Coming Out Late In Life

Online Group for LGBTQ Questioning Women in GA and FL

Shift Happens.

This is a Coming Out Late in Life Group for Women questioning or coming to terms with their sexual orientation. Many women identify as lesbian, bisexual, queer, gay, pan-sexual or “no labels, please!” And many, understandably, delay coming out due to family, social and/or career implications. Still other women experience a true “shift” in their sexual orientation over time.

If you recognize yourself below, this group may be for you.

• I’m questioning my sexual orientation — again, or for the first time.
• I am curious about my sexual orientation and don’t know where to start.
• I’m divorcing my partner, in part or in whole, due to my sexual orientation.
• I need a safe and validating LGBTQ community of women to grow with.
• I want support and confidentiality while I navigate my coming out process.
• I’m open to exploring my sexuality in a safe, affirming, no agenda environment.

This long-running group (7 years) is facilitated by Melissa Lester, LCSW, a culturally competent and LGBTQ(+) affirming women’s therapist and counselor. She is a founding member and former Vice President of The LGBTQ Therapist Resource and current ATLANTA PRIDE Coordinator.

Many women report that this group is a “life saver” during murky, complex and difficult life transitions. We are focused on safety, connection, community and offering you all the space and time you need to navigate your own process – with a lot of love and support. I invite you to join us, relax, learn, get comfortable in your own skin and benefit from the experience of other women. Chances are pretty good you will also make a new friend or two.

Group Values

• Your Safety – Please take any security precautions you need including changing passwords, opening a new email address, buying a 2nd phone with a separate account, etc.  Invitations are always blind-copied to everyone, meaning no one gets to see anyone else’s email or name. Each link is private and individual and sent only to you at the email address you have provided.
• Others’ Safety – You must be able to participate on a screen that is not visible to anyone else, with audio that is not audible to anyone else.  There can be no “through” traffic in your room.
• Support – Our group is not a therapy group, it is a support group facilitated by a therapist, yours truly.  If you find that you need more space and time to process your experiences than is appropriate for a group setting, I urge you to identify a therapist for yourself.  It is important for everyone to have space/room in group to contribute.  Please be mindful of allowing others space/time.
• Confidentiality – community, sharing of resources, making lots of space for anyone who wants it and honoring each person’s individual path.

2022 Online Coming Out Late in Life Group Guidelines

• We currently meet on the 2nd and 4th Saturday each month, 3:30 – 5:00 pm. In November and December we meet only once.
• Dates are listed below and do vary slightly to accommodate holiday weekends throughout the year.
• Once we’ve spoken and mutually agreed that the group feels like a good fit, I will add you to my list of invitees. You are then welcome to join Group any day we meet. 🙂
• Invitations go out 2-3 hours before each group takes place via HIPAA compliant, encrypted email on the day of our meetings.  The Subject Line says Group Today 3:30-5.
• If you’d like to attend that day, simply RSVP via email the old-fashioned way (“Yes,” “Yes, I’ll be there,” “Yes, please,” etc.)
• You will receive your individual, one-time only, HIPAA-compliant link before Group starts at 3:30 pm. Please always check your Spam and Junk folders for the link.
• If you are not planning to attend that day, simply ignore the invitation 🙂
• We meet via HIPAA-compliant Secure Video/Zoom. Please RSVP to the invitation email prior to 3 pm.
• There is a (new) fee of $25.00 for attending our Coming Out Late in Life Group. If this cost is prohibitive, please reach out to me via email. No one is turned away due to finances.
• Our Group structure is 1) Intros 2) Open discussion 3) Sharing of resources 4) Sharing of contact info (voluntary) 5) Outros
• Everything is optional except our Group Values (see above)

A Note About Email Privacy: HIPAA compliance and encryption is guaranteed at my end of our communication by Hushmail. Your email host and settings will affect the level of privacy you have at your end.

2022 Meeting Dates — Saturdays 3:30 – 5:00 pm ET

Always check this website for last-minute changes to our Coming Out Late in Life meetings.

• January 8 & 22
• February 12 & 26
• March 12 & 26
• April 9 & 23
• May 14 & 28
• June 11 & 25
• July 9 & 23
• August 13 & 27
• September 10 & 24

NEW FALL DATES BELOW (due to several conflicts)

• October 29
• November 12
• December 10

For more information about our Coming Out Late in Life Group for Women, please contact me via HIPAA compliant encrypted email.