Job Opening at the DC Center : Social Worker/Therapist

Job Opportunity at the DC Center for the LGBT Community

The DC Center for the LGBT Community is hiring! We are looking for a full-time social worker/therapist. Bilingual in Spanish, a plus. See below for details.

Social Worker/Therapist Position:

The DC Center for the LGBT Community has a mission of educating, empowering, celebrating, and connecting the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community of Washington, DC. The Social Worker/Therapist helps to achieve this mission by providing mental health support services to survivors of violence, crime, and trauma. These services are available free-of-charge to our community members due to grant funding from the Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants (OVSJG). The Social Worker/Therapist will see clients individually and in group settings, as well as in a couples/collateral therapy capacity, if requested. The person who fills this position is also responsible for assisting on other related projects, such as quarterly reporting and management of the OVSJG grant, outreach and education in the LGBTQ community, and assisting the mission, vision, and values of The DC Anti-Violence Project (DC AVP). The Social Worker/Therapist will report to the Executive Director.

Special Skills:

The Social Worker/Therapist must have the appropriate licensure to practice in DC (LGSW or LICSW) and have at least 2 years’ experience working as a clinician with a diverse client population. They must also have a demonstrated ability to work with LGBTQ+ adults, to work well in a team, to problem solve and communicate at all levels verbally as well as in writing. Must be self-motivated and be able to build and maintain relationships, both with colleagues and with key stakeholders in the larger victim-serving network of Washington, DC. The ideal candidate will have prior nonprofit/grant management experience and is well adept at multitasking in a fast-paced environment. Bilingual capabilities are not required but strongly preferred.

Functions and Duties

Social Worker/Therapist: Responsibilities:

  • Provide individual, couples, and group mental health support services to a caseload of 25-35 unique clients
  • Conduct intake assessments with all new potential clients to assess safety, job status, financial resources, living arrangements, current support system, type and history of victimization, legal issues, related medical history, and clinical symptomatology for the past 30 days
  • Provide clients with LGBTQ-friendly and affirming referrals to community-based services, aimed at assisting individuals affected by crime, violence and trauma
  • Assess clients and provide necessary intervention in crisis situations (safety plans, hospitalization, referrals, etc.)
  • Keep current and accurate records of all clinical interactions in our clinical database system
  • Collaborate with DC Center staff to provide community-based education and outreach opportunities in line with OVSJG grant requirements
  • Provide data for quarterly reports and help manage grant deliverables for the OVSJG grant throughout the fiscal year
  • Deliver trauma-informed, culturally competent assessment and treatment techniques to all survivors seeking support services, and serve as a resource for all individuals seeking support through The DC Center
  • Work in partnership with The DC Anti-Violence Project members to further the mission, vision, and values of DC AVP
  • Work well with a diverse staff to facilitate an open, supportive and warm environment for all individuals who visit The DC Center

Please click here to apply

Meet the Staff: Maya

woman with cherry blossoms

Welcome Maya to the DC Center! She is a summer health and wellness intern and looks forward to making members of the queer community smile and feel supported. You can meet Maya at the DC Center Monday thru Friday this summer! She is a rising junior at Georgetown University, majoring in Global Health. 

Birthdate, Astro Sign

23 May, Gemini

Where are you originally from?

San Diego, CA

Why did you start working at the DC Center?

I started working at the DC Center to further my exposure to community/queer health work and give back to the LGBTQ community.

What has been your favorite part about working at the DC Center?

My favorite part has been the welcoming attitudes of my coworkers. We’re all striving to help our community thrive!

What is your music anthem?

I’ve had Hippo Campus’ “Bambi” on repeat lately.

What is your favorite part about the LGBTQ+ community?

I love how much fun we can have together. Whether it’s dancing, fashion, or poetry it all makes me feel fabulously free.

What is your favorite spot in DC and what do you do there?

I absolutely love to run on the National Mall. You can catch me there with my partner and our dog!

What is your favorite queer movie?  

Moonlight (2016)

What color would you paint the White House, given the chance?  

Green!

Who do you look up to in the queer community?

Jennifer Wiggins is a queer black icon working in Georgetown’s Health Education Services. She is constantly making herself available for queer programming & has often made me smile as well as feel safe on campus. Simply put, Jenn is a loving activist through and through.

Coming Out Group Expands

Coming Out Support Group

The Coming Out Support Group is expanding and will now be meeting twice a month.  The group will continue to meet on the  2nd Tuesday of each month, and starting this month they will also meet on the 4th Thursday of each month.

