Below are links to recommendations and guidelines for psychologists, psychotherapists, mental health professionals and other healthcare professionals when working with gender, sexuality and relationship diverse (GSRD) people. The guidelines and recommendations below are provided by psychological associations in the United Kingdom (the British Psychological Society and the British Association for Counseling and Psychotherapy), the United States (the American Psychological Society), Ireland (the Psychological Society of Ireland), South Africa (the Psychological Society of South Africa), and Germany (the German Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans*, Intersexual and Queer People in Psychology). Such guidelines have been published in recognition of the fact that, as well as general stressors, GSRD people experience unique stressors which need to be taken into account when working with this population, such as marginalisation, stigma and discrimination on a societal, interpersonal and internalised basis.
The guidelines and recommendations serve as an aid for professionals to be able to provide the best care for their clients and to enable a high quality of psychological practice for GSRD people. They provide up-to-date and culture-specific information based on science and the literature for professionals practicing in the countries and regions in which they are published.
Guidelines for Psychologists Working with Gender, Sexuality and Relationship Diversity, (4 July 2019), British Psychological Society.
These guidelines focus on non-heterosexual, gender diverse and non-monogamous people aged 18 and over. The guidelines are aimed at psychologists who work with people in mental healthcare settings, but they can also be applied in related psychological fields as well as other disciplines such as medicine, nursing and social work. They are based on the literature and the agreement on best practice by experts in this field. The guidance includes an introduction to psychology, gender, sexuality and relationship diversity (GSRD), as well as sections focusing on the following areas: the socio-political context and attitudes, practices relating to GSRD, family and friends, diversity and intersectionality, lifespan development and education, training and further development.
British Psychological Society. (2019). Guidelines for psychologists working with gender, sexuality and relationship diversity. Leicester: British Psychological Society.
https://www.apa.org/about/policy/psychological-sexual-minority-persons.pdf
APA Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Sexual Minority Persons, (2021), American Psychological Society, APA Task Force on Psychological Practice with Sexual Minority Persons.
These guidelines are aimed at psychologists working with sexual minority persons and include an introduction, an overview of the guidelines, and detailed sections on the following topics: foundational knowledge and awareness, the impact of stigma, discrimination, and sexual minority stress, relationships and family, education and vocational issues, and professional education, training, and research. While these guidelines focus on practice with sexual minority persons, they also recognise that this population includes gender diverse identities and take this into account.
American Psychological Association. (2021). Guidelines for psychological practice with sexual minority persons. American Psychological Association.
Guidelines for Good Practice with Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Clients, (April 2015, due for review), The Psychological Society of Ireland.
The LGB Guidelines of the Psychological Society of Ireland, which cover lesbian, gay and bisexual persons, form part of the PSI Code of Ethics. The guidelines are aimed at psychologists and psychotherapists who work with LGB clients. They include an introduction and background, sections on the topics of language and concepts relating to sexual orientation, the mental health and psychological wellbeing of LGB people, and LGB psychotherapy, a guide to good practice, as well as a glossary of terms, a directory of services for LGB people in Ireland, and a list of related websites and publications.
The Psychological Society of Ireland. Guidelines for Good Practice with Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Clients. (2015). The Psychological Society of Ireland.
Practice Guidelines For Psychology Professionals Working With Sexually And Gender-Diverse People, (2017), Psychological Society of South Africa.
These guidelines are aimed at psychological professionals practicing in South Africa, but they are also applicable to all mental health professionals working in the continent of Africa. They aim to contribute to the development and implementation of standards of care for sexually and gender diverse people in Africa, and particularly in South Africa. The guidelines are comprised of 12 sections focusing on the following topics: non-discrimination, individual self-determination, enhancing professional understanding, awareness of normative social contexts, intersecting discriminations, counteracting stigma and violence, recognising multiple developmental pathways, non-conforming family structures and relationships, the necessity of an affirmative stance, foregrounding global best practice care, disclosing and rectifying of personal biases, and continued professional development.
Psychological Society of South Africa. (2017). Practice Guidelines For Psychology Professionals Working With Sexually And Gender-Diverse People. Johannesburg: Psychological Society of South Africa.
https://www.bacp.co.uk/media/5877/bacp-gender-sexual-relationship-diversity-gpacp001-april19.pdf
BACP Good Practice across the Counselling Professions 001, Gender, Sexual, and Relationship Diversity (GSRD), (updated April 2019), M.J. Barker, British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.
These guidelines are published by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and their purpose is to enable BACP members and other British professionals in the field of counselling and psychotherapy to develop good practice when working with gender, sexually and relationship diverse clients. They aim to provide information on requirements for working with cultural competency with clients who are non-heterosexual or relationship or gender diverse. The guidelines are comprised of the following areas: an introduction to gender, sexual and relationship diversity, sex/gender, sexuality, relationships, and a summary of good practice for culturally competent practice across gender, sexual and relationship diversity.
Barker, M. J. (2017). Good Practice across the Counselling Professions 001: Gender, sexual, and relationship diversity (GSRD). British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.
https://www.vlsp.de/files/pdf/vpp1-15_s2_empfehlungen.pdf
Recommendations for Psychotherapy and Counselling with Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Clients, (2015), Wolf et al., VLSP German Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans*, Intersexual and Queer People in Psychology [Verband für lesbische, schwule, bisexuelle, trans*, intersexuelle und queere Menschen in der Psychologie]
These guidelines aim to provide evidence-based recommendations for German professionals in the field of counselling and psychotherapy who work with lesbian, gay and bisexual clients and to promote helpful and harm-avoiding healthcare for these clients. They are based on the literature and a discussion process with experts in this field. The guidelines are comprised of an introduction and 24 recommendations which are covered under the following areas: knowledge about and attitudes towards homosexuality and bisexuality*, relationships and concepts of family, aspects of diversity, aspects in business and working life, and profession and sexual orientation.
Wolf, G., Fünfgeld, M., Oehler, R., & Andrae, S. (2015). Empfehlungen zur Psychotherapie und Beratung mit lesbischen, schwulen und bisexuellen Klient_innen. Verhaltenstherapie und psychosoziale Praxis, 47, 21-48.