When a loved one comes out, families often need support of their own — to ask questions without judgment, to grieve shifting expectations, and to learn how to affirm the person they love. This group gives them that space, guided by a professional.

 

Who it serves:

Parents, guardians, grandparents, spouses and partners, siblings, and chosen family members (age 18+) of LGBTQ people of any age — including families of transgender and nonbinary youth and adults. The group is for family members themselves; it is separate from youth programming.

 

Format:

· Schedule: Meets monthly, 90 minutes (suggested: first or second Friday or Saturday morning, 10:00am to 11:30am; schedule TBD).

· Structure: Each meeting: brief check-in (20 min), facilitated topic presentation and discussion (40 min), open peer support sharing (25 min), resource handouts (5 min).

· Facilitation: Facilitated by a licensed mental health counselor practicing from an affirming framework.

· Cost/confidentiality: Free. Strict confidentiality — what is shared in the group stays in the group, including attendance itself.

 

This group is explicitly and unequivocally affirming.

 

Sample six-month topic calendar:

· Month 1 — Understanding sexual orientation & gender identity (SOGI 101); establishing group norms and safety.

· Month 2 — Coming out and the family: stages of adjustment — from shock and grief to understanding and advocacy.

· Month 3 — Affirming communication: names, pronouns, and how to listen without trying to fix.

· Month 4 — Supporting transgender & nonbinary loved ones: social, medical, and legal transition basics every family should know.

· Month 5 — Navigating systems together: schools, healthcare providers, and community resources as an affirming family.

· Month 6 — Faith, culture, and LGBTQ identity: reconciling beliefs with love; preparing for holidays and family gatherings.

 

Rotating future topics: grief and shifting expectations; legal essentials (name changes, custody, documents); self-care for caregivers; bullying, mental health, and suicide prevention awareness; understanding bisexual, pansexual, and asexual identities; welcoming a loved one’s partner into the family.

 

Staffing:

Dr. Ronald Piaseczny, LMHC-D, President of Niagara Pride