BY SONJA PUZIC, THE WINDSOR STARJULY 28, 2011

Taken from: http://www.windsorstar.com/health/Free+counselling+lesbian+community/5170422/story.html

WINDSOR, Ont. -- Members of the local lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community now have access to free group counselling services thanks to a provincial grant.

The $70,000 from the Ontario Trillium Foundation will provide a series of specialized support groups for LGBTIQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, intersexed, questioning) people who need help with coming out to their family and friends, discrimination, depression, anxiety and other issues.

The program, called OK2BME, will be offered free for a year through Family Service Windsor-Essex County, the Windsor Family Health Team and Windsor Pride.

The service is a first of its kind in Windsor and will address the unique needs of the LGBTIQ community, said Joyce Zuk, executive director of Family Service Windsor-Essex County, which has counselled families, couples and individuals for decades.

"Some people just need someone to talk to, while others need help addressing ongoing issues that may never have been addressed before," she said. "We'll be offering peer support groups, educational groups, and therapy groups."

Windsor Pride executive director Neil Mens said his organization has been trying to address gaps in counselling services for LGBTIQ people but lacked financial and resource support until now.

"Many people in our community live with a secret about who they are," he said. "It produces a lot of stress and impacts people's health."

OK2BME was first introduced in Kitchener for gay, lesbian and transgender youth. The Windsor offshoot adopted the same logo and branding, but the counselling here is mostly geared toward adults, although there is a group for teens who are just coming out.

There will be about 15 different counselling groups offered here, focusing on everything from exploring attraction to the same sex, relationships and sexual health to dealing with stereotypes, labels and identity issues.

Intersex is a term for a condition in which someone is born with sexual anatomy that doesn't fit the typical definition of male or female.

Confidentiality is key, Zuk said, so those who are not yet "out" and don't feel comfortable walking into the Windsor Pride office can attend counselling groups at Family Service or at the family health team. Sessions will be held at all three locations.

For information, visit ok2beme.ca/windsor or call the Community Counselling Alliance at 519-254-3426.