Trailblazers in Love: Understanding & Advocating for the LGBTQ+ Community with Jeff Lutes (222)

Welcome 2024!

We are kicking off the new year with a special conversation between co-host Sue Marriott and special guest Jeff Lutes. Both members of the LGBTQ+ community, this discussion dives into raising families, the evolution of the community, allyship, gender, and the importance of advocacy. While there has been some progress, the LGBTQ+ community still actively faces discrimination. Whether you’re a practicing therapist with clients in the community or have LGBTQ-identifying loved ones, this episode is for you. Through a personal and professional lens, this conversation offers new perspectives and shines a light on the significance of staying educated and being an active voice.

“There are a lot of therapists that see themselves as affirming, but I think you have to get actively involved in order to be an ally.” – Jeff Lutes Time Stamps for Advocating for the LGBTQ+ Community

2:00 – Jeff’s anecdotes about religion and sexuality

11:18 – How advocacy can be a thankless job

12:00 – Introduction to the Contemporary Relationships Conference

14:34 – The difference between being trained in accepting versus educated

16:48 – The importance of knowing the correct terminology

20:39 – What we can learn from the polyamorous community

22:58 – Definition of queer and who that represents

24:37 – Let’s talk about pronouns

31:21 – Explanation of dead naming and why it is wrong

42:15 – Conversion therapy research and findings

47:00: Trailblazers in Love, Jeff’s book

Resources for today’s episode Advocating for the LGBTQ+ Community

Jeff Lute’s Website – Information, credentials, presentations and publications

Contemporary Relationships Conference – Conference information and proposals

Get your copy of his book, Trailblazers in Love, here!! About our Guest – Jeff Lutes, LPC

Jeff specializes in creating collaborative conversations with clients that generate new possibilities for change. Using a postmodern approach, he listens carefully to each client’s story and strives to understand how they might make meaning of themselves, others, and the world around them. He founded the Contemporary Relationships Conference and has presented to audiences around the country, including the American Association of Marriage & Family Therapy, the American Family Therapy Academy, the American Counseling Association, and the Texas Psychological Association. He is also the author of Trailblazers In Love, as well as chapters in three counseling textbooks. Lutes also wrote a children’s book about adoption, deaf culture, and non-traditional families and has been a contributing writer at Bilerico and Therapy Matters.

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We support mental health access to those traditionally left out of mainstream healthcare and use a portion of the income we receive from corporate sponsors to do just that! We can only do that with the help of our Patrons – joining as a TU Neuronerd Podsquad premium subscriber, you support this mission and get a dedicated ad-free feed plus occasional very cool and unique study opportunities, reading groups, and unique surprises! We invite you to join our community. Click here to join!

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