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Creating Safety for LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and Neurodivergent Clients in Coaching, Therapy, and Other Professional Spaces

Writer's picture: Jackie CourseyJackie Coursey

Creating a Safe Space for Clients and Loved Ones
Creating a Safe Space for Clients and Loved Ones

My coaching space is built for you to exhale—to show up exactly as you are, without having to explain or justify yourself. I want my LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and Neurodivergent clients to feel truly seen, heard, and safe. Creating that kind of space is about deep listening, learning, unlearning, and showing up with you, every step of the way.


Ensuring that safety isn’t just a promise, but a reality


As Quin Pox, an autistic, disabled farmer and founder of Autistic on the Range, powerfully states:


"I encourage everyone struggling to run on pure spite for the status quo. We need numbers, and we can do it together."


Their words are a reminder that fostering inclusion isn’t just an individual effort—it’s a collective one. Building spaces where neurodivergent, LGBTQ+, and BIPOC individuals can truly belong requires not just good intentions, but tangible action and community.


This means making space for autistic joy, too. Victoria Rodríguez-Roldán, an autistic trans woman from Puerto Rico, captures this beautifully:


"For me, autistic joy is what brings you joy in your fullest autistic self, without fear of being mocked or ridiculed."


Creating safety in coaching, therapy, or any professional setting isn’t just about removing barriers. It is also about ensuring that people feel free to be their whole, authentic selves without hesitation or shame.


The work of people like Tylan Grant, a Black autistic actor breaking ground in authentic representation, reminds us that true inclusion requires more than good intentions—it takes action. Grant’s presence in media is a powerful example of how affirming spaces allow marginalized voices to flourish.


Similarly, Morénike Giwa Onaiwu, an autistic, nonbinary, Black advocate and scholar, sheds light on the compounded barriers of race, disability, and gender identity. Their work, particularly in All the Weight of Our Dreams: On Living Racialized Autism, underscores both the systemic challenges and the resilience of those navigating them. Their advocacy offers invaluable insights into what it really means to create spaces where people don’t just exist—they belong.



Practical Steps for Coaches, Therapists, and Other Professionals


Creating safety isn’t a passive process—it requires active effort, education, and ongoing reflection. Here are key ways professionals can cultivate a genuinely affirming environment:


1. Normalize Pronoun Sharing—And Go Beyond It

  • Share your pronouns in introductions, email signatures, and materials, but also encourage others to do so without pressure.



  • Ensure intake forms and communication platforms allow for chosen names and pronouns, and honor them in every interaction.


  • Model best practices in group settings by gently correcting misgendering and ensuring clients are addressed respectfully.


2. Understand Intersectionality

  • Recognize that identities intersect, and the experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals vary widely. A Black, nonbinary autistic client, for instance, navigates a world shaped by systemic racism, ableism, and gender discrimination, all of which intersect in ways that impact their daily experiences.


  • Clients may face barriers in healthcare, employment, and social settings that require tailored approaches to support and affirmation. At the same time, their lived experience offers valuable insight, resilience, and adaptability, which should be recognized and uplifted within coaching, therapy, and professional spaces.


3. Create Affirming Materials

  • Ensure that your website, forms, and communication reflect inclusivity. Avoid gendered language where unnecessary, and use inclusive terms like “partner” instead of “husband” or “wife.”


  • Use visuals and language that represent diverse identities, ensuring that neurodivergent and LGBTQ+ individuals see themselves reflected in your work.


Building Your Village: Affirming Spaces for Community and Support


For many LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and neurodivergent individuals, finding crisis support can be lifesaving—but long-term belonging is just as vital. As professionals, we can help connect clients to spaces that affirm and support them

.

Below is a list of organizations that offer both immediate support and community spaces where clients can find safety, resources, and meaningful connection.


