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Growing a Good Therapist: How LGBTQIA+ Counsellors Cultivate Competence and Humility
A look at “The Development of LGBTQ+ Cultural Competence and Cultural Humility Among LGBTQ+ Counselors: A Constructivist Grounded Theory” by Rattanakorn Ratanashevorn, Phillip Waalkes, Susan Kashubeck-West and Rafe McCullough (2026) You might assume that a queer therapist would automatically be brilliant with queer clients. Shared experience helps, of course. But this American study suggests that…
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Rejection Sensitivity and ADHD: What We Know (and What We Don’t)
If you’ve spent any time in ADHD corners of the internet, you’ll have met rejection sensitive dysphoria, or RSD: intense, sudden emotional pain triggered by real or perceived criticism or rejection. For many people, reading about it is a lightbulb moment. But what does the science actually say? What we know The broader picture is…
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AuDHD and Medication: Why One Size Doesn’t Fit All
A look at “Literature Review and medication outcomes for CYP with dual diagnosis of ADHD and Autism in UK NHS CAMHS Service” by E. S. Lenku and S. Olety (2026) When a young person is both autistic and has ADHD (often called AuDHD), things can get more complicated, including when it comes to medication. This…
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Adapting EMDR for Autistic Minds: A Case Study
A look at “Case Report: Integration between eye movement desensitization and reprocessing and cognitive therapy for autism spectrum disorder. Novel intervention protocol based on case formulation and brief review of literature” by Maria Marino, Mariangela Pezone, Maria Pia Riccio, Raffaele Garotti, Annamaria Scapicchio, Isabel Fernandez and Carmela Bravaccio (2026) Many autistic people carry trauma, not…
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“I Couldn’t, I’m Way Too Jealous!”: How Polyamorous People Really Handle Jealousy
A look at “‘How Do You Manage It? I Couldn’t; I’m Way Too Jealous!’ A Qualitative Research on How Polyamorous People Deal with Their Partners’ Relationships” by Natalia Spada, Marco De Vettor, Nicola Carone, Arianna Feligioni, Gabriele Lo Buglio, Vittorio Lingiardi, Guido Giovanardi and Tommaso Boldrini (2026) Tell someone you’re polyamorous and there’s a good…
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Freezing, Screens and Social Anxiety: Adapting CBT for an Autistic Teenager
A look at “Autism-adapted cognitive behavioral therapy for social anxiety in an adolescent with late-identified autism spectrum disorder: a case report” by Hajji Hazem, Kerkeni Ali, Chaabane Maryam, Youzbechi Fatma, Hssen Oumayma, Kerkeni Hajer, Beji Mayssa and Abbes Wafa (2026) Sometimes autism isn’t noticed until adolescence, when the social world suddenly gets a lot more…
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DBT vs CBT for Adult ADHD: A Head-to-Head Trial
A look at “Group dialectical behavior therapy skills training versus group cognitive behavioral therapy for adults with ADHD: a randomized controlled trial” by Li-Qian Zhang, Mei-Rong Pan, Min Dong, Xin Kong, Zi-Yan Yu, Shi-Yu Zhang, Hai-Mei Li, Lu Liu, Yu-Feng Wang and Qiu-Jin Qian (2026) In one corner, CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy), the reigning champion…
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Kink-Aware Therapy: What It Is and Why It Matters
Imagine finally working up the courage to see a therapist about something that’s bothering you, mentioning in passing that you’re into BDSM, and watching the conversation swerve entirely onto your sex life. For many kinky people, that’s not imaginary. It’s why kink-aware therapy matters. What the research says In 2006, Keely Kolmes, Wendy Stock and…
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“Not Enough” vs “Never Perfect”: Why Men Consider Penis Enlargement Surgery
A look at “‘Not enough’ vs. ‘never perfect’: a qualitative analysis of penile enlargement surgery intentions in heterosexual and homosexual men” by Boqiang Zhang, Tie Li and Bin Lei (2026) We hear a lot about body image pressures on women, and increasingly on gay men’s bodies more broadly: gym culture, dating apps and the endless…
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DBT for Autistic People: Promising, With a Pinch of Salt
A look at “Efficacy of dialectical behavior therapy-based interventions for individuals with autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis” by Guimei Fan, Pei Wang, Wenjing Zhang and Xiaorui Chen (2026) A gentle note: this post mentions suicidal thoughts. Many autistic people experience emotions that arrive like a tidal wave, and sadly, autistic people face…
