Have you worked with many lesbian, gay or bisexual clients? How do you know? Did they tell you? Perhaps you inadvertently assumed they were straight …

In this workshop we will explore the impact of the society we live in, and how it can cause us, as counsellors, to automatically assume that clients will desire the ‘other gender’.

Through group discussions of case studies, we will learn the meaning of the terms heteronormative and bierasure, and how these can have a daily impact on our clients who are lesbian, gay or bisexual as they battle through the world having to continually decide whether or not to ‘come out’ each time they are in a new situation, including with you, as their counsellor.

Bringing this awareness together we will end with an interactive activity where we will discuss the impact this can have on our clients’ mental health.

Workshop Facilitator - Chloe Foster

As a counsellor in my private practice, Sussex Rainbow Counselling, I specialise primarily in gender and sexuality within the LGBTQ communities. 

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My passion for working in this area began before my counselling career through my work in several LGBTQ organisations: Brighton and Hove LGBT Switchboard, MindOut and Allsorts Youth Project.

I love working as a trainer and have over 12 years’ experience which includes training LGBTQ volunteers to run community events to raise awareness of mental health stigma, training young people to run mental health awareness sessions in schools and colleges, training volunteers to teach English abroad and training team leaders of UK and international community team projects.

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Since completing advanced training in online counselling I have been adapting my LGBTQ Awareness workshops to offer them online. This is continuing to bring a more accessible way of gaining CPD and helping fellow counsellors become more confident in working with sexual and gender diversity.

Visit Chloe's website HERE

HOW DOES AN ONLINE WORKSHOP WORK? CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO