LGBTQ+ EMDR Therapy Experiences: A Panel Discussion

Listening to the experiences of LGBTQ+ clients, therapists and consultants/trainers is an important part of becoming more culturally responsive and highly ethical as an EMDR therapist. This panel presentation brings together a group of individuals who are long-term EMDR therapists and consultants/trainers who also identify in various ways under the broader LGBTQ+ umbrella. They offer their lived experience of discrimination and being impacted by microaggressions, in society at large and within clinical circles. They review literature-supported best practices for working with LGBTQ+ clients, with special attention being paid to nuance of each group’s specific needs, and to the impact of oppressive cognitions across the lifespan. Intersectionality is also defined and discussed, as are issues around spiritual abuse and healing the legacy of so-called “conversion therapies.”