ABSTRACT

The social work approach to human problems first appeared in Victorian England, but it quickly spread to the United States, where its activist and pragmatic spirit had great appeal. Counseling services have become established features of many state-supported schools and other insti­ tutions. Private persons and organizations, including professedly gay and lesbian ones, also provide counsel­ ing. The need for such separate institutions suggests a limitation in the counseling/social work ethos. To the extent that the counselor clings to unexamined societal prejudices communication will be hindered. In fairness, it must be noted that many heterosexual counselors are aware of this problem, and have sought to make themselves more sensitive to the needs of gay and lesbian clients. There is no doubt that counseling and social work has done much good. This is especially true in the mental field, where large numbers of people, particularly those who are young, cannot afford psychotherapy--which may in fact be less effective.