The moment you realize your daughter is gay

At that moment, you are dealing with many thoughts and feelings coming up at once. It can be overwhelming. Parents often feel guilty over how they responded. Or, they are unsure if their response was good enough. And of course, there are many ways to respond that are just not helpful.

Supporting a young person when they come out

And society is not consistent across the board with how they treat sexual minorities. This just means that you might find it helpful to get some support for your child, or yourself. If you feel like counseling might be helpful, you can contact a therapist at Coherence Associates and get some guidance about individual, family, or group therapy.

Don't Ask, They'll Tell

They need space to work things out. It isn't your place to put a sexual label on your child. Don't try to force your child's identity out of her or him. According to my co-author, psychiatrist Jonathan Tobkes, "Gay children feel incredibly vulnerable when coming out to their parents, and it takes time to work up the courage to do this.

Why Some Parents Experience a Child's Coming Out as a Loss

She is strong and proud, a budding scientist and a community leader. Her confidence intact, she is off in the world, making it a better place for everyone. For as long as I can remember, I have worked on cultivating strong and meaningful friendships. My friendships teach me the importance of trust, communication, and commitment.