Mental Health Resources For The LGBTQ+ Community

As our nation turns attention to Pride Month, we thought this would be a great time to share our favorite resources to help the LGBTQ+ Community care for their mental health.

Helpful LGBTQ+ Mental Health Resources In Alabama

• Magic City Acceptance Center: The Magic City Acceptance Center is an LGBTQ-inclusive space for folks in Birmingham, Alabama, and serves as a hub for resources, groups, and training for professionals.
• Magic City Wellness Center: The Magic City Wellness Center is Alabama’s only LGBTQ primary care facility. They provide medical and counseling services for all LGBTQ folk.

Helpful Resources For Teens

• The Trevor Project: The Trevor Project is the world’s most significant suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) young people.
• IMI Guide: IMI Guide is built for and with LGBTQ+ teens to help support their mental health.
• Q Chat Space: Q Chat Space offers live, chat-based discussion groups for LGBTQ+ teens aged 13-19. The chats are facilitated by staff who work at LGBTQ+ centers around the country.
• It Gets Better Project: It Gets Better is a nonprofit organization with a mission to uplift, empower, and connect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer youth around the globe.
• Selfsea: Selfsea is a peer-to-peer platform with mental health resources, support, and stories from young people who have been there. Users of all ages can check out engaging content and original videos created by young people and join safe and affirming community forums.
• Trans Student Educational Resources: Trans Student Educational Resources is a youth-led organization dedicated to transforming the educational environment for trans and gender non-conforming students through advocacy and empowerment. Founded in 2011, it is the only national organization led by trans youth.
• PFLAG: PFLAG is creating a caring, just, and affirming world for LGBTQ+ people and those who love them. They have online communities and local chapters across the state of Alabama and provide resources for LGBTQ+ folks and allies.
• The Abc’s of Lgbt+: (Gender Identity Book for Teens, Teen & Young Adult Lgbt Issues) by Ash Hardell: This is a book of great insightfulness and self-evaluation, and direction on how to deal with the issues confronting those who want to embrace their true self without fear of alienation of friends and families or not sharing who they are for fear of reprisal.
• LGBTQ: The Survival Guide for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Teens (Third Edition, Revised) by Kelly Huegel Madrone: This book includes current information on LGBTQ terminology, evolving understandings of gender identity and sexual identity, LGBTQ rights, and much more. Other advice covers topics such as coming out, confronting prejudice, getting support, making healthy choices, and thriving in school and beyond.

Helpful Resources For All Ages

• The Outwords Archive: The Outwords Archive captures, preserves, and shares the stories of LGBTQ+ elders, to build community and catalyze social change.
• GLAAD: GLAAD is a media force that ensures fair, accurate, and inclusive representation that rewrites the script for LGBTQ acceptance. They tackle tough issues to shape the narrative and provoke dialogue that leads to cultural change.
• Family Acceptance Project: A collaboration between the Family Acceptance Project (FAP) and the Innovations Institute to increase family and community support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer-identified (LGBTQ) children and youth to decrease health and mental health risks and to promote well-being. LGBTQ youth are at high risk for health and mental health problems related to social stigma.
• National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network: National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network is a healing justice organization committed to transforming mental health for queer and trans people of color (QTPoC). Their overall goal is to increase access to healing justice resources for QTPoC.
• One Mind PsyberGuide: One Mind Psyber Guide is a guide to a variety of vetted, self-guided, mental health apps that are (mostly) freely available.
• CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers: CenterLink is an international nonprofit organization and member-based association of LGBTQ centers and other LGBTQ organizations serving their local and regional communities.
• Society for Sexual, Affectional, Intersex, and Gender Expansive Identities: This is a division of American Counseling Association that educates counselors on the unique needs of client identity development; and a non-threatening counseling environment by aiding in the reduction of stereotypical thinking and homoprejudice.
• The Queer and Transgender Resilience Workbook: Skills for Navigating Sexual Orientation and Gender Expression by Anneliese A Singh: In this essential workbook, you’ll discover how to cultivate the key components of resilience: holding a positive view of yourself and your abilities; knowing your worth, and developing a strong sense of self-esteem; effectively utilizing resources; being assertive and creating a support community; fostering hope and growth within yourself, and finding the strength to help others.
• Unconditional: A Guide to Loving and Supporting Your LGBTQ Child by Telaina Eriksen and Eric Rosswood: In Unconditional, author Telaina Eriksen explains what she and her husband have learned through the experience of parenting a gay child. She covers topics like how to handle kids coming out, being an advocate for LGBTQ+ children, how to help your child deal with stress unique to LGBTQ+ kids, and finding an LGBTQ+ family. This book is a must-read for anyone who thinks their child is transgender or otherwise LGBTQ+.
• A Quick & Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns by Archie Bongiovanni and Tristan Jimerson: This is a short and fun comic guide that explains what pronouns are, why they matter, and how to use them. They also include what to do if you make a mistake and some tips and tricks for those who identify outside of the binary to keep themselves safe in this binary-centric world. A quick and easy resource for people who use they/them pronouns, and people who want to learn more!
• A Clinician’s Guide to Gender-Affirming Care: Working with Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Clients by Lore Dickey, Sand Chang, Anneliese Singh, and Mira Krishnan: Transgender and gender nonconforming (TNGC) clients have complex mental health concerns, and are more likely than ever to seek out treatment. This comprehensive resource outlines the latest research and recommendations to provide you with the requisite knowledge, skills, and awareness to treat TNGC clients with competent and affirming care.

As you celebrate Pride Month, we hope you find these resources helpful for yourself and those you love. Caring for your mental health can be a challenge, especially right now. If our counselors can support you, please contact us at (256) 239-5662 or online.