Are you planning to come out? Maybe you have just recently come out?

Join us for a coming out discussion group meeting at the DC Center for the LGBT community.

This is a peer-facilitated discussion group. It is a safe space to share experiences about coming out and discuss topics as it relates to doing so. By sharing struggles and victories the group allows those newly coming out and who have been out for a while to learn from others. All are welcome to join in discussion whether Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, or Ally.

The next two meetings will be on October 9th and October 25th.  A total of 19 peer facilitated support and discussion groups currently meet at the DC Center.  Peer facilitators are supported by our staff social workers.  Find out more at thedccenter.org/support.

Volunteer Spotlight: Tamara

Meet one of our many volunteers, Tamara! Tamara has been volunteering with the DC Center for a number of years and can be seen running the Poly Group here at the Center. Don’t forget to check out her book, It’s Called Polyamory: Coming Out About Your Nonmonogamous Relationships, which is designed to provide support and encouragement for those coming out as poly. She wrote the book “because [she] noticed that though there were a lot of resources for LGBT people around coming out, there was almost nothing about coming out as polyamorous. Poly people face some significant challenges that you don’t find with other coming out processes, for instance the idea of polyamory often brings up people’s past experiences with infidelity.” Keep reading to find out more about Tamara!

Birthdate, Astro Sign.

My birthday is September 26 and I’m a Libra.

Where are you originally from?

I was born in Seattle, Washington, moved to Brookline, MA when I was a baby, lived there until I was 12, then moved to Buffalo, NY and went to college at Smith in Northampton, MA. I have been in DC since 1998 so here feels most like home.

When and why did you start volunteering at the DC Center?

I started volunteering for the DC Center in 2011 after someone did a one time only poly discussion and I thought that it would be good for the community to have one more often. I’ve been running groups monthly ever since.

What has been your favorite part about volunteering with the DC Center so far?

I’ve loved all of the groups I’ve done. I’ve developed some deep friendships through the center.

What is your favorite event that the DC Center offers?

I don’t actually go to a lot of events outside of the one that I run… so I’d have to say the poly discussion group is the best.

What is your favorite part about the LGBTQ+ community?

I’ve had a lot of mixed feelings about the queer community over the years. I came out as bisexual in 1993 and there was still a lot of exclusion of bisexuality from the LGBTQ community at the time. As in there were organizations that didn’t include bi people at all. Over the years I have continued to have moments of feeling excluded because of my ongoing relationships with men and the perpetual sense of being not queer enough. As time has gone on I’ve become more and more aware of the ways in which the community has not served people of color, trans people, and other more marginalized communities. With that said I have seen people at the Center really trying hard to do good work with people outside of the financially advantaged white people who were at the center of the marriage equality movement. I find the work around asylum seekers to be particularly important in these times.

Who do you look up to in the queer community?

I would say some of my queer community heroes are Loraine Hutchins (local bi activist), Robyn Ochs (Bi activist in MA), and actually Chris Donaghue (author and TV personality). Loraine wrote some of the first literature on bisexuality that I found as a kid and that is what enabled me to figure out how to talk about my identity and come out. Robyn was the first one that let me see that this was not just theoretical, there are real live other people who are out as bi. Chris is brilliant and edgy and yet he sat down with me and let me give him hell about what I thought was wrong about his book Sex Outside the Lines. He continues to be an ally in body positivity in Hollywood where that kind of activism is still practically unheard of.

What is your favorite spot in DC and what do you do there?

I think my favorite place in DC these days is my office. Its full of sparkly things and comfy furniture, though I suspect you were looking for another kind of answer.

What is your favorite queer movie?

As far as favorite queer movie, I’m between The Incredibly True Adventures of 2 Girls in Love and But I’m a Cheerleader. I think that shows my age.  I have yet to find a movie that talks about the kind of queer experience that I have lived.

What clothing item is a staple in your wardrobe?

Black dresses are always a staple but I have to say I’m not sure why my fashion taste is important. I’d rather talk about my book. My relationships. My kids. What I’m doing in the world, etc than what I’m wearing.

Who are you most inspired by?

As far as who I’m inspired by I’d have to say Ricci Levy who runs the Woodhull Sexual Freedom Foundation. I love the idea of looking at sexuality and family as human rights and I want us to move forward as a more inclusive movement. As far as DC activists, Cyndee Clay of HIPS continues to work hard for some of those most marginalized people in our community even when it gets really hard. I’m also inspired by Bianca Laureno, Aida Mandulay, Trina Scott and all of the other founders of the Women of Color Sexual Health Network. I love their work and being able to support them.

