LGBTQ+-affirming graduate education: Preparing and supporting future family court clinicians

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual orientation and gender minority (LGBTQ+) youth and families have been under a social and legislative attack in the United States in recent years, marked by a stark increase in gender-affirming care bans and religious rights cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. LGBTQ+ graduate students in mental health fields—particularly those who seek to work in family court settings—have specific needs that are often unmet in their educational and clinical training environments. Furthermore, the over-representation of LGBTQ+ youth in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems necessitates specialized knowledge and skills that many clinicians and educators are currently lacking. This paper discusses the unique challenges facing LGBTQ+ graduate students and provides research-based suggestions for professors, administrators, and supervising clinicians who seek to provide a holistic and humanizing educational experience that produces clinicians who can respond to the evolving needs of LGBTQ+ individuals in family court settings and beyond.