Be a More Empowered Bi+ Therapy Client

What Your Therapist Needs to Know to Support You Better

Get curious about your therapist’s Bi+ clinical competency
and your unique Bi+ challenges and mental health risks. 

Article once finalized.

Helpful terminology and definitions

Bisexual

“The potential to be attracted —romantically and/or sexually — to people of more than one sex and/or gender, not necessarily at the same time, not necessarily in the same way, and not necessarily to the same degree." [9]

Queer

I use the reclaimed term “queer” as a shorthand umbrella term for 2SLGBTQI+. 

Monosexism

Monosexism is a social structure that presumes everyone is, or should be, monosexual, and privileges monosexuality and monosexual people, and is systemically punitive to those who are not monosexual. [10]

Heteronormativity

Heteronormativity is made up of cultural and social norms which posits that there are only two binary genders, and asserts that the only acceptable form of sexuality and romance is between a cisgender man and a cisgender woman. Heteronormative standards assert any behaviour or lifestyle that deviates from it is abnormal and should be changed to conform. (Eisner)

Bi-negativity / Biphobia

The negative, harmful, stigmatized ways Bi+ people are viewed, coupled with lack of support for Bi+ rights as people. This can originate from external sources, but also can become internalized. Though often used interchangeably, bi-negativity is a more accurate term than biphobia — because haters are not actually afraid of Bi+ people; they are mean-spirited towards them. 

Bi erasure

“Bi erasure is a tendency to ignore, remove, falsify, or reexplain evidence of bisexuality. Examples of bi erasure could include referring to all same-sex couples as "gay marriages" — the active denial of the existence of bisexuality, or a history book ignoring or dismissing a figure's bisexuality and instead labeling them as gay or straight.” (Bi.org)

References

  1. Brooks, L. M. & Inman, A. G. (2013). Bisexual counseling competence: Investigating the role of attitudes and empathy. Journal of LGBT Issues in Counseling, 7(1), 65-86.  http://doi.org/10.1080/15538605.2013.756366  

  2. Gallop poll 2023: https://news.gallup.com/poll/611864/lgbtq-identification.aspx

  3. Bonjo, L.A. (2013). How Counselors Are Trained to Work with Bisexual Clients in CACREP-Accredited Programs

  4. Grant, S. (2023). Working with bi+ clients: Considerations for individual and relationship therapy. In S. Neves & D. Davies (Eds.), Relationally queer: A pink therapy guide for practitioners (pp. 87-106). Routledge. http://doi.org/10.4324/9781003260561  

  5. Brooks, L. M. & Inman, A. G. (2013). Bisexual counseling competence: Investigating the role of attitudes and empathy. Journal of LGBT Issues in Counseling, 7(1), 65-86.  

  6. Grant, S. (2023). Working with bi+ clients: Considerations for individual and relationship therapy. In S. Neves & D. Davies (Eds.), Relationally queer: A pink therapy guide for practitioners (pp. 87-106). Routledge. http://doi.org/10.4324/9781003260561  

  7. Brown, Brené. (2021). Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience. Random House. (p. 177)

  8. Shaw, J. (2022). Bi: The hidden culture, history and science of bisexuality. Abrams Press.

  9. Ochs, Robyn. (2024) https://robynochs.com/2020/10/09/i-call-myself-bisexual-because/

  10. Eisner, Shiri. (2013) Bi : notes for a bisexual revolution, Seal Press, Berkeley, CA (pp. 63)

  11. Eisner, Shiri. (2013) Bi : notes for a bisexual revolution, Seal Press, Berkeley, CA (pp. 47) 

  12. Bi.org (2024) https://bi.org/en/glossary

Further reading

S. Neves & D. Davies (Eds.), (2023) Relationally queer: A pink therapy guide for practitioners. Routledge. http://doi.org/10.4324/9781003260561  

Shaw, J. (2022). Bi: The hidden culture, history and science of bisexuality. Abrams Press.