Mental Health Services Experiences of Bisexual Women and Bisexual Men

Abstract

Two hundred seventeen women and men participated in the first empirical research on the experiences of self-identified bisexual clients with mental health services. Findings suggest that bisexual women and men seek help for sexual orientation issues less frequently and rate their services as less helpful with sexual orientation concerns than gay and lesbian participants in comparable research. Men experienced more stress in connection with their bisexuality than women, and bisexual issues were more important for men in terms of their initial reasons for seeking mental health services. Women's overall clinical issues were more serious than those of men. Of the more than two-thirds of the sample who disclosed their sexual orientation often or always to a mental health provider, most experienced acceptance from their clinicians. Participants with more serious clinical issues, however, disclosed their bisexuality to clinicians less frequently than those with more moderate clinical issues, and they experienced less acceptance of their sexual orientation upon disclosure and more biased clinical interventions from providers. Overall, participants urged providers to validate bisexuality as legitimate and healthy, to be accurately informed about bisexual issues, and to intervene proactively with bisexual clients.

Key Words:

• Bisexuality
• homosexuality
• sexual orientation
• mental health services
• psychotherapy
• counseling
• heterosexual bias
• sexual orientation conversion therapy