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John Sovec, MA, LMFT is a nationally recognized expert on the topic of creatingaffirmative support for the LGBTQ community. He is the clinical consultant for The Life Group LA, adjunct faculty at Phillips Graduate Institute and guest lecturer at Alliant University and USC School of Social Work. John is currently a member of the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.
John Sovec is the author of multiple publications on providing LGBTQ support, speaksat conferences nationwide, maintains a private practice and provides training forcommunity agencies, schools, non-profits, and professional consultation on LGBTQ competencies.
John is a nationally recognized expert on creating affirmative LGBTQ support with hiswork featured on The Riki Lake Show, OWN, FOX, The Advocate, Bravo, LA Talk Radio,The Washington Post, and regular columns for Huffington Post and Good Therapy.
The hetero-normative model of therapy has been the standard of care with little respect or validation of the unique needs of LGBTQ patients. Studies reveal that LGBTQ people are more vulnerable to substance use, mood disorders, and a higher prevelance of suicidality often driven by developmental trauma closely related to their LGBTQ identity. This workshop will explore the alienation of LGBTQ clients from their family of origin, understand substance use as a coping mechanism in LGBTQ identity development, and how by reaffirming the coming out process in a supportive environment, clients can regain their sense of identity. Issues of sobriety, sexuality, gender, and family dynamics will be explored in this interactive workshop with tools shared to address these challenging issues.
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