Queer shame & collective healing: Trauma informed shame sensitive group therapy
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Authors
Cipilinski, Aviva
Issue Date
2025-11-20
Type
Capstone
Language
en
Keywords
queer shame , minority stress , shame-sensitive practice , trauma-informed , trauma-informed care , group therapy
Alternative Title
Abstract
This capstone explores queer shame as a relational affect situated within the collective body, shaped by minority stress and sustained by systemic oppression. Empirical research finds shame to be central to queer community health, linking external stigma to internal psychological distress through affective, relational, and physiological pathways. The guiding research question asks: How can trauma-informed, shame-sensitive group therapy interventions be designed to support 2SLGBTQIA+ and gender non-conforming clients in metabolizing queer shame and fostering collective resilience? The literature review examines queer shame across two related domains: the mental health impacts of internalized stigma, identity concealment, and chronic invalidation; and trauma-informed and shame-sensitive frameworks. By situating shame within intersecting systems of oppression and recognizing its protective as well as harmful functions, the review underscores the need for interventions that are culturally responsive, identity-affirming, and collectively oriented. Building on this foundation, the capstone proposes an eight-week trauma-informed and shame-sensitive group therapy intervention designed to support 2SLGBTQIA+ and gender non-conforming clients in understanding and metabolizing shame, restoring relational safety, and cultivating collective resilience, belonging, and resistance.
Description
Citation
Publisher
License
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States
openAccess
openAccess