Providing psychological counselling to LGBTQI+s: What psychologists should know and do

Nafas LGBTI Azerbaijan Alliance, an LGBTQI+ rights organisation in Azerbaijan, is implementing the "LGBTI+s Demand: Mental Health and Justice" programme with the support of USAID Azerbaijan and the Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation (BST).

The programme aims to raise awareness about the psychological counselling needs of the LGBTQI+ community. Psychologist-consultant Ali Abbasov wrote an opinion piece about the psychological counselling for LGBTQI+s in Azerbaijan within the programme.

The opinion piece emphasises the need for psychologists to avoid imposing their values on individuals seeking help and not making predictions about the future. Lack of knowledge about providing psychological counselling to LGBTQI+ individuals and biases held by some psychologists are also addressed in the article.

The article highlights the importance of understanding the unique issues faced by LGBTQI+ individuals and treating them with respect and dignity.