Out Youth’s counselors and social work interns provide individual and group counseling at several Austin high schools to help LGBTQIA students and their allies feel safe and supported while at school.

Generally, a team of Out Youth counselors or social work interns will visit each school once a week to lead a support group and meet with students individually. Support groups and individual counseling sessions usually meet in the school’s Communities in Schools office or the school social worker’s office.

In-School Support Groups

Support groups are for students who want to discuss LGBTQIA issues. They also allow students to meet and form support networks with other LGBTQIA students and allies.

Groups are usually scheduled for the same day every week and last for 50 minutes. We also strive to ensure that the support groups meet during different class periods so that you don’t miss the same class multiple times in a row.

In-School Individual Counseling

If you are enrolled in in-school individual counseling, you will meet with you counselor either before or after the in-school support group meets. Because of school schedules, you may not be able to meet with you counselor every week, or you may meet for less than a 50-minute session, though every effort is made to provide consistent and reliable counseling experience.

Request In-School Counseling

If you are interested in having Out Youth provide counseling services at your school, you should talk with an administrator, your school guidance counselor, or a representative at the Communities in Schools office.

You may also contact Monrovia Van Hoose, Out Youth’s Clinical Director, at 512.419.1233 or monrovia@outyouth.org to let us know that you would like us to provide counseling services at your school.