The Pocket Guide to LGBTQ Mental Health is a down-to-earth, informative, and affirming manual for mental health clinicians working with patients of diverse gender and sexual identities. In recent years, people have begun to grapple with these issues in a healthier, more public way, and mental health practitioners must be prepared to meet their patients with the knowledge, understanding, and grasp of the context in which patients live their lives. The editors have brought their specialized knowledge to the project and, along with contributors who are experts in the field of LGBTQ mental health, have created a book of uncommon empathy. The volume’s structure is simple, consistent, and effective, with 10 chapters covering lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, pansexual, and allied individuals. Some chapters overlap because some people identify with more than one of these identities. The writers have drawn on both the scientific literature and their own clinical experience to create a volume that is informative, practical, and easy to read.

The book possesses an abundance of useful features: All diagnostic and treatment discussions are based on the latest information found in DSM-5. Each chapter includes straightforward, real-world, and evidence-based answers to “Questions Well-Meaning People Ask” — essentially, “What would patients, their friends, their parents, their physicians like to know about being X, Y, or Z?” A special section in each chapter addresses themes that may emerge during therapy, preparing the clinician to identify and respond sensitively and knowledgeably to issues that may become salient as counseling progresses. Each chapter concludes with “Five Take-Home Points,” a handy summary of the most important information, allowing the reader to identify essential material and consolidate learning. An extensive collection of resources is included, helping the reader to locate more information on reliable websites and from other authoritative sources.

Written in a conversational style that will appeal to patients and families, as well as clinicians, the Pocket Guide to LGBTQ Mental Health explores the psychological and cultural context for each gender or sexual identity in a comprehensive, realistic, and affirming way.