What it takes to build queer-affirming mental health care
Podcast · TELUS Talks with Tamara Taggart · August 2025 · 37 min
Mental health tools often leave queer people out of the conversation. In this episode of TELUS Talks, host Tamara Taggart talks with Rahim Thawer about his book, The Mental Health Guide for Cis and Trans Queer Guys, and why inclusive care matters for queer men and the people who support them.
Rahim argues that affirming care has to move beyond an exclusive focus on HIV and take in the wider social determinants of queer men's mental health: systemic oppression, internalized shame, and community norms around bodies, masculinity and relationships. The conversation covers breaking cycles of shame, healing from trauma and building the confidence to be yourself, and makes the case for a politicized, context-aware clinical approach that uses practical tools such as CBT.
What it covers
- Shame and internalized oppression
- Social determinants of queer men’s mental health
- Trauma and healing
- Using CBT in context
Related on this site
Archived record: doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19166837
