IHI and Freedom Institute mark Pride 2024 with a panel discussion on harm reduction approaches for LGBTQIA+ people
The joint panel explored and examined the harmful impacts of minority stress on queer, transgender, and gender-diverse populations as core factors in risky substance use and other harmful behaviors.
(New York, NY – June 13, 2024) – Co-hosted by Freedom Institute and IHI Therapy Center, this live panel discussion examined the root causes behind risky substance use and other harmful behaviors and explored the profound impacts of minority stress and stigmatization on people with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities.
Panelists IHI Associate Director Eve Blazo, LCSW, RYT-200 (she/her), IHI Advanced Clinical Internship Coordinator and Staff Therapist Em Finch, LMSW (they/them), and IHI Staff Therapist Adrian Downing-Espinal LMSW-LP, CASAC Master (she/they) each shared valuable clinical insights from their work with LGBTQIA+ individuals referencing a variety of therapeutic approaches from psychoanalysis to motivational interviewing.
Facilitated by Freedom Institute’s Dr. Andrew Tatarsky (he/him), pioneer of Integrative Harm Reduction Psychotherapy (IHRP), with important contributions from psychotherapist and harm reduction expert Kevin Braga, LCSW (he/him), the collaborative panel also discussed cutting-edge harm reduction approaches designed to empower individuals on their journey towards healthier relationships with substances.
Click on the image above to watch the full event!
About Freedom Institute
Freedom Institute, a leading state-of-the-art outpatient treatment and recovery center based in New York City, provides clinical assessments and innovative, evidence-based treatment services for individuals suffering from alcoholism, substance misuse, abuse, addiction, and related underlying mental health issues.
About the Institute for Human Identity | IHI Therapy Center
The Institute for Human Identity (IHI) is the nation’s first and longest-running provider of LGBTQ+-affirming psychotherapy. Based in New York City since 1973, IHI provides affirming professional mental health services to people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. For over 50 years, IHI has fought for and supported the mental health of people in LGBTQ+ communities while respecting and fostering their unique identities. In the early 1970s, IHI’s founders were instrumental in the successful fight to remove homosexuality as a mental disorder from the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. In addition to professional mental health services, IHI provides clinical training to the next generation of LGBTQ+-affirming mental health clinicians and culturally-responsive continuing education and consultation to professionals and organizations. For more information about IHI or its services, visit www.ihitherapy.org and follow @IHITherapy on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Contact us directly at outreach@ihitherapy.org.