We have a junior listener that just came out as pansexual and now her parents are trying everything to make her “straight.” What can she do to manage the sadness that she’s dealing with? It’s Free Therapy Thursday, and we have licensed therapist Andrea Burkly from the “Honest Women” podcast on to give some therapeutic advice to our listener.
If you find yourself in the same boat as our listener, here are some resources for you – YOU ARE NOT ALONE. There is a TON of support out there, including organizations set up specifically to help you through this time. You have a community out there who is ready to take you in with open arms and accept you as you are.
Check out The Trevor Project. You can find find support, including counselors and crisis support – plus resources on the website. OR you can text START to 678-678.
Also, check out this article – “Mental Health Challenges of LGBTQ+ Kids,” this book: When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodro, and try practicing these mindful self-compassion exercises.
Hi, so for the last year or so, I’ve listened to you guys every morning before I got up. I was just really hoping that one of you (whether it be an LGBTQ+ member of the show or not) could help me out. I am a sixteen year old, proud Pansexual living under my very, very unsupportive parents’ roof. Since they’ve found out, our house has been a warzone. They are doing their best to, I guess this is the best way to put it, scare me into being a straight person.
Needless to say, it isn’t working. They’ve gone as far as threatening conversion therapy against me. They’ve even called our church’s preacher. With everything that they’ve done and the things they’ve said, I’ve just become increasingly sadder by the day. I was hoping that one of you (doesn’t necessarily have to be an LGBTQ+ member, but it might be a bit better if it was, I’m not sure, to be honest) could possibly give some advice as to how to healthily manage the sadness. I love my parents and I know they love me. We still get along just fine when they forget about my sexuality and beliefs. But until they can realize that I’m not trying to force them to accept me or that their words and actions hurt, I need to find a way to manage it all.
Thanks in advance and signing off with love.