Supporting LGBTQ+ Parents: Practical Steps to Foster Mental Health

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The U.S. Surgeon General’s 2024 Advisory on the Mental Health and Well-Being of Parents highlights the notable stress that parents are currently facing. For example, 41% of parents say that most days they are so stressed they cannot function and 48% of parents have reported that most days, their stress is completely overwhelming. While this data was not broken down by demographic groups, the Surgeon General’s report did note that “LGBTQ-parent families may face challenges such as discrimination and societal stigma that could exacerbate their stress and mental health challenges.” The distinctive stressors that LGBTQ+ parents face is an issue of growing concern as 18% (2.57 million) of LGBTQ adults are parenting children and approximately 5 million children are being raised by an LGBTQ parent in the USA (Williams Institute).

To effectively address the sociostructural stressors and related mental health challenges faced by LGBTQ+ parents, clinicians and psychologists should prioritize the creation of an inclusive and affirming clinical environment. This includes utilizing gender-affirming language, respecting individuals’ pronouns, and ensuring that intake procedures and assessments are sensitive to diverse family structures. Research has consistently shown that the therapeutic alliance is critical in determining treatment outcomes, and LGBTQ+ parents, in particular, may have prior experiences with healthcare discrimination. By cultivating a practice that acknowledges and affirms these unique familial configurations, clinicians can significantly enhance rapport and therapeutic engagement.

In addition to individual-level interventions, psychologists should advocate for broader systemic and community-based changes. Psychoeducation on the intersectional stressors experienced by LGBTQ+ parents, such as discrimination, heteronormativity, and parenting stress, can enhance mental health literacy and improve coping mechanisms. The minority stress model (Meyer, 2003) provides a valuable framework for understanding how external stressors related to societal stigma exacerbate mental health challenges. Clinicians are encouraged to collaborate with local LGBTQ+ organizations or advocacy groups to provide clients with access to a broad array of community-based resources, enhancing the supportive networks available to these families.

Clinicians should also be sensitive to the LGBTQ+ need for family of choice networks due to discrimination from birth families and/or religious communities. Research has shown that many LGBTQ+ parents turn to these chosen families—comprised of close friends, partners, and supportive individuals outside their biological kin—to fulfill emotional and social needs that their birth families may not meet due to prejudice or exclusion. Clinicians should actively validate and incorporate these chosen family dynamics into therapeutic interventions, as they play a crucial role in providing emotional support, resilience, and stability for LGBTQ+ parents.