Please Note: This session is not eligible for CE credits due to its informal conversational format.

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Safe spaces are necessary for both providers and recipients of mental health services, particularly for individuals with marginalized sexual orientations and gender identities, such as those within the LGBTQ+ community. Both clients and practitioners routinely navigate tricky situations that highlight the need for an environment where they can express themselves authentically and without fear of judgment. People with marginalized sexual orientations and gender identities in these roles experience a range of challenges that make it difficult to trust others, including:

• Stigma and discrimination
• Internalized stigma in the form of low self-worth or shame
• Stress arising from having to conceal one’s identity
• Fear of discrimination creating barriers to help-seeking
• The accumulation of these stresses over time
• Impacts on resilience

We invite mental health providers who are allies for LGBTQ+ clients, as well as LGBT+ practitioners, to participate in our upcoming “Our Safe Haven” session series.  These gatherings provide a space for open dialogue and shared insights on how to establish and sustain safe spaces for individuals with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities.

During each session, we explore several discussion topics, including but not limited to:

• Stress, including the chronic social pressures faced by stigmatized minority groups. 
• Professional biases, including those faced by both LGBTQ+ clients and practitioners
• Resources for specialized knowledge and training
• Ethical and professional challenges

Creating and maintaining safe spaces for clients and providers can be daunting, often feeling overwhelming. However, by fostering collaboration and mutual learning, we can create supportive environments for our work and ourselves. 

To ensure that each session is workable, we will limit the number of attendees. Registration for each session will, therefore, be on a first-come-first-served basis. We are charging a non-refundable fee of $8.00 to reserve your spot.

Your personal privacy is our highest priority. These sessions will be recorded for liability purposes only. The recordings will not be shared with attendees or distributed outside of Safer Society Foundation.

Like any group discussion, everyone will have a responsibility to keep it a safe, professional, and confidential space. We will adhere to the codes of ethics of our professions, mandatory laws, and other professional standards. The Safe Haven series is intended to be supportive; not formal supervision, consultation, or legal advice.