Couples Counseling for a Transgender-Lesbian Couple: Student Counselors’ Comfort and Discomfort with Sexuality Counseling Topics

Abstract

This article describes the supervision and training aspects of two student counselors in their service to a transgender and lesbian married couple. Through journal assignments, multiple themes emerged from these supervisees' responses to serving this unique couple. Two critical areas of reflection included both counselors' concerns of clinical preparedness and experiences of supervision. Beyond the descriptors of transgender and lesbian, the counselors were least comfortable with the mere discussion of sexual intimacy and its place in the presenting problem for this couple. The arenas of clinical supervision, self of the therapist, and counselor preparation as it may promote active exploration of sexual intimacy discussion in the arena of couples counseling are explored along with implications for counselor educators' and supervisors' own ability to promote this candid and needed discussion with supervisees.

“There’s Something Not Right” and “Bringing it Forward”

“…What it appears is that these practitioners fostered ''opened space'' for difficult dialogue in their therapy sessions, which seems similar to how supervisees have described experiences of safety and openness in supervision that allowed for difficult dialogue on sensitive topics (Charlés, Ticheli-Kallikas, et al, 2005;Hernández & Rankin, 2008;Rutter et al, 2010;Watt et al, 2009). One of the hallmarks of systemic supervision is the notion of isomorphism, with the supervisor's goal of facilitating a supervisory process that then translates into supervisees' therapy sessions (e.g., Koltz, Odegard, Feit, Provost, & Smith, 2012;Weir, 2009;White & Russell, 1997).…”

Implications for Supervisors and Counselor Educators in Human Sexuality

“…Further, supervision's role in building CIT willingness and comfort to address sexual issues in counseling has been shown to be more impactful than counseling experience or sexual knowledge (Harris & Hays, 2008;Juergens et al, 2009;LoFrisco, 2013). Specifically, supervisory support is essential for processing CIT worries and fears (Rutter et al, 2010) and decreasing CIT anxiety (Harris & Hays, 2008) with client sexual issues. Supervision provides an opportunity for informal education which has been a key component in increasing CIT comfort levels (Berman, 1997).…”

“…Supervision plays an important role in informal sexuality counseling education (Berman, 1997;LoFrisco, 2013;Rutter, Leech, Anderson, & Saunders, 2010). Counselors in Training (CITs) have been hesitant to initiate human sexuality conversations with clients, and research has varied in the conclusion of reasons.…”

Gender Identity and Social Services: Barriers to Care

“…For example, counseling students have been found to have a high level of discomfort with topics related to transgender and lesbian couples, in particular when the couple's problem related to sexual intimacy (Rutter, Leech, Anderson, & Saunders, 2010). Education needs to start early, during professional training and pursuit of degrees and credentials for practice, and should not wait until providers encounter their first transperson.…”