Marginalized Communities
LGBTQIA+ Community
People within the LGBTQIA+ community face unique life experiences including the potential for homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia. Harassment, as well as physical, verbal, and sexual violence, may also be part of one’s story. A history of abuse perpetrated by family, community, and religious organizations can be present as well. Shame, stigma, guilt, grief, identity concerns, anxiousness, and stress can all be part of anyone’s story, but the LGBTQIA+ community in particular can exhibit an increase in these feelings due to societal pressures and historical oppression. Some people within the community do not have treatment goals connected to their identity but instead would like to exist in an affirming space for therapy, while others are very focused on exploring their layers of identity.
Sex Workers
Sex workers by choice and conditionally are often stigmatized and there are not many formal spaces for those within the industry to come together outside of work. Processing the demand, conditions, and experiences of the industry are as important as they would be with any high-demand job. Navigating feelings and emotions connected to the work are necessary for self-care, and autonomy and self-determination are essential for encouraging mental well-being.
People Living with HIV
Whether one is a long-term HIV survivor, or newly diagnosed, talking about living with HIV can be restorative. The stigma around being HIV-positive, sharing HIV status with a partner, and medication management are all areas that deserve processing and space in therapy. Additionally, historical oppression and violence toward people living with HIV can create unfavorable mental health outcomes, and the impact of these larger societal experiences is worthy of exploring.
Drug Users
Whether a person uses drugs recreationally, socially, spiritually, culturally, or with addictive tendencies, they are worthy of exploring the presence of drugs in their life. Therapy with people who use drugs is not limited to those with addictions. Having space to talk about drug usage and what is working vs. not working is imperative in keeping track of how different drugs make a person feel, and how they influence decision-making and overall quality of life. Harm reduction is a great modality in assisting people to make more informed decisions about their drug use, and can help them examine the place of drugs in their life.