“Family support is critical to the well-being of LGBTQ+ teens,” says Narang. “Knowing where to turn for information can be confusing for families in today’s climate, but providers can serve as a source of reliable facts and guidance on next steps.”
While every situation is unique, Narang recommends the following approaches for working with LGBTQ+ teens and families.
- Start by identifying points that parents are not questioning. For example, they may love their child, understand that they are struggling with something, and want to figure out how to be helpful.
- With the teen’s permission, meet with parents separately to give them a safe space to explore questions that might be invalidating in the teen’s presence. Provide psychoeducation for their learning journey with the goal of building support. Identify what’s not going well and how to reduce any distress so they can continue to learn.
- Establish ground rules when meeting with the teen and family. Work with the teen to decide ahead of time whether your role will be to listen and gently guide or be more active. Set expectations, including taking turns with no raised voices. Share an agenda to contain the conversation to a few concepts, and work toward one or two takeaways or action steps.
- Build cope-ahead strategies with the teen for when family members say something that feels invalidating.
- Reiterate that friendships, support groups, and other avenues for community can be empowering, especially if family members are unable to provide support.
- Remember that the process is a marathon, not a sprint.
“When a family accepts their child with compassion, it has such a beautiful and wonderful effect,” adds Narang. “It’s our role to do whatever we can to help them get there.”
Resources for Providers, Parents, and TeensPFLAG: pflag.org Human Rights Campaign: hrc.org Family Acceptance Project: familyproject.sfsu.edu |
