Helping Families Support LGBTQIA+ Youth
Enroll in the Online Self-Study and complete the training on your own schedule.
2.5 CE hours available for behavioral health clinicians completing the Online Self-Study.
As clinicians, we know that it is essential for queer youth to experience support from their families because it can have a significant impact on their mental health and well-being. Unfortunately, queer youth often face social stigma, discrimination, and isolation, which can lead to depression, anxiety, and other behavioral health issues. Having a supportive family can help to mitigate some of these negative effects by providing a safe and accepting environment where queer youth can be themselves without fear of rejection or judgment. Additionally, family support can help to increase academic and career success for queer youth. In fact, studies have shown that family acceptance is associated with higher levels of self-esteem, better grades, and increased likelihood of completing higher education. Clinicians are often a pivotal component in helping families increase their support for their LGBTQIA+ child. By engaging collaboratively with families, clinicians can promote open communication, strengthen family bonds, and foster empathy and understanding in family systems. Clinicians can also help to break down stereotypes and reduce prejudice and discrimination.
Join behavioral health expert and DEI consultant Chris McLaughlin, MSW, LCSW as he provides best practice tools, tips, and techniques to help clinicians become more intentional in supporting families in caring for their LGBTQIA+ child.
- Helping Families Support LGBTQIA+ Youth
- Description
- Learning Objectives
- Instructor
- CE Hours
- How to Complete the Course and Earn CEs
- Course Policies
- Who Should Attend
- Teaching Methods
- Course Availability
Select each tab above to view specific details about this course
As clinicians, we know that it is essential for queer youth to experience support from their families because it can have a significant impact on their mental health and well-being. Unfortunately, queer youth often face social stigma, discrimination, and isolation, which can lead to depression, anxiety, and other behavioral health issues. Having a supportive family can help to mitigate some of these negative effects by providing a safe and accepting environment where queer youth can be themselves without fear of rejection or judgment. Additionally, family support can help to increase academic and career success for queer youth. In fact, studies have shown that family acceptance is associated with higher levels of self-esteem, better grades, and increased likelihood of completing higher education. Clinicians are often a pivotal component in helping families increase their support for their LGBTQIA+ child. By engaging collaboratively with families, clinicians can promote open communication, strengthen family bonds, and foster empathy and understanding in family systems. Clinicians can also help to break down stereotypes and reduce prejudice and discrimination.
Join behavioral health expert and DEI consultant Chris McLaughlin, MSW, LCSW as he provides best practice tools, tips, and techniques to help clinicians become more intentional in supporting families in caring for their LGBTQIA+ child.
This course was recorded September 1, 2023.
Upon completion of this training, professionals will be able to do the following:
- Define terms associated with LGBTQIA+ youth
- Review several key concepts related to LGBTQIA+ youth
- Introduce a model of coming out for LGBTQIA+ youth
- Bring awareness of the risk factors associated with LGBTQIA+ youth
- Outline best practice clinical approaches for the behavior health treatment of LGBTQIA+ youth
- Educate on concepts of Pronouns/Dead Names
- Review concepts of Trauma-Informed Care and Grief and Loss theories
- Provide overview of family rejection vs. family acceptance
- Apply Trauma-Focused CBT principals in clinical work with families of LGBTQIA+ youth
- Introduce strategies to enhance family acceptance
- Describe ethical issues that might arise when working with LGBTQIA+ youth and families
Christopher McLaughlin, MSW, LCSW
Chris McLaughlin, MSW, LCSW, (he/him/his), is the Executive Director of the Maine Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and owner of Inspired Consulting Group, LLC. He obtained his BA in Psychology and his MSW from the University of Maine. Chris has spent more than 20+ years as a provider and a leader in behavioral health services for youth and families across a variety of clinical settings. Chris is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Maine and Husson University in Bangor.
Additionally, Chris served for four years on the Maine Board of Social Work Licensing and is a member of both the NASW and the Society for Social Work Leadership in Health Care (SSWLHC), where he is the current Maine Chapter President, and he is a member of the National Board. Chris holds additional certifications from Cornell University. Nationally, he was SSWLHC’s 2019 recipient of the Eleanor Clark Award and was named Health Care Social Worker of the Year in 2019 by the Maine Hospital Association and the Maine Chapter of the SSWLHC. In 2020, Chris was awarded the Alumni of the Year distinction from the University of Maine School of Social Work.
