John Sovec
MA, LMFT
John Sovec Therapy
John Sovec
John Sovec, MA, LMFT is a nationally recognized expert on creating affirmative support for LGBTQIA+ teens and their families during the coming out process. He is the author of the award winning bestseller Out: A Parent’s Guide to Supporting Your LGBTQIA+ Kid Through Coming Out and Beyond (JKP, 2023). John is a frequent contributor to numerous publications on providing LGBTQIA+ support, speaks at conferences nationally, and provides training and professional consultation on LGBTQIA+ competencies for community agencies, schools, and non-profits. In addition, he consults and trains on the corporate level regarding diversity, equity, and LGBTQIA+ inclusion.
John is the clinical consultant for The Life Group LA, adjunct faculty at Phillips Graduate Institute and guest lecturer at Alliant University, Antioch, Cal State Fullerton, and USC School of Social Work. In December 2019, he was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom to the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.
John is a nationally recognized expert on creating affirmative LGBTQIA+ support with his work featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, OWN, FOX, NPR, Bravo, The Riki Lake Show, The Washington Post , Newsweek, Reader Digest, The Advocate, LA Talk Radio, and columns for Huffington Post, Medium, and Good Therapy. He is the host of OutTalk, a monthly web series for OutCare Health.
SESSION OVERVIEW
The Power of LGBTQIA+ Affirming Support
In today’s complex political and educational landscape, creating LGBTQIA+ affirming school environments is not the job of educators alone, it is a community effort. This keynote explores how schools, families, and especially providers and social workers can work in partnership to support LGBTQIA+ youth. Research shows that affirming school climates significantly improve mental health, engagement, and academic outcomes, but sustaining these environments requires coordinated care across systems.
Through evidence‑based insights and real‑world examples, this keynote highlights the unique and powerful role that providers and social workers play: helping families navigate school policies, advocating for student needs, building bridges between home and school, and reinforcing affirming practices in everyday interactions. Participants will learn practical tools for cross‑system collaboration, communicating effectively with families, and identifying strategies that ensure consistent, affirming support for youth.
Attendees will walk away with clear, actionable steps to create inclusive climates, whether they work inside school buildings or alongside them in the broader community. Together, we can build environments where every LGBTQIA+ young person feels valued, supported, and empowered to thrive.