing opinions, and growth. We want to share our current perspectives on the topic in hopes to get people thinking about this topic within the queer community.

Alix’s Perspective:

As a queer therapist it has always been my goal to support those in my community with their mental health. I am grateful that I have been afforded the opportunity to be a LPCC at Integrated Counseling and Wellness as it has led me to be able to work with individuals in the queer community. This opportunity has also led me to think critically about the spaces I take up and the comfortability and welfare of my clients. 

I have an understanding of dual relationships and the perspective that clinicians should avoid taking up spaces in which their clients exist to keep their relationship strictly professional and ensure clients autonomy in sharing only the parts of their lives that they want to with the clinician. Clinicians existing in the same place as the client may lead to the clinician seeing something the client did not intend to share and the client may also see the clinician in an unprofessional setting and see the clinician differently. Because of this it may make sense for a clinician to avoid taking up space where a client may be. However, there are often limited social spaces that are for the LGBTQIA+ community leaving a higher chance for client and clinician to run into each other if they are both queer. To me this feels similar to a clinician working in a small town because it limits the spaces the clinician and client may exist outside of the office. As a queer individual it has taken me a long time to feel comfortable taking up space in the queer community and I don't want to run from that just to ensure that I don’t see a client outside of the office. In addition, I believe that taking up space in my community can be a great way to model connecting with one's community. 

In order to allow both individuals to take up space in the queer community, clinicians should take time to discuss the potential of seeing each other in public. I make sure to take time to address this possibility with each of my clients. These discussions often include discussions of boundaries, client reactions and emotions, privacy, client confidentiality, queerness, and social justice. I like to take time to acknowledge the uniqueness of taking up queer spaces and come to an understanding with my client. This is a continuous discussion and will be readdressed if the client and clinician find themselves taking up the same space. Ultimately, I hope that Queer therapists are able to take up space within the queer safe spaces near them while maintaining healthy boundaries with the client. 

We are here. We are queer. We take up space.

Devan’s Perspective:

Living in Fort Collins as a queer therapist is a whole new adventure. It's no tiny, hidden-away town, but it sure can feel like one when it comes to the queer community. We're close-knit, we know each other, and it has a unique charm that's hard to ignore.

I learned in school that as a therapist, it's best to avoid overlapping my personal and professional lives. But here's the thing: when the queer spaces I want to hang out in are the same ones my clients use, that advice feels nearly impossible to follow.

 I've have got a different view on this. Don't get me wrong, it's not about ignoring the importance of professional boundaries. Not at all. It's also not about turning my back on the very community that I'm part of and care about. Here's what I think: queer therapists shouldn't feel like we have to stay away from these community spaces. We should feel invited to join in and maybe even lead the way sometimes. It's like a two-way street - good for us and good for our clients.

 Just imagine: a client sees their therapist involved in the community, doing the same things they do, understanding their world. That's a strong picture of support and understanding, right? It could build a deeper trust in our therapeutic relationships and even inspire clients to step up in the community.

 So, here's to us queer therapists finding our genuine, natural ways to join these queer spaces. It's a journey, but one that I believe can lead to something pretty awesome.