LGBTQ and affirmative researchers at the University of Massachusetts Boston are developing empirically-based online exercises to help sexual and gender minority people with experiences of heterosexism and transphobia in their lives. This website offers you resources to support your clients’ process of making meaning of troubling experiences. The exercises do not recommend any type of resolution but offer questions and reflective exercises that your clients can reflect upon and move toward their own resolutions. Clients need to be LGBTQ+ and over 18.

You can refer your clients to the exercises below at your discretion. The exercises use self-reflective prompts to guide clients to think about troubling heterosexist or transphobic events and consider how they might move forward, even when things are hard. Here are ways you might use the website:

• The exercises are designed to support clients to think through heterosexist and transphobic experiences, with an eye toward intersecting minority identities. There are specific exercises designed for autistic LGBTQ+ people and for trans, gender non-conforming, and genderqueer people below as well.

• Sometimes it helps for clients to process ideas on their own before they are ready to talk about them in session. It can help clients become more comfortable talking about these issues by completing exercises as homework on their own.

• As a way to begin or continue discussions about their identities, you can ask clients if they would like to discuss the exercises in your sessions.

• The exercises also allow clients to contribute to research on LGBTQ+ interventions and it may empower your clients to contribute to their community as they are reflecting upon their own experiences.

In all the exercises, the first day is a survey questionnaire (designed to help clients identify a troubling experience to focus upon and for us to learn about clients’ contexts so our research can continue to develop these exercises) and then there are three days of writing exercises and a follow up survey a month later.

LGBTQ-affirmative researchers at UMB are developing online exercises to help sexual and gender minority people with experiences of heterosexism.  

You must be LGBTQ identified, over 18, and have had an experience of heterosexism that is still troubling to you to explore. Check it out!

Preliminary data suggests that most participants (about 90%) have found these exercises to be helpful. 

To Participate:  You must be autistic (formal diagnosis not necessary), LGBTQ identified, over 18, not have a legal guardian, and have had an experience of heterosexism that is still troubling to you.

Study Participation: Participation is online and can be done at home. Study activities: a brief phone screening, questionnaire on the first day, 3 consecutive days of writing exercises, and a follow up questionnaire.

Benefits: All participants will be entered into a raffle for a $100 gift card. If you complete all study activities (about 3 hours time across 5 days), you will receive a $50 gift card. Preliminary data suggests that most participants found these exercises to be beneficial.

LGBTQ-affirmative researchers at UMB are developing online exercises to help transgender, gender nonconforming, or genderqueer people with experiences of transphobia.  You must be LGBTQ identified, over 18, and have had an experience of transphobia that is still troubling to you to explore.