Crisis Support Resources for Neurodivergent, LGBTQ+, and BIPOC Individuals


Neurodivergent Crisis Support (US)


  1. Autistic People of Color Fund – Provides micro-grants to autistic people of color, helping with essentials like housing, food, and healthcare. autismandrace.com

  2. ASAN (Autistic Self Advocacy Network) Resource Hub – Offers advocacy resources and community support, with guidance on navigating crises without relying on traditional emergency services. autisticadvocacy.org

  3. Project LETS Peer Support Warmline – Provides peer-led emotional support for people with mental health conditions, disabilities, and neurodivergence. This non-crisis warmline connects individuals with trained peer supporters nationwide. letspeersupport.org

  4. National Warmlines Directory – A network of peer-run hotlines offering emotional support without the risk of nonconsensual intervention. Many neurodivergent individuals prefer warmlines as a low-pressure alternative to traditional crisis hotlines. warmline.org

  5. The Icarus Project (Now known as Fireweed Collective) – Provides mental health education, advocacy, and peer support with a focus on neurodivergent and marginalized communities. Offers national virtual support groups. fireweedcollective.org


LGBTQ+ Crisis Support


  1. Trans Lifeline – A peer-run crisis hotline for transgender individuals, offering confidential support without nonconsensual active rescue. Available Mon–Fri, 10 AM–6 PM PT (1 PM–9 PM ET). translifeline.org

  2. Desi LGBTQ+ Helpline (DeQH) – The first national peer-support helpline for LGBTQ+ South Asians, offering culturally specific emotional support. deqh.org

  3. The Trevor Project – Provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ+ youth under 25. Available via phone, chat, and text 24/7. thetrevorproject.org

  4. Brave Space Alliance – The first Black-led, trans-led LGBTQ+ center on Chicago’s South Side, providing peer-led services, mutual aid, and grassroots activism for Black LGBTQ+ individuals. bravespacealliance.org


BIPOC Crisis Support


  1. Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective (BEAM) – A Black-led national organization focused on improving mental health and emotional well-being in Black communities through education, advocacy, and peer support. beam.community

  2. One Sky Center – A national resource center dedicated to improving Indigenous mental health through training, technical assistance, and resource sharing. oneskycenter.org

  3. National Queer & Trans Therapists of Color Network (NQTTCN) – A directory connecting queer and trans people of color with affirming mental health practitioners and peer support resources. nqttcn.com

  4. National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA) – A federation of LGBTQ+ AAPI organizations focused on advocacy, leadership development, and fostering safe community spaces. nqapia.org


Neurodivergent Crisis Support (Canada)


  1. Talk Suicide Canada – Offers crisis support via phone and text, with a focus on mental health challenges that intersect with neurodivergent experiences. talksuicide.ca

  2. Peer Support Canada – Provides peer-led mental health support services, connecting neurodivergent individuals with trained peer supporters across the country. peersupportcanada.ca

  3. Distress Centres of Canada – A national network providing emotional support, crisis intervention, and suicide prevention services. dcontario.org


LGBTQ+ and BIPOC Crisis Support (Canada)


  1. LGBT YouthLine – A Canadian peer support line offering text, chat, and email support to LGBTQ+ youth. youthline.ca

  2. Native Youth Sexual Health Network (NYSHN) – Supports Indigenous youth across Canada with culturally relevant mental health, sexual health, and gender identity resources. nativeyouthsexualhealth.com

  3. Black Youth Helpline (Canada) – A national helpline providing culturally relevant support for Black youth and families. blackyouth.ca


Final Thoughts: Creating True Safety and Belonging


Creating safety isn't about checking a box; it's about fostering spaces where people feel seen, heard, and valued for who they truly are. When we connect our clients to affirming spaces, we empower them to build community and find more support.


We are showing up with actions, not just words. Our clients have the absolute right to exist fully and freely. We have to come together to build a village—lives truly depend on it.


Many people feel very alone right now. I hope you will join me in creating safe spaces and cultivating genuine belonging. This work isn’t a one-time effort—it’s an ongoing commitment to listen, learn, and stand alongside those who need it most.


Together, we can create environments where authenticity is celebrated, differences are honored, and no one has to question whether they belong. Let’s be the connection, the support, and the community that helps people not just survive, but feel truly at home.

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