Affirming the Work-Life Interface for LGBTQ+ Individuals: Advancing Inclusive Career Counselling

This webinar is part of the CICA Series, Empowering Futures: The Role of Career Development in Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. All sessions in the series are free to attend. Be sure to check out our other webinars in the series running each week in February 2025.

This webinar offers career counsellors a comprehensive and transformative exploration of LGBTQ+ work-life interface experiences, grounded in over six decades of rigorous empirical research. Drawing on critical scholarly insights, the webinar will review the complex challenges LGBTQ+ individuals navigate in professional environments, including pervasive workplace discrimination, intricate identity management, and the profound psychological impacts of internalised stigma (Dispenza et al., 2016). The webinar will also review compelling research demonstrating how affirming workplace environments can transform the work-life experiences of LGBTQ+ persons, improving identity disclosure, workplace satisfaction, and social connectedness—particularly for individuals with less visible identities within the LGBTQ+ community (Tatum, 2018; Corrington et al., 2018). This webinar will also provide a review of the legislative and organisational policies shaping LGBTQ+ career development.

Through a sophisticated integration of minority stress theory, participants will be exposed to practical, evidence-based strategies to promote equitable opportunities and support for LGBTQ+ clients in counselling. Attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of how minority stress manifests across the career lifespan, acquiring advanced tools to cultivate supportive work environments and becoming effective advocates for workplace inclusivity. Key exploration areas include:

• Decoding the intricate landscape of workplace heterosexism and identity management
• Highlighting the often-overlooked experiences of bi+, asexual, and transgender individuals
• Understanding how affirming workplace cultures catalyse identity disclosure and professional satisfaction
• Integrating minority stress theory into actionable career counselling strategies

This webinar represents a pivotal opportunity for career counsellors to deepen their understanding of workplace inclusivity, challenge systemic barriers, and empower LGBTQ+ individuals to not just survive, but truly thrive in their professional journeys.

Presenter - Dr. Franco Dispenza

Dr. Franco Dispenza is a tenured research professor of counselling and psychology at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. He specialises in the psychosocial and vocational dimensions of chronic illness, disability, and LGBTQ+ identities. With a Master's in Rehabilitation Counselling and a Ph.D. in Counselling Psychology, Dr. Dispenza has authored over 70 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and encyclopaedia entries. As a nationally certified rehabilitation counsellor and licensed psychologist, he bridges theory and practice to promote inclusive career and mental health counselling, psychological care, and socially just clinical practices. He is a fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA) and co-chaired APA's task force responsible for revising the APA Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Sexual Minority Persons. He is an associate editor for the journal, Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity. To learn more about Dr. Franco Dispenza, visit his academic website at https://sites.gsu.edu/fdispenza1/