Collective Grief & Advocacy: Counselors’ Perspectives on LGBTQ+ Distress in the Trump Era

The political climate under President Donald Trump has and continues to significantly impact the mental health and well-being of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and others (LGBTQ+) community. Clinicians who primarily serve this community have unique experience witnessing the adverse impact of the actions and attitudes perpetuated by the Trump administration. Using explanatory case study, coupled with pattern-matching and logic-model analytic strategies, this study describes the experience of 15 clinicians serving this community in the Trump-era. Results highlight election stress, shared grief, changes in core beliefs, as well as clinicians’ “leaning in” and “out” of advocacy efforts.