Queering Psychotherapy

Product Information

Goodrich, K. M., Luke, M., & Smith, A. J. (2016). Queer humanism: Toward an epistemology of socially just, culturally responsive change. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 56(6), 612–623. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022167816652534. At the time of writing, we have just witnessed a ‘double U-turn’ from the UK Government on conversion therapy. It started with a leaked document that suggested the Government was looking into ‘non-legislative measures’ instead of – as had been promised – banning such conversion practices by law. After a public outcry, the Prime Minister announced that such practices would be made illegal, but only for gay people, specifically and cruelly omitting trans people. Jayne Ozanne, a prominent campaigner against conversion practices and a member of the Church of England’s General Synod, called it ‘by far the most significant betrayal of trust that the LGBT+ community has experienced in years’. 11

Queering Gestalt Therapy is a truly pertinent and seminal contribution to the field of psychotherapy, irrespective of therapeutic orientation and training. This volume offers readers a breadth of understanding in its leading-edge discussion of the complexities and nuances in considering gender identities, sexual orientations, and relationship diversities. Readers will be rewarded with an essential broadening of awareness-informing-understanding, perspective, and clinical practice across the human landscape.' Patients pursuing mental health services tend to see value in having clinicians ask about their sexual orientation and gender identity as part of the intake process, but intake forms commonly give prospective patients insufficient or no opportunity to fully describe their gender and sexual identity. This can have a lasting negative impact on the therapeutic alliance, as it signals to gender and sexual minorities that the clinic or clinicians may not recognize nuanced queer identities beyond the historical hegemonic standards of Western healthcare. Providing a greater number of options for sexual orientation and gender identities on intake forms, as well as “not listed above” options with areas for specification are an effective tool for building trust between clinician and client. In this volume, editor and psychotherapist Jane C. Czyzselska speaks with practitioners and clients from diverse modalities and lived experiences, exploring and rethinking some of the unique challenges encountered in a world that continues to marginalise queer lives. Carroll, L., & Gilroy, P. J. (2001). Teaching “outside the box”: Incorporating queer theory in counselor education. Journal of Humanistic Counseling, Education and Development, 40(1), 49–57. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2164-490X.2001.tb00101.x. Steelman, S. M. (2016). Externalizing identities: An integration of narrative therapy and queer theory. Journal of Family Psychotherapy, 27(1), 79–84. https://doi.org/10.1080/08975353.2016.1136549.This is usually because they’ve felt misunderstood, misrepresented, unheard, and hurt by others – all in ways that undermine and threaten a core part of their identity. In a world that is sadly prejudiced against those who are perceived as different because of heteronormativity, navigating life as a LGBTQIA+ person means being repeatedly challenged in ways that cisgender and/or heterosexual people aren’t. This is further exacerbated if we consider additional prejudices such as racism, and classism.

So, some of the contributors have years of professional experience and some are trainees. Not all the contributors are therapists, so it’s a real breadth of insight and experience. In terms of the themes explored in the book, I stayed clear of medical model diagnostic categories such as anxiety and depression and instead asked contributors what they wanted to speak about. As editor I tried to make the whole process as queer and collaborative as possible. Several responses suggested a split along modality lines, with humanistic therapists seemingly more comfortable with an affirmative stance than more psychoanalytically aligned therapists, who expressed concern that the essence of their work – exploration – is inhibited by the MoU: ‘[I have] fear of serious repercussions or even litigation should I somehow inadvertently be seen to be “converting” a client by simply exploring their underlying issues,’ said one respondent. There was confusion about the wording of the MoU and the differences between affirmation, exploration and conversion, resulting in conclusions, in some, that could be seen as anti-trans, such as: ‘The focus of my psychoanalytic work would not be conversion but acceptance of biological reality. In my view that is not conversion.’ Others were able to find a workable balance between affirmation and exploration: ‘Therapeutic communities give primacy to giving a sense of belonging, that is to accept differences without pathologising. Group analysis seems to accept trans identity as developments in the social matrix with meaning both for the individual and the group they belong to.’ You are the former editor of DIVA magazine, which serves LGBTQIA women and non-binary readers. Would you mind sharing theprocess of how you made the transition from journalism to becoming a therapist? And how you queered the practice for yourself, or others?

