Counseling Same-Sex Couples
Please no plagiarism and make sure you are able to access all resources on your own before you bid. Main references come from Murray, C., Pope, A., & Willis, B. (2017) and/or American Psychological Association (2014). You need to have scholarly support for any claim of fact or recommendation regarding treatment. APA format also requires headings. Use the instructions each week to guide your heading titles and organize the content of your initial post under the appropriate headings. Remember to use scholarly research from peer-reviewed articles that are current. Please follow the instructions to get full credit for the discussion. I need this completed by 04/16/20 at 8pm.
Discussion – Week 8
Counseling Same-Sex Couples
This week’s discussion starts with the following basic information: You are a counselor providing counseling to a same-sex couple. The partners within that couple are parents to two children, ages 6 and 3. Beyond this basic information, you are asked to speculate how additional details might influence this couple’s experience of parenting. In your response, consider different possible aspects of their lives as parents, including how parenting may influence their couple relationship, what connections the family may have to other members of the local community, and how the parents might interact with and experience institutions related to their parenting experiences (e.g., schools, child care, health care providers, and mental health professionals).
To prepare for this Discussion, select two pairs of demographic differences from the following list: urban/rural, interracial/same race, one stay-at-home parent/dual career, higher/lower socioeconomic status, secular/religious. Consider how same-sex couples’ parenting experiences might differ between each side of the categories you selected.
With these thoughts in mind:
Post by Day 4 the two categories of demographic differences that you selected. Explain how the couple’s relationship and their parenting experiences might differ between each side of the categories you selected. For example, if you chose urban/rural as one of your categories, explain how the experiences would differ if the couple lived in an urban area or if they lived in a rural area. Finally, explain how your counseling approach might differ based on the different experiences of the couple.
Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources.
Required Resources
Readings
· Article: Barefoot, K. N., Rickard, A., Smalley, K. B., & Warren, J. C. (2015). Rural lesbians: Unique challenges and implications for mental health providers. Journal of Rural Mental Health, 39(1), 22–33. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
· Article: Giammattei, S. V. (2015). Beyond the Binary: Trans-Negotiations in Couple and Family Therapy. Family Process, 54(3), 418–434. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
· Article: Jacqui, G., & Reenee, S. (2015). Reflections on the challenges of understanding racial, cultural and sexual differences in couple relationship research. Journal of Family Therapy, (2), 210. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
· Article: Oakley, M., Farr, R. H., & Scherer, D. G. (2017). Same-Sex Parent Socialization: Understanding Gay and Lesbian Parenting Practices as Cultural Socialization. Journal of GLBT Family Studies, 13(1), 56–75. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
Rural Lesbians: Unique Challenges and Implications for Mental Health Providers
K. Nikki Barefoot, Amanda Rickard, and K. Bryant Smalley Georgia Southern University
Jacob C. Warren Mercer University
Although the majority of lesbians reside in urban areas, lesbian couples significantly outnumber partnered gay men in rural communities and are an important part of the rural demographic landscape. However, being present does not mean lesbians are fully embraced within rural culture. Rural culture is often associated with traditional gender roles, conservatism, patriarchy, fundamental religiosity, hetero-normative family struc- tures, and conformity—all of which can have significant effects upon mental and social wellbeing. Furthermore, rural residents frequently report negative perceptions of les- bian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. These aspects of rural living can create challenges and vulnerabilities for lesbians who make their home there, creating unique considerations for mental health providers practicing in rural areas. The current article is a comprehensive review of the existing literature regarding the mental health of rural lesbians, summarizing current findings of the literature, highlighting areas of additional research need, and providing recommendations for mental health practitioners.
Keywords: rural, lesbians, mental health, LGBT, review
According to the most recent U.S. census, approximately 12% of same-sex couples live in rural areas (Bishop, 2011). Although the major- ity of lesbians continue to reside in urban areas, lesbian couples significantly outnumber part- nered gay men in rural communities (Bishop, 2011). Although, historically, lesbians may have been drawn to rural areas by the lure of agricultural feminist communes beginning in the 1960s and lasting through the early 1980s, they may still be tempted to reside in rural areas because of affordable housing and property, beautiful landscapes, privacy, and the slower
and quieter pace of life (Bell & Valentine, 1995; Leedy & Connolly, 2007). Additionally, lesbian couples may live in rural areas at higher rates than gay male couples because women typically earn less than men and are more likely to have children, which could make the less costly rural lifestyle more appealing than urban living (Bishop, 2011). Therefore, although lesbians may be more readily associated with urban dwelling because of their concentrations in ma- jor cities, they are highly present in the fabric of rural living as well.
However, being present does not mean lesbi- ans are fully embraced within rural culture. Ru- ral culture is synonymous with traditional gen- der roles, conservatism, patriarchy, fundamental religiosity, hetero-normative family structures, and conformity (Miller & Luloff, 1980). Fur- thermore, rural residents report negative percep- tions of sexual minorities, which appear to be related to fundamentalist religiosity, lack of in- terpersonal contact with sexual minorities, fear of AIDS, and conservative political orientation (Eldridge, Mack, & Swank, 2006; Herek, 2002; Hopwood & Connors, 2002; Snively, Kreuger, Stretch, Watt, & Chadha, 2004). These aspects
This article was published Online First May 26, 2014. K. Nikki Barefoot and Amanda Rickard, Department of
Psychology, Georgia Southern University; K. Bryant Smal- ley, Department of Psychology and Center of Excellence for Rural and Minority Health, Georgia Southern University; Jacob C. Warren, Center for Rural Health and Health Dis- parities and Department of Community Medicine, Mercer University.
Correspondence concerning this article should be ad- dressed to Jacob C. Warren, Mercer University–Community Medicine, 1550 College Street, Macon, GA 31207. E-mail: warren_jc@mercer.edu