Learn how mental health professionals can support LGBTQIA+ clients with affirming, inclusive care. This guide outlines common barriers, practical strategies, and helpful resources.
LGBTQIA+ people often face unique difficulties resulting from a lack of recognition and acceptance from society. These challenges may include being treated disrespectfully at school or work, not feeling accepted by family or friends, or navigating systems that weren’t built with them in mind. This can create an unfair emotional burden, leaving many feeling frustrated, unseen, or unsafe.
In rural or underserved settings, these issues can be even more severe due to limited access to affirming services and heightened stigma. Even in areas like Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, many LGBTQIA+ clients still experience barriers that affect their mental health and wellbeing.
Barriers to Affirming Mental Health Care
- Clinicians may not always understand LGBTQIA+ identities or needs, leaving clients feeling isolated or misunderstood.
- Some services treat queer identity as the source of a client’s difficulties, rather than addressing systemic issues or supporting authentic self-expression.
- Gender-diverse clients often face additional requirements, such as having to secure psychological letters or assessments before accessing affirming care like hormone replacement therapy or surgery.
- A medicalised or binary view of gender can leave individuals feeling invalidated or misrepresented.
These experiences can be exhausting and disheartening. Clients may feel as though they have to constantly justify who they are just to receive the care they deserve.
What Inclusive Mental Health Care Looks Like
Fortunately, change is happening. Organisations such as ACON, TransHub, and Equality Australia are working to promote accessible, respectful, and empowering support for LGBTQIA+ people. They offer resources, referrals, and community-building initiatives, while also encouraging help-seeking and reducing stigma.
One positive shift in care is the growing use of the Informed Consent Model. This model allows general practitioners to provide medical information and assess a person’s understanding of the risks and benefits of gender-affirming care, without requiring psychological letters or a formal diagnosis. It helps remove unnecessary barriers and puts trust back into the hands of the individual.
Mental health professionals can play a key role here by understanding the model, explaining it clearly to clients, and advocating when needed. They can also help clients access affirming GPs and appropriate services, and support them through what can be a complex healthcare process.
AHPRA and Inclusive Practice
As of December 1, 2025, AHPRA’s updated professional competencies will reinforce the importance of health equity, diversity, and human rights in clinical care. These changes encourage psychologists to be inclusive, sensitive, and respectful of all forms of individual diversity.
If a clinician feels unsure in this space, it’s vital to seek supervision or professional development to grow competence and confidence in supporting LGBTQIA+ clients.
Practical Ways to Create a Safe and Affirming Space
- View clients as whole people, not labels. Some may want to name their gender or sexuality explicitly; others may not. Meet each client where they are.
- Ask clients for their pronouns and share your own, ideally during the first appointment.
- Avoid assumptions based on how someone looks or dresses. Queer identity is not always visible.
- Include small but meaningful symbols of welcome, such as a pride flag, “You are safe here” sticker, or a pronoun badge.
- Stay informed through training and reputable resources. Good places to start include ACON, TransHub, and Equality Australia.
- Build your awareness of local LGBTQIA+ services, events, and support groups, and offer referrals when appropriate.
- Speak up if you hear harmful stereotypes or misinformation. If comfortable, you can also share your own learning journey to help others grow.
- Always use a client’s correct name and pronouns.
Final Thoughts
Inclusive mental health care is about more than just clinical skill – it’s about empathy, safety, and respect. When professionals take time to learn, advocate, and welcome differences, they help build a world where LGBTQIA+ people can access the support they need without fear or judgment.
Every action counts.
Resources
About the author
Angie is a queer practitioner, who has completed her training in a rural setting. She had witnessed many challenges faced by the LGBTQIA+ community through her work with clients and personal experience of her peers. Angie believes that queer people deserve to receive a welcoming, understanding, and affirming care.