Highlights

The reality is that the more we are ourselves, the better our mental health is. The better our mental health is, the better choices we make, and the better relationships we have. All of these things can then feed each other to create a balanced, integrated sense of self. Being able to speak your truth, however queer, is a significant step in being yourself. Psychotherapy and counselling are supposed to provide a safe space for people to explore what they really think and feel, especially around the things they struggle with. But what if this isn’t as easy as it sounds? My experience in working with people who identify under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella is that they have to choose who they can trust carefully, and trust comes well before opening up to someone. J. Chance Czyzselska: I can’t say for sure because what idea is ever truly original? But I believe the concept of the psychotherapy textbook as conversations is uncommon. I think perhaps this is one of the reasons that it is reaching so many readers: therapists and non-therapists alike. And the fact that it is a multi-modality collection — often textbooks tend to come from a singular modality, but QP includes practitioners trained in psychoanalysis, psychodynamic and integrative psychotherapy, person-centered counseling, systemic theory and more. It felt important to value all kinds of knowledge, not just theory – which has tended to centre white, cis, heteronormative lives –but alsolesser-theorized, othered lived experiences, generated through conversations that echo the dynamism of the therapy dyad. Tilsen, J., & Nylund, D. (2010). Resisting normativity: Queer musings on politics, identity, and the performance of therapy. The International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community Work, 3, 64–70.

As a profession, we can’t ignore our knowledge gap on trans identities. It is clear that current trainings are inadequate in preparing therapists to work with gender diversity and that many therapists feel ill-equipped to do so. Training courses need to move beyond outdated difference and diversity modules towards an emphasis on intersectionality. It’s also important that trans people are visible in our profession, particularly on therapy trainings. Cor, D. N., Chan, C. D., & Pérez, J. F. C. (2018). Queering the curriculum: Queer intersectionality in counselor education. Women & Language, 41(1), 79–96. Foucault, M. (1985). The history of sexuality, volume 2: The use of pleasure. New York: Pantheon Books. You mention you approached and structured the book “collaboratively” and that the text is not academic but more a “collection of conversations.” How did you go about choosing the contributors to create this effect?Our Association continues to lead and influence the profession, as well as supporting our members, and we are delivering or have delivered against the goals and objectives in this, the final year of our strategy. In this volume, editor and psychotherapist Jane C. Czyzselska speaks with practitioners and clients from diverse modalities and lived experiences, exploring and rethinking some of the unique challenges encountered in a world that continues to marginalize queer lives. The contributors to Queering Psychotherapy present key insights and practical advice in a dynamic conversational format, providing intimate access to therapists' personal and professional knowledge and reflections. As a gay man growing up in Yorkshire in the 1980s and 1990s, I understand what it is like to feel ‘less than’, an outsider within a heteronormative culture. Name-calling, bullying and the threat of physical violence, fear of (and actual) disownment and being seen as perverted or pathological were the norm. Previous generations suffered even more, but thankfully gay people have increasingly enjoyed more acceptance. Trans people – and particularly trans people of colour – are one of the most marginalised groups of today, thrust into the spotlight of debate by those unsure how to feel about this increasingly visible group that threatens their notions of binary and constant genders and comfortable norms. I assumed that it was a man she was in love with': Heteronormativity and queer experimentation in gestalt therapy training Sometimes this means not finding a place there, but it usually means re-configuring relationships. It can also lead to queering the meaning of ‘Mum’, ‘Dad’, and ‘siblings’ as part of this re-configuration. The same applies to the family we create for ourselves as adults whether we choose to have one, several, or no partner(s).