Handbook of Affirmative Psychotherapy with Lesbians and Gay Men » (1st Edition)

Kathleen Y. Ritter, PhD, is Professor of Counseling Psychology at California State University, Bakersfield, and maintains a private practice. Coauthor of two previous books, she has extensive experience counseling, teaching, and presenting workshops focused on working with sexual minority clients.

Anthony I. Terndrup, PhD, is a senior staff therapist at the Pastoral Counseling Center of the Mid-Willamette Valley in Corvallis, Oregon and a member of the graduate faculty in Counselor Education at Oregon State University. He is Past President of the Association for Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Issues in Counseling (a division of the American Counseling Association). For over 15 years, he has served sexual minority clients in a variety of clinical settings, including psychosocial rehabilitation, private practice, college counseling, and pastoral care.

Together, Drs. Ritter and Terndrup have presented over 30 continuing education workshops on sexual orientation for mental health professionals across North America.

Grounded in current research, this comprehensive volume lays the foundations for effective, affirmative therapeutic practice with lesbian, gay, and bisexual clients. Timely, clinically relevant information is provided to help clinicians understand and address the unique concerns these clients bring to the therapeutic setting. Coverage includes the sociocultural factors that influence lesbian and gay mental health; the process of lesbian, gay, and bisexual identity formation; and lifespan developmental tasks and transitions from adolescence to later life. Also addressed are family of origin issues; couple problems, including sex therapy with same-sex partners; vocational and workplace issues; health and medical concerns; meeting the needs of same-sex parents and their children; religious and spiritual concerns; and cultural diversity issues. The extensive resource section lists a broad array of publications, advocacy groups, and Web-based resources for both professionals and consumers.

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Written for clinicians wishing to enhance their psychotherapeutic treatment of sexual minority clients, this guide addresses the special issues this population presents from a positive regard perspective irrespective of the particular type of therapy or problem. Ritter (counseling psychology, California State U., Bakersfield) and Terndrup (counselor education, Oregon State U., Corvallis) discuss the developmental-social-legal context of sexual orientation, identity formation theories and life span issues, affirmative practice, and working with families and couples. The book includes a substantial list of resources and references. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)