The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) believes school psychologists are ethically obligated to ensure all youth with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, and/or gender expressions, are able to develop and express their personal identities in a school climate that is safe, accepting, and respectful of all persons and…

Awareness of peer victimization and resilience among LGBT youth is important to the practice of competent school psychologists. Research illustrates the negative effects attributable to peer victimization and social risk. This paper highlights how building resiliency and fostering protective factors can help reduce peer victimization and its…

With an emphasis on direct application to practice, this graduate-level text offers strategies for working with diverse client groups in a variety of settings. Introductory chapters build a foundation for cross-cultural counseling with discussions on current theory, the ongoing pursuit of multicultural competence, and the complexities of…

Research shows that teachers' and educators' responses to gender diversity issues in schools either improves or limits the experiences of students. The school counsellor has an important role to play in this process by working closely with other stakeholders to advocate for transgender, intersex and genderqueer (TIG) students. Following a review…

Transgender students have unique and intense needs to be addressed for a safer and more inclusive school experience. Experiencing harassment and feeling unsafe at school can lead to negative educational outcomes, such as depression, victimization, poor academic outcomes, substance abuse, school avoidance, risky sexual behavior, suicidal ideation,…

Many frameworks exist to explain and describe the phenomenon of same-sex sexuality as it applies to human development. This conceptual article provides a critical overview and synthesis of previous models to serve as a theoretical bridge for the suggested multiple continua model of sexual and relational orientations. Recommendations for how…

This study investigates the mediating role of school victimization in the relationship between lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) young adults' feelings of high school belonging and current mental health (both depression and general psychological distress) outcomes. A total of 145 LGBT young adults were recruited from college LGBT…

In the past 10 years, gender-variant (GV) children (children who do not conform to traditional gender norms) have received increased attention from scholars, mental health practitioners, and popular media. In schools, these students have been shown to be particularly vulnerable to violence and harassment, leading to myriad negative…

This article examines the impact of childhood sexual abuse on young adult lesbians' sexual identity and their recovery from chemical dependency. The authors recommend that counselors assess for sexual orientation (past and present), sexual abuse, and possible dual diagnosis. Implications for counselors are discussed.

Ignoring gender socialization while counseling transgender clients neglects a significant aspect of the transgender experience. To address this, the authors review the literature on gender role conflict (GRC) theory as it pertains to the transgender experience of biological males whose authentic self is female. They explore the main types of…

Schools are places of learning and also miniature societies. The climate of a school has a direct impact on both how well students learn and how well they interact with their peers. Teachers and administrators work hard to make their classrooms welcoming places where each student feels included. But despite these efforts, students who are--or who…

It is clear that internalized heterosexism (IH) is a core variable to which counseling psychologists must attend when working with lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals in research, clinical, and training settings. The content in this Major Contribution provides a compelling argument that IH is related to negative well-being in LGB…

Counseling psychologists can expect to encounter lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals in their lives, as students, colleagues, friends, clients, and/or family members. Most of the LGB individuals encountered by counseling psychologists have experienced the negative consequences of internalized heterosexism/internalized homophobia (IH). Yet…

An interview protocol based on V. Cass's (1979) sexual identity formation work was used with 13 self-identified lesbians. Data analysis yielded a sexual identity formation model similar to J. E. Marcia's (1966, 1987) identity development model. Potential emotional and physical health risks for each phase of the model are discussed, and…

This article examines how a widespread homophobic ideology makes the coming out process for adolescents an event that is traumatic, potentially threatening the physical integrity of the coming out adolescent. It outlines the relational and individual processes specific to those youths who are able to successfully adapt and develop in the face of…