The Impact of Counselor Self-Disclosure on Sexual Minority Participant’s Perceptions of the Helping Alliance

Kraemer Room (312), Upchurch University Center

Throughout history sexual minority groups have been viewed through heteronormative lenses where heterosexuality is seen as a societal normality. In the field of psychology, sexual orientation has been the center of many controversial counseling practices, interventions and viewpoints. This research proposal intends to expand on current research and demonstrate differences in gay, lesbian and bisexual participant perceptions of the helping alliance on the basis of counselor self-disclosure of sexual orientation. The researchers expect to conclude participants would rate the counselor who selfdiscloses sexual orientation higher on the helping alliance scale as compared to the same counselor who does not self-disclose in a ten-minute pre-recorded video session of therapeutic affirmative counseling. Keywords: heteronormative, counseling, perceptions, helping alliance, self-disclosure