Research shows that LGBTQIA+ college students face sizable mental health challenges compared to their heterosexual and cisgender peers and that therapists are required to have ample cultural competence to better meet their needs.
Kelsey Moran, Psy.D., staff psychologist and coordinator of LGBTQIA+ counseling services and programming, told The Hechinger Report in a recent interview that the College's Counseling Center has been working to create liaisons to engage historically underserved individuals, in order to better meet the needs of all students on campus.
"When we're working with LGBTQIA+ students, we're not just working with them and their anxiety," said Moran. "We're working with them and their full background and identity as an understanding of self."
According to Moran, who started as Holy Cross' first LGBTQIA+ coordinator in 2018, the support and resources that she and her office provide have become even more relevant as queer and trans students are suffering particular challenges during the pandemic.
"Two years ago, when the coronavirus first caused the college to shut down, some students were excited to spend time at home and be reunited with family," Moran said. "But for many queer and trans students, it was a terrifying shift."
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