What Female Bisexual Couples Want Therapists to Know: An Exploratory Investigation Using Thematic Analysis

Abstract

While scholarship on the clinical treatment of bisexual individuals is growing, there is little focused on bisexual couples in therapy, and much of it is theoretical. To address that gap, this article presents findings from a qualitative study on the therapeutic preferences of bisexual females in same-gender relationships. Eight female, same-gender couples, in which at least one partner identified as bisexual, were interviewed for the purposes of answering the research question: What should therapists know about working with female bisexual couples? Thematic analysis revealed three salient themes: 1) bisexual couples are like any other couple, 2) bisexual couples face internal stigma, 3) and therapists have bisexual stigma. Findings indicate a need for therapists to be educated regarding bisexuality and to address biases that could impact treatment. Specific clinical suggestions are provided to assist therapists in gaining cultural competence with this population.

Keywords:

• Bisexual
• couple relationships
• affirmative therapy
• qualitative research