Wellness for EVERY Body: Pride

Written By Hilary Sohn, LMT, Founder/Owner - The Healing Sanctuary

A Gallup poll in 2017 showed that 4.5% of the U.S. population identified as LGBT. (1) That’s nearly 14.9 million people nationwide.  People in the LGBTQ+ community are three times more likely to deal with mental health struggles like anxiety and depression, and experience more health inequities, discrimination, and poorer outcomes in healthcare. (2,3,4)  Further, there are differences in experiences within the LGBTQ+ community depending on identification as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender.  And, if people additionally identify with other marginalized communities such as neurodiverse or BIPOC, the challenges and effects on wellbeing become even greater. It is, therefore, important for health and wellness providers to remain sensitive and aware of the needs and unique struggles of people who identify as LGBTQ+. 

How can health and wellness providers be more supportive of the LGBTQ+ community?

To address the unique challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community, health and wellness providers must adopt an inclusive and culturally competent approach. This begins with educating ourselves about the specific health needs and social challenges experienced by LGBTQ+ individuals. Ongoing training and professional development can help ensure that we are using the correct language, understanding the nuances of different identities, and remaining empathetic to the experiences of our clients.

Creating a welcoming and safe environment is also essential. This can be achieved by displaying inclusive symbols, offering resources and literature relevant to LGBTQ+ health, and ensuring that all members of our team are approachable and non-judgmental. Policies and practices should explicitly protect the rights and dignity of LGBTQ+ clients, ensuring that everyone feels respected and valued.

As a supportive community, we can foster a sense of belonging by organizing events and support groups tailored to the needs of LGBTQ+ individuals. Collaborating with local LGBTQ+ organizations can also help extend our reach and impact, providing additional resources and support networks for our clients.

The Healing Sanctuary: A Supportive Wellness Center for EVERY Body

At The Healing Sanctuary, we are committed to being a safe and inclusive space for everyone. Our mission is to provide holistic wellness services that cater to the diverse needs of our community. We believe that wellness is a right for all, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, race, or neurodiversity.

In June, we proudly participated in the PrideFest festival (photos below), celebrating love, diversity, and inclusion. Our presence at the festival was a way for us to bring the peace and tranquility and support of our center to the LGBTQ+ community. We offered free sound healing experiences, gave away inspirational stickers, and talked with the community about how the various services at our center can ease anxiety and stress, build body positivity, alleviate shame, and support people in a compassionate way. More than that, we were able to feel from this community, the love, positivity and deep need for belonging inherent in ALL of us.

We continue to educate ourselves, eliminate barriers to health and wellbeing where we can, and create an environment where everyone feels seen, heard, and cared for.  At The Healing Sanctuary, we stand by our commitment to being a community of support and a champion of wellness for every body, mind and spirit.


RESOURCES

https://www.nami.org/your-journey/identity-and-cultural-dimensions/lgbtq/

https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/lgb-behavioral-health-report-2021-2022

https://adaa.org/find-help/by-demographics/lgbtq

https://mhanational.org/issues/lgbtq-communities-and-mental-health#Source%204

 

Citations

1 https://news.gallup.com/poll/234863/estimate-lgbt-population-rises.aspx

2 Medina-Martínez J, Saus-Ortega C, Sánchez-Lorente MM, Sosa-Palanca EM, García-Martínez P, Mármol-López MI. Health Inequities in LGBT People and Nursing Interventions to Reduce Them: A Systematic Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Nov 10;18(22):11801. doi: 10.3390/ijerph182211801. PMID: 34831556; PMCID: PMC8624572. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8624572/

3 Kates, J., Ranji, U., Beamesderfer, A., Salganicoff, A., & Dawson, L. (2016). Health and access to care and coverage for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals in the U.S. Retrieved from http://kff.org/report-section/health-and-access-to-care-and-coverage-for-lesbian-gay-bisexual-and-transgender-health-challenges/

4 National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). LGBTQI. Nami.org. https://www.nami.org/Your-Journey/Identity-and-Cultural-Dimensions/LGBTQI

 

The Healing Sanctuary offers wellness services for every body in reiki, massage, sound healing, meditation, pelvic floor PT, acupuncture, homeopathy, trauma therapy and somatic experiencing.

Hilary Sohn, LMT, Founder/Owner - The Healing Sanctuary

Hilary is the founder/owner of The Healing Sanctuary and has been a massage therapist since 2002. She holds a Psychology B.S. from St. Joseph’s University, a Psychoeducational Processes M.Ed. from Temple University, and is a 2021 alumna of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program, and holds a Foundations of Biophilic Design certificate from the International Living Future Institute. . She champions the Women’s Workshop for the Exton Region Chamber of Commerce and serves on their DEI Council. Hilary is committed to building collaboration between health and wellness practitioners. She believes that healing can come in many forms and from different directions, and encourages practitioners in the center to work with other providers to support clients in their healing journeys.

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