Counseling for Parents of LGBTQ+ Kids and Teens
Your child has come out to you.
You want to support your LGBTQ+ child more than anything, but you feel lost and unsure.
You have so many questions, worries and feelings of your own.
You don’t want to lean on your child to answer your questions, but you need some support. You need someone who will help you parse through your concerns and help you understand your child and their needs.
You need somewhere to ask all your questions and express yourself without a filter.
I support parents as they navigate their child’s coming out experience.
I provide a space where you can ask all of the questions that are running through your mind without having to feel concerned about saying the “right” thing. I will support you as you support your child during this time of great change in their life and in your family.
If your child just came out to you, or is in the process of coming out, you may be asking some of the following questions:
What should I say to them? How involved should I be in this process?
How can they be sure about their identity at such a young age?
Should I have seen this coming? Could I have prepared them better?
What will this mean for my child’s future?
How should I support my child through this and how will I manage my own emotions through the process?
Will this make my child’s life harder? How will I respond if my child gets bullied or faces discrimination because of their identity?
If you are navigating your child’s coming out process, you may be experiencing some of these conflicting thoughts and feelings:
You want to support them and how they identify, but deep down you worry that this will make their life harder.
You want to help them through this process, but you are afraid you won’t have all the answers. Or worse, that you will say the “wrong thing.”
You want them to feel that you are proud of them, but a little part of you worries about what other people might say.
You believe that what they are experiencing is real, but you can’t help but worry that this is all moving too fast.
You know that your child feels sure about this right now, but you are scared to make decisions that could have a permanent impact on your child’s life.
You and your coparent both love your child as they are, but you have different opinions about how to handle your child’s coming out process.
Through counseling, you can:
Feel comfortable in a safe space you to voice your fears and emotions without having to worry about saying the “right” thing
Process your complicated feelings about your child, their identity, your parenting journey, your family, and everything that is on your mind.
Learn how you can support your LGBTQ+ child in ways that feel right for you, your child, and your family.
Freely ask all the questions that are flooding your mind, and discuss them with an understanding, nonjudgemental, Queer mental health professional.