Counseling issues with gay and lesbian adolescents.

Few resources have been available to counselors working with lesbian and gay adolescents. This article seeks to bridge the gulf between the life experiences of these teens and those of the counselor by providing information on sexual identity formation, increased mental health risk factors for gay and lesbian youth, "coming out" issues, and barriers to supportive intervention given the hidden nature of much of this population within the schools and the world at large. Specific suggestions regarding how mental health counselors can assist these adolescents are provided.