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Coming Out(side): Queer Students, Fieldwork and the Great Outdoors
A look at “Coming out(side): Challenges and supports experienced by LGBTQ+ undergraduates in field-based courses” by Sam J. Ahler, Isabella Morse, Sara Padula, Samuel Zavala, Lisa Corwin and Scott A. Taylor (2026) Picture a week of fieldwork: sleeping in shared cabins, hiking through remote countryside, a single shower block, and long evenings with classmates and…
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Mapping the Hurt: What 199 Studies Say About Autism and Trauma
A look at “Trauma and Autism: A Scoping Review of the Literature” by Marie-Michèle Dufour, Katia Kutlesa, Jade Éliane Klemme, Charlotte Moore, Philippe Leroux, Justine Larochelle-Guy, Megane Jalbert and Isabelle Préfontaine (2026) A gentle note: this post discusses trauma in general terms. Autistic people are more likely to experience bullying, victimisation and other traumatic events,…
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Big Feelings, Busy Brains: Emotions and Adult ADHD
A look at “Emotional Dysregulation as a Clinically Relevant Dimension of Adult ADHD: A Multidimensional Clinical Study” by Paola Landi, Miriam Olivola, Arianna De Ciechi, Luca Giacovelli, Yacob Levin Reibman, Viviana Venturi, Vera Viganò and Bernardo Dell’Osso (2026) Ask most people about ADHD and they’ll mention attention, fidgeting and forgetfulness. Ask adults with ADHD, and…
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The Double Empathy Problem: Communication Is a Two-Way Street
For decades, autistic people were described as lacking empathy, or struggling with “theory of mind”: the ability to understand what others are thinking. But what if the difficulty isn’t one-sided? What if non-autistic people find it just as hard to understand autistic people? That’s the idea behind the double empathy problem, and it’s changed how…
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Beyond Monogamy: What Happens in the Therapist’s Body When You Say “We’re Open”
A look at “Beyond monogamy” by Kelli Ennis (2026) Say the words “consensual non-monogamy” in a room full of people and you’ll get every reaction going, from fascinated curiosity to a horrified “I could never!” Therapists are no exception. This Therapy Today good-practice piece, by a relationship therapist, turns the spotlight not on clients but…
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Not a Trend, a Survival Strategy: LGBTQIA+ People and Family Estrangement
A look at “Relatively not speaking” by Alix Fox (2026) Scroll through the headlines and you’d think family estrangement was the latest fad, fuelled by celebrity feuds and TikTok “estrange-fluencers” urging everyone to go “no contact”. This Therapy Today feature asks whether that’s really true, and points out that LGBTQIA+ people have been navigating family…
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Forgot Your Session? ADHD, Cancellation Fees and Reasonable Adjustments
A look at “How do I manage reasonable adjustments for clients with ADHD?” by Sally Brown (2026) Here’s a scenario many ADHDers will recognise with a wince. You’ve booked therapy, fully intending to go. Then a work meeting you’d completely forgotten about pops up, and you cancel two hours beforehand. Your therapist’s contract says late…
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Cycles and Concentration: Periods and ADHD
A look at “Menstrual health and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms: A scoping review” by Gabriela Kennedy, Megan Baran-Goldwax and Sarah Lippé (2026) Many ADHDers who menstruate will tell you that some weeks their brain feels like a well-oiled machine, and other weeks like a shopping trolley with a wonky wheel. Medication seems to stop working,…
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How to Find a Therapist Who Truly Affirms Your Identity
Looking for a therapist can feel like speed-dating, with higher stakes. For LGBTQIA+ people, there’s an extra layer: will this person understand me, or will I spend my sessions educating them? Worse, will they quietly see who I am as the problem? Here’s how to find someone who’ll welcome the whole of you. What “affirming”…
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An Escape Hatch: Lesbian Women, Rejection and Gambling
A look at “The role of social rejection and trauma in homosexual women with gambling problems” by A. Fernández-Villardón, L. Macía and A. Estévez (2026) A gentle note: this post discusses trauma and rejection in general terms. When we picture someone struggling with gambling, the image that often springs to mind is a man in…