Psychosocial benefits of activism include increased empowerment, social connectedness, and resilience. Yet sexual minority women (SMW) and transgender individuals with multiple oppressed statuses and identities are especially prone to oppression-based experiences, even within minority activist communities. This study sought to develop an empirical model to explain the diverse meanings of social justice activism situated in SMW and transgender individuals' social identities, values, and experiences of oppression and privilege. Using a grounded theory design, 20 SMW and transgender individuals participated in initial, follow-up, and feedback interviews. The most frequent demographic identities were queer or bisexual, White, middle-class women with advanced degrees. The results indicated that social justice activism was intensely relational, replete with multiple benefits, yet rife with experiences of oppression from within and outside of activist communities. The empirically derived model shows the complexity of SMW and transgender individuals' experiences, meanings, and benefits of social justice activism.

This article discusses considerations for integrating spirituality into feminist multicultural counseling (FMC) with diverse lesbian, bisexual, and queer (LBQ) women clients. First, the authors describe the historical conflict between LBQ women and conservative religions and explain how hierarchical, patriarchal assumptions and values of conservative religions may have a negative effect on wellbeing and empowerment. Second, the authors describe the positive influences of affirming religions and spiritualities on LBQ women's resilience within oppressive sociocultural contexts. Third, the authors explore the relevance of FMC when integrating spirituality into counseling with LBQ women. Fourth, the authors provide an overview of a model of FMC framework for integrating spirituality into FMC. Finally, we provide a client vignette example. KEYWORDS bisexual, feminist multicultural counseling, lesbian, LGB, queer, spirituality, women In recent years, counselors and psychologists have begun to examine the inclusion and integration of clients' spiritual preferences into the processes of counseling and psychotherapy (A notable gap in this literature pertains to counseling with lesbian, bisexual, and queer (LBQ) women. This article discusses critical considerations for integrating spirituality into feminist multicultural counseling (FMC) with diverse LBQ women clients. First, we describe the historical conflict between conservative religions and spiritualities as they affect LBQ women and explain how hierarchical, patriarchal assumptions and values of conservative religions may have a negative effect on these women's overall psychological well-being and empowerment. Second, we describe the potentially positive influences of affirming religions and spiritualities on LBQ women's ability to cope with oppressive sociocultural contexts. Third, we explore the relevance of FMC when integrating spirituality into counseling practice with LBQ women. Fourth, we provide an overview of a model of FMC counseling as a framework for integrating spirituality into FMC. Next, we provide a client vignette example to illustrate spiritually integrative FMC counseling. Finally, we discuss the implications of this model for LBQ women and make recommendations for practice.

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