Be the Safe Adult: Trauma-Informed Counseling for LGBTQ+ Students
Date: February 5, 2026
Time: 9:00-10:00am UTC
About this webinar
There’s a gap between what LGBTQ+ students need and what most schools provide; you can help to close it.
LGBTQ+ students worldwide are facing a rising tide of targeted harassment, policy uncertainty, and identity-based harm at school, online, and in their communities. For many, the question isn’t just “”Will I be accepted?”” but “”Will I be safe?””
Be the Safe Adult is a 60-minute intensive for school counselors ready to become that critical affirming presence in students’ lives.
You’ll learn:
- The mental health crisis facing LGBTQ+ youth right now and the four trauma pathways shaping their experiences.
- How to respond skillfully when students disclose their identity or share experiences of harm.
- Concrete, trauma-informed counseling techniques.
- Ways to identify and strengthen protective factors that foster belonging.
Through real-world scenarios and immediately applicable tools, you’ll build the confidence to navigate complex moments from a student’s first coming-out conversation to responding to discriminatory incidents. You’ll leave more equipped to serve as a safe adult in LGBTQ+ students’ lives.
Speaker
Dr. Emily Meadows (she/her) is an LGBTQ+ consultant specialized in international schools. In addition to her doctoral degree, Emily holds master’s degrees in both Sexual Health and Counseling, and has worked as an international school counselor for over a decade. She researches, publishes, and trains school communities on equitable policy and practice, while also teaching for the State University of New York. Having spent more than half of her life in international schools, Emily specializes in culturally-relevant solutions to promote equity and belonging worldwide.