• COURSE DESCRIPTION

    Coming out for LGBTQ people is not just a one-time conversation, instead it is a lifelong and ongoing process. As LGBTQ people come to own with their own sexuality and gender identity they find themselves exposed to the social constructs of a straight and cisgender privileged environment, which creates and deepens pressure to “ fit in”. In this conversation, listeners will learn the best tools to assist their clients in coming out initially as well as managing the coming out process as a lifelong developmental experience. This interview also discusses the traumas sometimes associated with the coming out process.

  • LEARNING OBJECTIVES

    Upon completing this course, participants will be able to: Describe one or more developmental models of sexuality and how they influence the challenges of the coming out process; Discuss examples of coming out throughout the lifespan of an LGBTQ person; Complete a brief inventory of personal biases and describe how they influence interactions with LGBTQ clients


    TARGET AUDIENCE & INSTRUCTIONAL LEVEL

    This course is intended for psychologists, therapists, social workers, clinical counselors, and addiction counselors. Instructional level: Introductory

  • HOW TO TAKE THIS COURSE

    In order to receive a certificate of completion reflecting the associated CE credit hour, you must:
    #1: Have an active paid Clearly Clinical membership
    #2: Listen to the corresponding course podcast
    #3: Achieve a passing grade on the post-presentation test (the test has up to ten questions and you must earn a score of at least 80%; users can re-test up to three times. After three attempts, users are advised to re-listen to the audio course in its entirety and then subsequently re-test. Psychologists who are seeking CE credit may not be awarded credit if they attempt to pass the post-test more than three times.)
    #4: Complete the requested course evaluation.

    Course elements (including the course audio, post-test, and requested course evaluation) can be completed on a computer or mobile device via your Clearly Clinical account.

  • COURSE FORMAT

    This course contains a one-hour, non-interactive audio podcast which is available for free on all major public podcast platforms, including YouTube, by searching for 'Clearly Clinical'. You can also listen to and download the audio file via our course player.

  • ACCOMMODATIONS

    If you have special needs or need an accommodation, please email us at [email protected] and we will do our best to assist you.

    If reading along while listening is helpful for you, we recommend listening to our podcast on YouTube with the closed captioning feature enabled (to do this, click the button in the YouTube video player with the 'CC' on it).

  • CERTIFICATE ACCESS DETAILS

    Once you've completed the course, your certificate will automatically populate in the 'Certificate' section of your account; it will also be emailed to you. Course certificates will be on file for ten (10) years from date of course completion regardless of a user's paid membership status.

  • COMMERCIAL SUPPORT

    There is no known commercial support or conflict of interest for this CE program, presenter, sponsor, instructor, or content. The instructor references their own resources as a potential option for further learning.

Interviewer and Interviewee

John Sovec, LMFT #46376

LGBTQIA+ Expert

John Sovec, MA, LMFT is a nationally recognized expert on creating affirmative support for LGBTQIA+ teens and their families during the coming out process. He is the author of Out: A Parent’s Guide to Supporting Your LGBTQIA+ Kid Through Coming Out and Beyond (JKP, 2023). John is a frequent contributor to numerous publications on providing LGBTQIA+ support, speaks at conferences nationally, and provides training and professional consultation on LGBTQIA+ competencies for community agencies, schools, and non-profits. In addition, he consults and trains on the corporate level regarding diversity, equity, and LGBTQIA+ inclusion. John is the clinical consultant for The Life Group LA, adjunct faculty at Phillips Graduate Institute and guest lecturer at Alliant University, Antioch, Cal State Fullerton, and USC School of Social Work. In December 2019, he was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom to the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. He is a nationally recognized expert on creating affirmative support for LGBTQIA+ adolescents with his work featured on The Riki Lake Show, OWN, FOX, The Advocate, Bravo, LA Talk Radio, The Washington Post, and columns for Huffington Post, Medium, and Good Therapy. John is the host of OutTalk, a monthly web series for OutCare Health.
Please visit him at JohnSovec.com and GayTeenTherapy.com, and check out his book at Amazon.com: 'Out'

Elizabeth 'Beth' Irias, MS, LMFT

Interviewer & Clearly Clinical Founder

Elizabeth 'Beth' Irias (she/her) is a licensed Marriage & Family Therapist and the Founder and President of Clearly Clinical. She has specializations in Clinical Documentation, Feedback Informed Treatment, Best Practice, and Utilization Review, and works closely with clinical teams across the US as a trainer and national conference presenter; Beth was formerly an adjunct professor at Pepperdine University in the Graduate Psychology and Education department. Licensed in California and Oregon, she provides therapy via her private practice to young adult and adult clients, members of the LGBTQ population, and those with addictive disorders. She has two young children, a super cool spouse who helps out with Clearly Clinical's tech, and a rescue dog.

Why is Clearly Clinical the nation's premier CE provider?

  • CONVENIENT: All courses are 1-hour podcast episodes, available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, GooglePlay, and all other free public podcast platforms

  • AFFORDABLE: We offer quality CE courses through a reasonably-priced membership

  • SOCIALLY-RESPONSIBLE: We make ongoing donations to The Trevor Project for LGBT youth suicide prevention, and have also previously donated to Black & Brown Founders, the NAACP’s Legal Defense Fund, Black Women’s Blueprint, Feeding America, and The Center for Reproductive Rights.

  • WOMAN-OWNED & QUEER-OWNED: We are founded and run by Elizabeth Irias, LMFT

  • DIVERSE: We highlight expert presenters from historically-marginalized communities


Quick Note: Are you confused about the difference between a Continuing Education Unit (CEU) and a Continuing Education (CE) Credit Hour?  Visit our Frequently Asked Questions page for clarification!