If you think it’s difficult accessing 2S/LGBTQ+-affirming mental health support, you’re not alone
It’s even harder to find effective mental health support if you’re a sex worker, if you use substances, if you’re from a rural community, or if your unique brain doesn’t fit in well. Racialized, 2 Spirit and Indigiqueer, and visibly marginalized communities also face greater stigma and discrimination, and feel like no one understands or supports them.
On top of all this, trauma builds on our difficulties and creates daily challenges. Without adequate support, the mental well-being and overall quality of life for many queer and trans folks declines. No matter how you cut it, the 2S/LGBTQ+ community is underserviced, and that has devastating consequences.
To tackle this mental health crisis, and target the gaps in mental health supports, we created Bloom; a community-based mental health support program helping members of our community and empowering others to do the same.
Here are three ways Bloom helps support the community’s mental health needs:
1. we use a trauma-informed approach led by peers in the 2S/LGBTQ+ community
Based on mutual-aid, Bloom focuses on a peer-driven response outside of established systems to issues faced by the community. The program emphasizes harm reduction, sexual health, and meeting the needs of those who have a high degree of intersectionality and history with trauma. We believe that folks from the queer and trans community are the most equipped to understand and face the complex mental health needs of their peers.
Additionally, Bloom’s mentorship approach creates a culture of safety, trust, and communication for both the service provider and the person accessing services. We ensure that Bloom partners are not left alone with clients until they are completely confident in their service delivery. Led by trans therapists with years of professional and lived experience working in mental health, Bloom is uniquely suited to assist 2S/LGBTQ+ folks.
2. We use evidence-based methods for both individual and group settings
Bloom techniques are proven highly effective at meeting 2S/LGBTQ+ mental health needs. First informed by experience and research with Dr. Hart and the HIV Prevention Lab at Ryerson University, and practiced in community through community-based organizations and private practices, our counselling techniques and well-experienced queer and trans therapists target the complex mental health needs of our community.
Some of the counselling techniques Bloom uses include:
Motivational Interviewing (MI): helps individuals identify their own goals and motivates them to make positive changes in their lives.
Trauma and Violence informed Care (TVIC): minimizes the potential for harm and re-traumatization, thereby enhancing the safety, control and resilience for everyone in.
Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT): improves mental and sexual health by helping participants align their behaviour with their mental/sexual health goals.
In addition to being useful for individuals, the MI program has been researched and delivered in both group and individual contexts. CBT has also been successfully delivered to individual gay men and 2S folks and is adapted to focus on the broader 2S/LGBTQ+ community.
3. We train other queer and trans-led organizations to help their communities through this crisis
Bloom is not just a support program; it’s an all-encompassing mental health training program. We help other organizations build capacity to address the unique mental health challenges in their own communities. Our model of mutual aid means supporting communities outside of established systems; we do this by building a network of organizations with trained staff and volunteers.
Moreover, training is offered with a preference for service providers whose identity carries multiple intersecting and marginalized layers. By focusing on building capacity within community peers, we build a diverse network of queer and trans folks equipped to uplift their communities. This empowers 2S/LGBTQ+ individuals and organizations to help their most vulnerable at times when they need it the most.
On top of training service providers, program alumni and their participants receive structure and support throughout their journey. Community partners are supported with behind-the-scenes guidance adapting and implementing Bloom into their programs. Our research team, back-up support and debrief workers, and our program evaluation tools ensure the program meets your community’s unique needs.
Bloom helps individuals, organizations, and communities reach their full potential
Our proven methods and community-based, peer-led programming empowers folks to be who they’re meant to be, and builds capacity for community-based organizations to do the same. By helping communities tackle their unique mental health challenges, we improve our resilience to the ongoing mental health crisis.
With ongoing support and guidance for the program, we help ensure community partners and their clients receive effective community-based mental health support. All of this is offered on a sliding scale to ensure organizations can pay what they can. We offer nonprofit pricing to community-based organizations, and may also offer a scholarship for training.
All costs go directly back to supporting our network and trainers. Apply now at the button below! Contact us for more information at connect@youcanbloom.ca