What is your favorite DC neighborhood?

I would say Dupont is still my favorite neighborhood in the city even though I miss the old days when Lammas (the queer women’s bookstore), Lamda Rising (the other gay bookstore) and the Leather Rack were still there.

What is your go to restaurant and what do you order?

Guacamole from Guapos is my comfort food.

If you could live in any decade (past or future) which would it be and why?

I don’t spend a lot of time in time travel fantasies. Going backwards it was harder for people of color and other marginalized groups. Going forward the earth is being destroyed. Right now Donald Trump is in office. Still the only time that really works for me is right now in this moment. I guess I’ve bought in to all of those mindfulness exercises a little too much.

Are you more of an early bird or a night owl?

I hate mornings. I also don’t like to stay up late. Why is this on a binary?

Trans & Nonbinary Support Groups

Transgender & Nonbinary Support Groups at the DC Center for the LGBT Community

Support groups for the trans and nonbinary community are growing at the DC Center.  We currently have three support groups that meet monthly, with one more group starting this month.   The three groups that currently meet are:

The Trans Support Group is intended to provide emotionally and physically safe space for trans people and those who may be questioning their gender identity/expression to join together in community and learn from one another. Due to popularity and need, the group has expanded to being hosted twice a month, on the Second Tuesdays and Fourth Fridays of each month. This peer-led support group welcomes all who identify under the trans umbrella or are unsure, and seeks to continually reinforce our principles of respect, acceptance and protection through ongoing input from our attendees. The group welcomes people from all classes, races, sexuality and gender identity, and brings together this diverse assortment of individuals around a shared experience. Information about meetings is posted at thedccenter.org/trans or facebook.com/centertrans.

Meetings take place on the Second Tuesdays and Fourth Fridays of every month starting at 7:00 PM.

Genderqueer DC:  These meetings are centered on the needs of trans, nonbinary, and questioning people.  Anna Sullivan, a facilitator of the group, states: “Genderqueer DC is a peer support group where we talk about issues related to nonbinary/trans gender identity, and create a welcoming space to share whatever we’re going through.   People of all gender identities are welcome to attend, but our meetings are focused on the needs of nonbinary/ trans/questioning people. Friends, family, and allies are welcome!”

As of May 2024, Genderqueer is going to be meeting in-person only on the 2nd Saturday each month starting at 1 pm.

Meetings usually take place on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 7:00 PM.   Some meetings will have ASL interpreters- this is posted in the Facebook events, and shared in the group email.  More information is available at thedccenter.org/genderqueer or facebook.com/genderqdc.

A total of 19 peer facilitated support groups currently meet at the DC Center.  Peer facilitators are supported by our staff social workers.  Support the work of the DC Center by making a donation at thedccenter.org/donate.

 

Upcoming Meetings

Trans Support Group

Trans Support Group – Via Zoom

Due to COVID-19 , we are all meeting remotely via Zoom. We would love for you to join us. For ...
Image is just decorative and the only text on the image reads "Genderqueer Support Group"

Genderqueer DC – via Zoom

This meeting is virtual only, if you’d like to join an in-person meeting, the 2nd Saturday meeting from 1 - ...
Trans Support Group

Trans Support Group – via Zoom

The DC Center has begun carefully offering in-person hybrid meetings. This meeting is however only meeting via Zoom. Please email ...
Image is just decorative and the only text on the image reads "Genderqueer Support Group"

Genderqueer DC – in-person

Please RSVP using the form below* and we'll be in touch about attending in-person! Right now our space is limited ...
Trans Support Group

Trans Support Group – Via Zoom

Due to COVID-19 , we are all meeting remotely via Zoom. We would love for you to join us. For ...
Trans Support Group

Trans Support Group – via Zoom

The DC Center has begun carefully offering in-person hybrid meetings. This meeting is however only meeting via Zoom. Please email ...

People of Color Support Groups Grow

People of Color Support Groups Grow at the DC Center

LGBTQ People of Color support groups are growing here at the DC Center for the LGBT Community.  We now have three different groups for LGBTQ POC Communities, and one additional group starting this month.   The three LGBTQ POC support groups currently meeting are:

Asian Pacific Islander Queer Support Group.  The Asian Pacific Islander Support Group is organized by APIQS (Asian Pacific Islander Queer Society DC) and AQUA (Asian Queers United for Action).  The group usually meets on the first Thursday of every month at 7:00 PM.  Information about meetings is posted at thedccenter.org/apa and facebook.com/centerapa.

