Master of Arts

MA in Clinical Psychology, LGBT-Affirmative Psychology

 

Empower members of marginalized groups to live healthy lives.

Antioch has been a pioneer in social justice for over 160 years, consistently pushing the boundaries of equality for the greater good of all marginalized groups. In the LGBT-Affirmative Psychology Specialization you’ll develop the knowledge, attitudes, skills, and self-awareness to implement the most effective and empowering mental health services for LGBT individuals. Challenge how you understand identity and become part of a community of advocates challenging broader categories of identity and helping advance greater equality and understanding. This degree is offered by AU Los Angeles.


Program Overview

We launched one of the nation’s first graduate psychology specializations devoted to affirmative psychology for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA) individuals over 10 years ago. Now in its second decade of training professionals to become practitioner-advocates in the LGBT community, the program welcomes you and is excited for you to explore our intersections between social justice and LGBT resilience and liberation. In two years, you can complete all the required coursework for California licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) or a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC). The Antioch University Los Angeles specialization in LGBT-Affirmative Theory and Practice will help you as an affirmative practitioner address the impact of minority stress (e.g., both institutionalized and internalized homo/bi/transphobia) that can be seen as underlying causes for depression, anxiety, substance abuse, unsafe sex, and other psychic challenges faced by many LGBT individuals. The LGBT Specialization benefits both LGBT people wanting to become immersed in the life-saving domain of affirmative theory and practice as well as “allies” who themselves may not be LGBT but are eager to serve this community with new competencies and qualifications.

 

Key Learning

Through the LGBT specialization, students will:

  • Explore unconscious dynamics unique to LGBT people
  • Gain expertise in the most effective techniques in LGBT affirmative psychotherapy
  • Grow awareness of unique issues associated with multiple oppressions of LGBT people of color
  • Learn to treat symptoms of internalized homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, and heterosexism in LGBT client through exploring the unconscious.

Degree Requirements

Specialization Courses (17 units)
  • Affirmative Psychotherapy
  • Healing Historical Oppression in LGBT Communities
  • Dismantling Privilege and Oppression within LGBT Communities
  • LGBT Clinical and Psychological Wellness Across the Lifespan
  • LGBT Community Action
  • LGBT Identity Workshop
    • Lesbian Women
    • Gay Men
    • Bisexual People
    • Queer women
    • Transgender and Gender Non-conforming
    •  Intersex
  • LGBT Electives

For detailed curriculum and degree requirements, please visit the Antioch University Los Angeles catalog.

More Information

Recently featured in the New York Times

We are honored to have our LGBT Specialization in Clinical Psychology featured in the NY Times. This article discusses the importance of LGBT-affirmative theories and practices in mental health training and makes some powerful statements about the inherent, and even spiritual, nature of being LGBT and the need for a unique LGBT psychology. Although there is one paradigm represented in the article, it is only one of the perspectives that is discussed in the program. As Antioch University prides itself on social justice, we firmly believe in the importance of incorporating multiple realities with students. As such, The LGBT Specialization cherishes these alternative perspectives in the training of our students. READ NOW

Admissions / Cost / Aid

Upcoming Events

Recent News

Skip to content