From Awareness to Action: Becoming a LGBT Advocate in a Conservative Rural Community

Graduate students training to be mental health counselors are taught the importance of developing the skills to advocate for clients, especially those from underrepresented groups. This article chronicles one student’s journey from growing awareness of the struggles of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) population in a rural community to making a personal and professional commitment to advocacy by establishing a chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG). Personal reflections and a case study are included that demonstrate both the emotional and practical steps needed to implement advocacy initiatives.