Clinical Corner: 🌈 Hope Is Part of Affirmative Practice

When we talk about suicide prevention with LGBTQ+ young people, we understandably talk about risk.
But affirmative practice also asks us to intentionally cultivate something: Hope.
For LGBTQ+ young people, hope can be deeply connected to identity.
It can mean helping a young person imagine a future where they are not simply tolerated, but known, loved, celebrated, and able to live fully as themselves.
That matters—especially now.
LGBTQ+ young people are navigating unprecedented anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, policies, discrimination, and messages that can make their identities—and sometimes their futures—feel unsafe or uncertain.

Affirmative practice can offer a powerful counter-message.
It helps young people experience:
🌈 There is nothing wrong with who you are.
🌈 There are people who will know and love the whole you.
🌈 You belong to a community with strength, history, creativity, and joy.
🌈 Your LGBTQ+ identity can be a source of pride and connection.
🌈 There are places where you will get to be fully yourself.
🌈 There is a future for you—and there can be joy in it.

These experiences matter. Research with LGBTQ+ young people has identified social connectedness and identity affirmation as important protective factors associated with lower suicide risk. And this is something we intentionally built into our AFFIRM interventions.
AFFIRM doesn't simply help LGBTQ+ young people cope with minority stress. It creates space to build self-compassion, strengthen affirming connections, mobilize resilience, and cultivate hope.
Research on AFFIRM has demonstrated increased hope, along with reduced depressive symptoms and improvements in coping and stress appraisal.

In 2024, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) included AFFIRM Youth among its Examples of Evidence-Based Suicide Prevention Strategies for Underserved Youth published in 2024.
Because sometimes suicide prevention is about helping a young person stay safe through tonight.
And sometimes it is helping them see that being LGBTQ+ can be part of a future filled with belonging, connection, pride—and joy.

Our sister organization, Affirmative Care Consulting, is launching! They will be offering online AFFIRM groups to youth, young adults and caregivers of LGBTQ+ youth in Ontario, Canada in 2027!

AFFIRM integrates identity affirmation with cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to improve wellbeing.

AFFIRM Youth is an evidence-based, affirmative cognitive behavioral group intervention designed for 2SLGBTQ+ youth ages 12–18.

AFFIRM Adult is an evidence-based, affirmative cognitive behavioral group intervention designed for LGBTQ+ young adults ages 19-29.

AFFIRM Caregiver is designed help caregivers build the confidence and skills they need to best support their LGBTQ+ youth.

Research findings show that AFFIRM interventions have resulted in:

• Significant reductions in depression, anxiety, and suicidality among LGBTQ+ youth.

• Increases in coping self-efficacy, authenticity, and positive identity development.

• Improved sense of agency, goal-directed behavior, and hope.

• Enhanced community connection and perceived belonging.

  Do you know any youth, young adults or caregivers in Ontario who would like to attend an AFFIRM group or learn more about them? ACC is offering the following free, online meet and greet sessions to share more about what is offered in a AFFIRM group.

AFFIRM Youth Meet and Greet: Tuesday, November 24th, 6:30pm - 7:30pm EST

AFFIRM Caregiver Meet and Greet: Monday, December 7th, 6:30pm - 7:30pm EST

AFFIRM Adult Meet and Greet: Tuesday, December 15th, 6:30pm - 7:30pm EST