Facilitation of a G/L/B Support Therapy Group by Heterosexual Counselors

            It was interesting to read the process that this counseling center went through in order to establish a g/l/b group.  The thing that stood out to me immediately was their choice to wait until a gay counselor was hired to start a g/l/b support therapy group.  I wonder what the possible implications to others interested in starting a group that do not have a gay counselor on staff.  Would they choose not to start a group because of this? 

It concerns me that this was such a major point throughout the article.  It sounds like they are saying that the success they achieved was due to the gay counselor starting the group even though heterosexual counselors continued the group.  I wish that they could have clarified the possibility of starting a group by a heterosexual counselor.  I think this was implied but not given enough emphasis.  There are so many smaller communities that may have a need for this type of group but might hesitate to initiate a group without the help of a gay counselor if this article were to be read.

            I appreciated their consideration of the stages of g/l/b identity development proposed Cass.  It is important to consider where each group member is in his or her own identity development and also where the counselor is in his or her identity development.  The article effectively points out the importance of considering these ideas and how this could ultimately affect the success or failure of the group process.

            It was interesting also to read about the positive effects of self-disclosure by the counselors before individuals decided to join the group.  This seems to imply the ability of any multiculturally competent counselor being able to establish a group.  Hopefully, more groups will be established in the future to support individuals in the g/l/b community regardless of the sexual orientation of the counselor’s available to start the group.