In the period from January to June 2022, the Skopje Queer Center achieved even greater visibility and recognition by the LGBTI+ community and we saw this from the continued growth of clients and counseling/psychotherapy sessions.
In the past 6 months, 154 counseling/psychotherapy sessions were held through the Skopje Queer Center with 51 different clients, of which 26 clients are new – that is, they are clients who have been using the services since this year. Furthermore, more than half of the current clients are young people aged 18 to 30, i.e. over 30 clients.
Counseling for the previous year until the end of June amounted to 97 counseling/psychotherapy sessions, which means that we have an increased number of counseling sessions by 58.7% compared to that of 2021.
“I am very satisfied with the services from the Skopje Queer Center and would definitely recommend them to anyone who needs them. They lifted me up in the most difficult times and helped me build a quality life. What was once a huge obstacle impossible to overcome, I have now learned the skills to overcome it.” – trans man, 31.
“It is not at all shameful to go to a psychotherapist, and I think that the stigma around it should be minimized. The psychotherapist helps a lot to discover yourself, understand what you want, accept yourself, and what to aim for… So with mutual strength, you move forward, open yourself to the world, and try everything until you succeed. And even if you fail, it’s not a shame at all. You have definitely started to walk on your own.” – gay man, 40 years old.
“The psychological support I have received from the Skopje Queer Center is the absolute best experience I have ever had with a psychologist. The fact that David Tasevski and other psychologists are sensitized to the needs of LGBTI people was crucial for me as a bisexual woman. I felt safe and non-judgmental in all sessions.” – bisexual woman, 24 years old.
Unfortunately, the counseling center has not yet received support from the state institutions or the local government. Subversive Front as an organization working to advance the rights of LGBTI+ people and strategically determined to provide free and quality mental health services for LGBTI+ people in the coming period will continue in its efforts to provide better conditions for existing and future clients.
In the meantime, you can support the services of the Skopje Queer Center by donating to our ecrowd.mk profile.