"Coming-out" Support Group
The purpose of the group is:
- To help participants explore, develop, and integrate a positive LGBTQ identity;
- To practice self-disclosure regarding sexual orientation;
- To promote communication relating to experiences and emotions in the LGBTQ "coming-out" process;
- To help build participants' coping skills, stability, and strengths through self-expression, mutual aid, and support.
Member profile: Adults, ages 20-45; anywhere in the lifelong "coming-out" process as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning; any race/ethnicity; any gender; English-speaking; availability to commit to weekly group sessions for the duration of the 14-week group.
Leader: Ryli Webster, MSW
Meeting location: (Downtown Seattle) 1200 6th Avenue, Suite 2001 Seattle, WA 98101 (private practice office location).
Time: Saturday or Sunday (a.m. or p.m.) - to be determined based on recruited clients' needs
Membership: recruited and closed between 6-9 members
Length: 14 sessions
Frequency of sessions: Weekly
Cost: $40-50/session
Start Date: To be determined. Group sessions will begin after initial individual screenings are completed and membership is full.
Contact: For more information, interested participants may contact me directly at (206) 491-9625 or ryliwebster@gmail.com.
*Interested participants will be individually screened for group suitability.
Women's Coming Out Group
Facilitated by Jennifer Loewenthal, MA
Licensed Mental Health Counselor
This group is designed to provide a space for women of all ages to come together and explore stages of the coming out process. Coming out is not a single event but a life long process that begins at any age, has many stages, and is different for each person. In general, coming out begins with self and eventually friends, family, and others.
As women "unlearn" stereotypes about what it means to be a GLBT person, the need for healthier information and a desire to continue learning create a desire for connection. This support group provides such a connection.
The group runs for 8 weeks and each has a different topic. The topics are as follows:
- Welcoming and orientation to group
- Learning to identify and recover from the social disease of homophobia
- Coming out to yourself as the first step in the coming out process
- Understanding sexual identity
- Whether or not to come out
- Losses and gains of coming out
- Creating a lifestyle of health
- Connections with community
Cost for this group is $350.00 and the group begins on Saturday, May 2nd 2009.
For more information, please contact Jennifer Loewenthal at (206) 947-2645.
