By By Kitt Wolfenden, News Staff

In an attempt to provide services specifically for students of differing sexual orientations, University Health and Counseling Services (UHCS) has instituted a counseling group with a new theme:’ Coming Out.
‘It’s an opportunity for student at various stages of coming out to be able to talk to each other and with a therapist about the process,’ David Byers, the group facilitator and a UHCS therapist, said. ‘I have a strong background in working with students on these issues.’
Although this group is the first of its kind, Byers said UHCS has long wanted to offer such an option.
‘The idea for this session is something UHCS has been talking about for a long time,’ Byers said. ‘It’s been a high priority for the clinic in general, and Dr. [Robert] Klein, our director, has been looking for opportunities to provide more resources for [lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT)] students.’
The Coming Out group, according to the UHCS website, will be ‘a 5-session therapy group to provide a safe, non-judgmental and supportive space for student at different stages of ‘coming out’ as LGBT.’ It will be held Thursdays from 6 to 7:30 p.m. for the next five weeks starting this week.
Emilia Dunham, co-chair of Northeastern University’s bisexual, lesbian and gay student association (NUBiLaGA), explained how recent events have highlighted the need for more inclusive services on campus.
‘NUBiLaGA has had concerns for a while, and some of those concerns came to the forefront after an event in December,’ Dunham said.
According to a December 8 article in The News, a hate message against homosexuals was graffitied on White Hall after World AIDS Day on December 1.
‘We were concerned that the health center may not have had adequate counseling for LGBT students,’ Dunham said.
‘Certainly the graffiti only gave more reason to pay close attention to these issues and to devote resources to them,’ Byers said.
After NUBiLaGA’s co-chairs, Dunham and Chirag Patel contacted UHCS with their concerns, they worked together with Byers and Klein to develop the Coming Out counseling group.
‘Dr. Klein and I met with the NUBILAGA co-chairs, and they were extremely helpful in terms of brainstorming the design and process for this group to make it successful and welcoming for students,’ Byers said. ‘They’ve been instrumental to us.’
During their meeting, Dunham said Klein and Byers reassured her and Patel of their commitment to working with the LGBT community.
‘They told us that each of their staff members goes through a Safe Zone training, a very specific and detailed workshop to teach them how to interact effectively and present sensitive services to LGBT students. It was helpful for us to get a better understanding of the scope of how they can help the LGBT community,’ she said.
Dunham said there is still some uncertainty about the extent of the services that will be offered; while some counseling sessions are allocated to each student for free, she said the center is not necessarily set up for long-term treatment. Still, she said she remains optimistic.
‘We’re going to have to clarify what resources they can provide, but there’s a lot of progress going on right now, and they’re positioning to be a very good resource for us,” he said.
Byers said UHCS offers services to other groups that are not specifically related to the LGBT community but are applicable in a lot of ways.
Other group counseling options include a body image group and another for family members of substance abusers, which Byers said are common issues for LGBT students.
‘Everyone on staff has kind of a general background in this type of work, and I feel really confident that everyone on staff is really serious about providing quality counseling and psychotherapy for students who are LGBT,’ Byers said.
As for more LGBT-specific services in the future, Byers said UHCS is looking into different options.
‘We’re in the brainstorming phase. Certainly if anyone who has thoughts or ideas I would love to hear them,’ he said.