Gay Psychologists and Gay Clients: Exploring therapist disclosure of sexuality in the therapeutic closet

Abstract

Therapist self-disclosure of sexuality can be therapeutically beneficial when both therapist and client identify as gay. This study attempted to explore the views and experiences of gay male clinical psychologists disclosing their sexuality to gay male clients. Five gay male clinical psychologists were interviewed, and subsequent transcriptions were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Six main themes emerged from the data: Being gay in a straight world; Disclosure and the therapeutic agenda; Contexts of disclosure; Other ways of knowing; Disclosure of sexuality: a big deal?; and The invisible curriculum. Overall, the study highlighted the participants’ thoughtfulness regarding their decisions and reasons to disclose, suggesting that disclosing their sexuality could be beneficial, but also potentially unhelpful to their gay clients. It is hoped that these findings will generate discussion and reflection, and in a small way help make gay issues more visible within clinical psychology, psychotherapy and counselling training.