"Sharing Lived Experience": Describing a Virtual Counselor-Facilitated LGBTQ plus Support Group for Disordered Eating

A growing body of literature has highlighted the disproportionate impact of disordered eating on sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals. As such, specialized and affirming treatment is needed for SGM individuals with disordered eating, and research is needed to better understand what this treatment should include. The current study investigates a rolling, open, counselor-facilitated, free, virtual support group for SGM individuals with disordered eating to better understand support and healing processes, which in turn could be applied or expanded upon in other treatment settings. Participants were 27 SGM adults. All participants completed online surveys, and some (15/27) also completed semistructured focus groups about their experiences in the support group to reflect on shared meaning created within the group and ways that the counselor-facilitated support group fostered learning and healing related to disordered eating, mental health recovery, gender, and sexual identity. Inductive reflexive thematic analysis yielded the following themes: (a) community building and safety, (b) a crucially important space, (c) intersectional healing and insight, (d) seeing futures and building hope, and (e) ripple effects. Results indicate the power of alternative support spaces for disordered eating recovery among SGM individuals and illuminate potential directions for queer-affirming disordered eating treatment. Results also indicate a major gap in existing treatment for SGM individuals in need of disordered eating support.