“Do not expect your child to teach others the value of accepting LGBTQ+ people. They are already busy doing the hard work of self-acceptance.”

The Importance Of Parental Support

June is Pride month and we are happy to celebrate and shine light on the LGBTQ+ community, however this celebration isn’t solely reserved for one month a year, especially when it comes to supporting the mental health of our LGBTQ+ children and teens. For sexual and gender minority youth feeling marginalized is especially difficult in general, let alone when they’re growing up without adequate support. For these youths rates of anxiety, depression and suicide are alarmingly high. And transgender youth are four times more likely to experience depression and suicidal ideations. What’s often left out of the conversation, is the potential for parents and guardians to set the stage for better outcomes.

LGBTQ+ Youth Face A Variety Of Mental Health Concerns

The Trevor Project, the world’s largest crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ+ youth completed a survey in 2001, and found that 62% of LGBTQ+ youth reported symptoms of depression, 72% reported symptoms of anxiety and only 1 in 3 reported that their home was LGBTQ-affirming. While this may seem overwhelming, this is not to say there is no hope. Strong family bonds, safe schools, support from caring adults and suitable mental health care can all protect LGBTQ youth from depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation. In fact, when LGBTQ+ youth have at least one accepting adult in their life, their risk for suicide decreases by 40%. Further research by the Trevor Project from 2019 shows that family support and parental acceptance of one’s sexual orientation is also associated with lower rates of depressive symptoms. Strong parental support for trans youth when it comes to their gender identity and expression more than doubles the likelihood that those kids will report having high self-esteem, being satisfied with their life and having good mental health.

How To Provide Support As A Parent/Guardian

If you’re unsure of where to begin when it comes to supporting your LGBTQ+ kids’ and teens’ mental health, you can start here… Start with reassuring your child that you love them and always will. The biggest fear of any LGBTQ+ child is that they will be rejected by the people they love. The most important thing is to show your child through your actions and your language that you love them and aren’t going to abandon them in their self-discovery journey. Children and teens need to know that no matter how they identify, whether their identity stays the same or changes over time, no matter what anyone else says or does to them, you will always have their backs and be a safe space for them.

Have a conversation with them. No two LGBTQ+ youth are the same. Listening to their needs is key as this allows you to connect with your child on a deeper level, whether you agree or not with the LGBTQ+ lifestyle. It is important to recognize the diversity of experiences within the LGBTQ+ community. There are different subsets of the community that have different experiences and different needs. This is a good time to check in with your child about how supported they feel in their community. See if they are feeling safe and supported at school, in extracurricular activities, with other family members, in your religious community, etc. If not, you can start having conversations about how you can manage that together and whether or not that involves your child wanting to share their identity with more people, wanting you to step in to advocate for them, or other options.

In school, LGBTQ+ youth are more likely to be verbally harassed, physically assaulted, excluded and to overall feel unsafe compared to their straight peers, which can negatively impact everything from their educational aspirations to their mental and emotional well-being. It is important to regularly check in regarding that part of their lives. One of the most powerful things you can do is to advocate for your child. Do not expect your child to teach others the value of accepting LGBTQ+ people. They are already busy doing the hard work of self-acceptance.

At Genesis Counseling we proudly work with many children, teens and families from the LGBTQ+ community. Some of our therapists are members of the LGBTQ+ community themselves. We often find that LGBTQ+ youth benefit from mental health counseling to support the anxiety, depression, and/or suicidal ideations that may come with feeling other-than, bullied or unaccepted. Parents too, need support in finding tools to help their child as well as their own outlet for emotional health.

For more information on LGBTQ+ youth and mental health, visit www.trevorproject.com

To schedule an appointment with one of our LGBTQ+ affirming Therapists at Genesis Counseling, contact us today.

Jennifer Bishop, LMHC

She/Her

Owner, Genesis Counseling