Exploring LGB persons’ experience of self-compassion in their coming out narratives.

The process of coming out and living with a marginalized identity can be difficult for those who identify as LGB. This paper presents the ways in which lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) persons experienced the process of self-compassion during their personal coming out processes. Self-compassion can...

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Main Author: Douglas Crews
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Social Workers in India 2023-04-01
Series:Journal of Social Work Education and Practice
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.jswep.in/index.php/jswep/article/view/96
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author Douglas Crews
author_facet Douglas Crews
author_sort Douglas Crews
collection DOAJ
description The process of coming out and living with a marginalized identity can be difficult for those who identify as LGB. This paper presents the ways in which lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) persons experienced the process of self-compassion during their personal coming out processes. Self-compassion can help offer nonjudgmental consideration to one's experience and help buffer the negative feelings that may arise from damaging mentalities, inadequacies, and suffering, as part of identifying as LGB. This qualitative study explored the LGB participants' coming-out narratives regarding their experience of self-compassion through the research question: How do gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons experience the process of self-compassion in their coming-out narratives? In seeking to explore, describe, and analyze meanings surrounding the individuals' lived experiences, a qualitative analysis was employed based on the five elements of the self-compassion process put forth by Germer (2009). Thus, this study used a theory-driven analysis of the data using the five elements of the self-compassion process (aversion, curiosity, tolerance, allowing, and friendship) as a foundation for analyzing the interview data. Sixteen participants shared the struggles, joys, and courage of their coming out narratives. The findings suggest that the self-compassion process and LGB identity development are mirrored processes. Additionally, this study suggests that mental health professionals would increase their efficacy in working with LGB persons through understanding the self-compassion process and how they can help provide services to persons feeling marginalized by negative heteronormative social attitudes.
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spelling doaj.art-528cb98410214785a5960fe850da234f2024-04-21T19:26:24ZengSocial Workers in IndiaJournal of Social Work Education and Practice2456-20682023-04-0161Exploring LGB persons’ experience of self-compassion in their coming out narratives.Douglas Crews0 Belmont University, USA. The process of coming out and living with a marginalized identity can be difficult for those who identify as LGB. This paper presents the ways in which lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) persons experienced the process of self-compassion during their personal coming out processes. Self-compassion can help offer nonjudgmental consideration to one's experience and help buffer the negative feelings that may arise from damaging mentalities, inadequacies, and suffering, as part of identifying as LGB. This qualitative study explored the LGB participants' coming-out narratives regarding their experience of self-compassion through the research question: How do gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons experience the process of self-compassion in their coming-out narratives? In seeking to explore, describe, and analyze meanings surrounding the individuals' lived experiences, a qualitative analysis was employed based on the five elements of the self-compassion process put forth by Germer (2009). Thus, this study used a theory-driven analysis of the data using the five elements of the self-compassion process (aversion, curiosity, tolerance, allowing, and friendship) as a foundation for analyzing the interview data. Sixteen participants shared the struggles, joys, and courage of their coming out narratives. The findings suggest that the self-compassion process and LGB identity development are mirrored processes. Additionally, this study suggests that mental health professionals would increase their efficacy in working with LGB persons through understanding the self-compassion process and how they can help provide services to persons feeling marginalized by negative heteronormative social attitudes. https://www.jswep.in/index.php/jswep/article/view/96Self-CompassionLGB personcoming outidentity
spellingShingle Douglas Crews
Exploring LGB persons’ experience of self-compassion in their coming out narratives.
Journal of Social Work Education and Practice
Self-Compassion
LGB person
coming out
identity
title Exploring LGB persons’ experience of self-compassion in their coming out narratives.
title_full Exploring LGB persons’ experience of self-compassion in their coming out narratives.
title_fullStr Exploring LGB persons’ experience of self-compassion in their coming out narratives.
title_full_unstemmed Exploring LGB persons’ experience of self-compassion in their coming out narratives.
title_short Exploring LGB persons’ experience of self-compassion in their coming out narratives.
title_sort exploring lgb persons experience of self compassion in their coming out narratives
topic Self-Compassion
LGB person
coming out
identity
url https://www.jswep.in/index.php/jswep/article/view/96
work_keys_str_mv AT douglascrews exploringlgbpersonsexperienceofselfcompassionintheircomingoutnarratives