Welcome to the Journal of LGBT Issues in Counseling, the official journal of the Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues in Counseling (ALGBTIC), a division of the American Counseling Association (ACA). Although there are several journals that speak to the psychological and social needs of our community, we believe that our journal uniquely addresses the role of the field of counseling in furthering the healthy growth and development of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered peoples, as well as those who identify as queer, questioning, or intersexed and their families and communities.
In addition, the Journal of LGBT Issues in Counseling publishes articles that speak to the diverse roles and contexts within which counselors work. As such, we encourage submissions from counselors represented by all walks of the counseling profession. We know that the members of our community are present in all areas that counseling represents. Thus it is crucial that articles addressing issues related to career, addictions, spirituality, adult development, testing, and assessment, as examples, are as important as those that address issues related to schools, mental health, and family counseling.
Finally, with this journal, AGLBTIC hopes to encourage not only our members, but also members of the counseling profession as a whole, to consider the importance of research and analyses of issues that affect our community. As a minority population, such writing can have a profound effect on our profession as a whole and contributes to the multicultural literature at large. This is an opportunity to support experienced counselors, counselor educators, and graduate students to consider researching, writing, and publishing in this area.
As we present the first issue of our fifth volume, we are pleased to include research articles that focus on the intersection of sexual victimization and health-related indicators in sexual minority men, as well one on sexual orientation microaggressions. In addition we offer a new/innovative practice article on working with religion and spirituality in the LGBT community. We hope you enjoy and find issue of benefit.