For organizations seeking further guidance on LGBTQ+ issues, Chris offers a consultation service to walk organizations through essential competencies that move them closer toward being LGBTQ+ affirming providers. You can learn more about Chris’ professional background and interests here.
Credit Hours:
This course provides 2.5 credit hours
Counselors: Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No, 6693. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0048. Approval renewal date: 1/31/2026
Marriage and Family Therapists: Many MFT licensing boards accept our courses or one of the approvals which we have from professional associations. You can check with your board to determine if this course would be accepted by your licensing board.
Social Workers: Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, #1609, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Telehealth Certification Institute LLC maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 05/02/2021 – 05/02/2024. Social workers completing this course receive 2.5 clinical continuing education credits.
Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0435. Approval renewal date: 2/28/2026
Psychologists: Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Telehealth Certification Institute LLC maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0128. Effective 8/31/2021 – 8/31/2024
Art Therapists: Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed creative arts therapists #CAT-0093. 7/21/2021 – 7/31/2024
Other Professionals: This course qualifies for 150 minutes of instructional content as required by many national, state and local licensing boards and professional organizations. Retain your certificate of completion and contact your board or organization for specific filing requirements.
This is a non-interactive, self-study course.
To receive your certificate of completion you must complete the course in its entirety.
Online courses are completed by registering, logging in, navigating to your course using the menu (My Courses – the Course Title), completing all of the modules, completing and passing the post-test, and completing the course evaluation. Participants have 6 months from registration to access and complete online self-study courses.
Live Webinar courses are completed by registering, logging in to this website, navigating to your course using the menu (My Courses – the Course Title), attending the full course via webinar, submitting your attendance, and completing the post-test and course evaluation online.
Psychologists and other professionals seeking CE credit through our approval with the American Psychological Association are asked, but not required, to complete the course evaluation before obtaining their certificate of completion, however passing a post-test for online self-study courses and live webinars, and submitting one's attendance for live on-site and live webinars is required.
You can receive your certificate of completion by logging onto this website, navigating to the course using the menu (My Courses – the Course Title), scroll to the bottom of your course, and click on your certificate to either download it or print it.
Directions for completing a course can be found by clicking here.
Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities
Click here to view our Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities.
Cancellation Policy
Refunds are offered within the first 30 days for courses which have not been completed. There is a 10% service fee for refunds.
Grievance Policy
This course is intended for clinicians who provide behavioral health services.
Teaching methods for this course include recorded lectures, videos, a post-test, and a course evaluation.
This program was recorded September 1, 2023
You have six months to access online courses from the time of purchase.
Christopher McLaughlin
MSW, LCSW
Chris McLaughlin, MSW, LCSW, (he/him/his), is the Executive Director of the Maine Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and owner of Inspired Consulting Group, LLC. He obtained his BA in Psychology and his MSW from the University of Maine. Chris has spent more than 20+ years as a provider and a leader in behavioral health services for youth and families across a variety of clinical settings. Chris is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Maine and Husson University in Bangor.
Additionally, Chris served for four years on the Maine Board of Social Work Licensing and is a member of both the NASW and the Society for Social Work Leadership in Health Care (SSWLHC), where he is the current Maine Chapter President, and he is a member of the National Board. Chris holds additional certifications from Cornell University. Nationally, he was SSWLHC’s 2019 recipient of the Eleanor Clark Award and was named Health Care Social Worker of the Year in 2019 by the Maine Hospital Association and the Maine Chapter of the SSWLHC. In 2020, Chris was awarded the Alumni of the Year distinction from the University of Maine School of Social Work.
For organizations seeking further guidance on LGBTQ+ issues, Chris offers a consultation service to walk organizations through essential competencies that move them closer toward being LGBTQ+ affirming providers. You can learn more about Chris’ professional background and interests here.
The course was so informative and I was glued to my screen for the entire duration. I received so much knowledge concerning ethics in telehealth and I am greatly encouraged to read about all the standards and policies that pertain to my practice. Thank you!.