LGBTQ People of Color Support Group.  The LGBTQ People of Color Support group typically meets on the third Saturday of every month from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM.  Information about meetings is posted at thedccenter.org/poc and facebook.com/centerpoc.

South Asian LGBTQ Support Group.  The South Asian LGBTQ Support Group is organized by KhushDC and typically meets on the third Saturday of the month from 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM.  Information about meetings is posted at thedccenter.org/apa and facebook.com/centerapa.

The newest group, starting June 30th, is The Glossary DC Support Group. This group will meet Saturday June 30th at 12:00 PM  and then going forward meet on the fourth Saturday of every month starting at 12:00 PM. The Glossary DC was started to create a safe space for masculine of center or non binary and trans masculine or presenting people of color. Though there are various groups in the DC area that incorporate both groups, the Glossary is specifically for people of color. Here, we have the space and safety to discuss what our lives are like from our perspective. We discuss family dynamics, cultural understanding and response and talk about how we as people and as a unit can increase the quality of our lives and the ones around us.  More information is available at thedccenter.org/poc or facebook.com/centerpoc.

A total of 19 peer facilitated support groups currently meet at the DC Center.  Peer facilitators are supported by our staff social workers.

Social Worker Dr. Zelaika Clarke states “In a white cis-hetero-patriarchal dominated society, providing support groups for people of color is important to our well being and self expression because it can affirm, celebrate and empower our authentic selves, increase sense of community connectedness, and foster a shared space to discuss pressing issues without having to breakdown concepts such as racism and privilege”

Support the work of the DC Center.  Make a one time or monthly pledge at thedccenter.org/donate.

 

 

 

 

 

Support & Discussion Groups

Support Groups

This list indicates when groups usually meet.  Please check with the group to confirm meeting date and time.

 

Center Bi+ Roundtable

Bisexual & Pansexual

Third Tuesday of the month

7:00 PM, Zoom

thedccenter.org/bi

fb.com/centerbiplus

Coffee and Conversation

Older LGBT Adults

Every Monday

10:00 AM, Zoom

thedccenter.org/aging

fb.com/centeraging

Friday Tea Time

Older LGBT Adults

Every Friday

2:00 PM, Zoom

thedccenter.org/aging

fb.com/centeraging

Coming Out Group

Folks who are coming out!

Second Tuesday

7:00 PM, Zoom

supportdesk@thedccenter.org
Black Lesbian Support Group

Black lesbians of any age

4th Sundays

11:00 AM, via Zoom

supportdesk@thedccenter.org
Gay District

GBTQ Men, 18-35

On hiatus

 

thedccenter.org/men

fb.com/centerguys

Genderqueer DC

People outside the binary

Third Mondays / Fourth Tuesday of the month

7:00 PM, Zoom

thedccenter.org/genderqueer

fb.com/genderqdc

Job Club

Job seekers

Every Wednesday

6:00 PM, Zoom

thedccenter.org/careers

fb.com/centercareers

South Asian LGBT Group (KhushDC)

South Asian LGBT Community

Third Saturday of the month

1:30 PM, Zoom

thedccenter.org/api

fb.com/centerapi

Universal Pride

LGBTQIA People w/ Disabilities

First Tuesday of the Month

7:00 PM, Zoom

thedccenter.org/disability
People of Color Support Group

LGBTQ People of Color

1st and 3rd Saturday

1:00 PM, Zoom

fb.com/centerpoc

thedccenter.org/poc

Poly Discussion Group

People who want to discuss Poly relationships

Third Thursday of the month

7:00 PM, Zoom

thedccenter.org/poly

fb.com/centerpolydc

Queer API Support Group

Asian Pacific Islander LGBT

First Thursday of the month

7:00 PM, Zoom

thedccenter.org/api

fb.com/centerapi

Queer Book Club

Read & discuss queer authors

Fourth Monday of the month

7:00 PM, Skype

supportdesk@thedccenter.org
LGBTQ+ Working Through Trauma

10-Week Therapy Groups

Spring and Fall, usually

Registration Required 

Current WWT Groups Info
Trans Support Group

Trans community

Second Tuesday / Fourth Friday

7:00 PM, Zoom

thedccenter.org/trans

fb.com/centertrans

WITT

Women in their 20’s and 30’s

Second and fourth Fridays

8:00 PM, Zoom

thedccenter.org/women

fb.com/centerwomen

Ace/Aro Peer Support Group

Ace/Aro Peer Support Group

Third Wednesday of the month

7:00 PM, Zoom

thedccenter.org/ace-aro