Written by Luce Gibbs (they/them)
About the Author: Luce Gibbs is a community relations intern for Queer Asterisk. They are currently an undergraduate at CU Boulder, majoring in psychology and English.

The queer community can benefit immensely from access to mental health resources, but those resources can be hard to get, exclusionary, or anything in between. Queer Asterisk, a 501-c based in Denver, works tirelessly to change that. I was given the chance to speak with two amazing staff members about their work. Because Queer Asterisk’s goal is providing accessible and supportive mental health care, I reached out to co-founder and admissions and communications director, Rachelpenina Whitmore-Bard (RP) to learn what happens when we take on a new client.

RP is genderfluid and uses all pronouns, they have a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling with a concentration in contemplative psychotherapy from Naropa University. When reflecting how their identities intersect with their work at Queer Asterisk and the community in general they said:
    “I am a genderfluid, queer and transgender 37 year old person who was socialized female and raised in mixed working class/middle class households in New York City, Southern California, and the south side of Chicago. I am a Jew of Ashkenazi descent, which means my heritage originates in West Asia/Middle East, and my ancestors later lived on the margins of society in the European diaspora. Minority stress, forced displacement and persecution are in my bloodline... alongside collectivist anti-oppressive resistance, deep spiritual resilience, survivalist intelligence, and existential fortitude.”

One of the key aspects of RP’s job comes in the form of matching clients to counselors. They walked me through the process:
     “In our screening call, the Admissions team invites prospective clients to share their presenting concerns, what's been helpful and/or unhelpful in the past, their preferred theoretical approaches and therapeutic methods, and what identities and lived experiences they would prefer for their counselor to have. 
(Every counselor at Queer Asterisk meets with admissions when they first start, they are asked to share as much about themselves as they feel comfortable to. This allows the admissions team to factor in identity, lived experience and perspectives into determining a suitable provider.)
     “Clients meet with their counselor for an Introductory Session prior to the full intake assessment, so that they can get a feel for whether they are comfortable moving forward with ongoing counseling. If the connection doesn't feel right to them, clients have an opportunity to be matched with a different Queer Asterisk counselor with minimal hassle.”

The admissions team spends several days carefully selecting a potential counselor, but that initial effort can be incredibly important, especially to members of the queer community. RP reflected:
    “Many of our clients have unfortunately had discouraging experiences in therapy previously, which is why we foster an environment that encourages client self-advocacy with regard to their care from moment one.” They elaborated: “We know that the therapeutic relationship is the primary factor in effective mental health treatment. [...] When clients feel comfortable opening up and sharing their innermost thoughts and feelings with their counselor, they are more likely to engage proactively in counseling and eventually achieve their treatment goals.”

In addition to counseling services, Queer Asterisk offers groups open to the community. One such group, Queer Conversation, provides a weekly space for people to find connection and be in community (with some fun snacks and amazing people!). I was lucky enough to speak with one of the amazing facilitators of this program, Clare Roca.

Clare is a clinical intern who brings his intersecting identities into their practice to build an authentic and supportive space. They describe themselves and their practice as follows:
     “I'm Clare, and my pronouns are they/he. I'm a queer, trans-masc, neurodivergent, type 1 diabetic, and second generation immigrant human being [ ]. I carry my identities and experiences with me, even as I'm supporting others. It is particularly meaningful for me to work with clients who are also a part of my community, and I am grateful to do so.”

Clare walked me through what goes into making Queer Conversation a reality each week. They get to the Denver office thirty minutes early to arrange the group space and put out snacks. During this time Clare and co-facilitator Cat (she/they) also check in with each other on how they can show up both as their authentic selves and as facilitators during this particular group. Group composition and energy varies weekly, meaning the facilitators’ roles adjust as needed. As it nears group time, community members trickle in, get settled and chat amongst themselves and the facilitators. At 6:30, the facilitators will bring up one of that day’s topics and see where it takes the discussion. By the group’s end at 8:00, a variety of experiences, stories, and perspectives will have been expressed, unique connections drawn, and community solidarity strengthened.

Regardless of who attends or what topics are being discussed, the overarching themes of authenticity, identity, and community are ever-present. When reflecting on the core nature of Queer Conversations, Clare says:
    “Although every participant's experiences are unique to them, there is often a sense of familiarity and connection that resonates with others in the group. I believe that balance between universality and uniqueness encapsulates the queer community and is what makes [Queer Conversation] so impactful.”

I asked both RP and Clare what the most fulfilling part of their work with Queer Asterisk has been, and found both responses so powerful and touching that I wanted to include them both in full:

    Clare– “The most meaningful and fulfilling part of my work with [Queer Asterisk] is bearing witness to people's stories. I feel honored to hold space for folks' most vulnerable emotions and experiences, particularly those of queer and trans folks. I am especially grateful to do so as my authentic self. As a queer, trans, disabled, person of color, I believe it is radical to be visible and represent my intersecting marginalized identities in the mental health field. I hope that by being myself, others are able to see a glimpse of their own reflection. [Queer Asterisk] as an organization and our efforts to "queer therapy" is revolutionary because I am continuously encouraged to be myself, not simply free to; I am celebrated for being my authentic self, not simply tolerated.”

    RP– “What's been most fulfilling for me is helping to grow an idea of an organization into a reality, and to show up every day open to more new ideas and more potential realities.
Anytime I am out in the world and hear somebody randomly share about this cool place called Queer Asterisk, or say how much they were helped by receiving services here, I feel immensely proud to be a part of this special project.”

Visit the Queer Asterisk Website: https://queerasterisk.com/

Reach out to Queer Asterisk: info@queerasterisk.com