Coming Out: Voices of Gay and Lesbian Teens and their Families
by Karin Heller
Thought provoking and accessible, this video is invaluable for all parents, teachers, and professionals working with teenagers.
For gay and lesbian teens, coming out can be a complicated and difficult process. They may be isolated, alienated from their family and peers, and feel the dangerous threat of homophobia in their community. In this video, you will watch real interviews with gay and lesbian teenagers and their parents as they share their experiences of coming out. You will also hear expert commentary by Dr. Wendy Rosen on the special issues these teenagers face at home and at school, as well as the different stages and processes they and their families go through in order to fully embrace their sexuality. This video helps pave the way for acceptance and community.
In Depth
Specs
Bios
From watching this video, you will:

• Learn about the different stages teens may go through in the coming out process including isolation, alienation, denial, and finally acceptance and finding community.
• Become informed of the special needs of gay and lesbian youth including finding gay and lesbian role models, supportive peer groups, and acceptance from family.
• Understand the pressures and difficulties, including implicit and explicit homophobia, that make coming out a challenging process for teenagers.

Length of video: 00:40:00

English subtitles available

Individual ISBN-10 #: 1-60124-117-8

Individual ISBN-13 #: 978-1-60124-117-7

Group ISBN-10 #: 1-60124-118-6

Group ISBN-13 #: 978-1-60124-118-4

Karin Heller, MSW is a behavior medicine specialist at Kaiser Permanente in San Francisco. She has worked with teenagers in inpatient, residential and outpatient settings for many years and conducts workshops on coming out issues.

She is a graduate of Smith College School for Social Work and has been a psychotherapist for over 20 years. When she began to make this video, she noticed there was a dearth of information about the issue of coming out for adolescents and their families, and that they were at high risk for suicide. She currently works primarily with adults who are struggling with depression, anxiety, coming out issues and other mental health and physical challenges.

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