VMHPAA Marks Pansexual Visibility Day with a Call for Inclusive, Evolving Mental Health Support
- Shane Warren
- May 23
- 2 min read
MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
24 May 2025
VMHPAA Marks Pansexual Visibility Day with a Call for Inclusive, Evolving Mental Health Support
Today, the Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association Australia (VMHPAA) proudly recognises Pansexual Visibility Day, celebrating the breadth and diversity of identities within the LGBTIQA+SB community and reaffirming its commitment to inclusive, affirming mental health care.
Pansexuality, the attraction to people regardless of gender, is not a new concept, but as Chair Shane Warren notes, the evolving language around identity reflects the natural progression of societal understanding.
“Pansexuality may sound like a ‘woke’ buzzword to some, but in truth, it’s an example of how our collective understanding of what makes us human continues to evolve,” said Shane Warren, who is also the author of Navigating LGBTGEQIAP+ Terminology: A Guide for Mental Health Professionals.“As language grows, so too does our capacity to see, honour, and support one another.”
Vocationally trained mental health practitioners - those working in counselling, peer support, youth welfare, and frontline services - are often the first point of contact for LGBTIQA+SB individuals navigating their identities in a world that may not yet understand them.
“Vocationally trained practitioners excel in meeting people exactly where they are, without judgment, without delay,” Shane Warren continued.“Their ability to pivot with the times and apply new frameworks in real-time makes them essential allies for gender and sexually diverse communities.”
On Pansexual Visibility Day, VMHPAA calls for:
Continued professional development in LGBTIQA+SB mental health for vocational practitioners.
Stronger inclusion frameworks that allow clients to define their identity in their own language.
Policy and funding support for services led by or including lived experience and vocationally trained practitioners.
Mental health care is not static, it must move with the people it serves. VMHPAA affirms that visibility is a powerful tool in dismantling stigma and that representation must be reflected not only in society but in the training rooms, supervision sessions, and client-facing roles that shape our mental wellbeing services.
Pansexual people deserve to be seen, heard, and understood. Today, VMHPAA stands in solidarity with the pansexual community and all those whose identities are still emerging into the light.
About VMHPAA
The Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association of Australia (VMHPAA) is the national voice for professionals with vocational qualifications working in mental health. Representing counsellors, psychotherapists, peer workers, family support practitioners, and others, VMHPAA promotes excellence, advocacy, and ethical standards across all mental health care environments.
Media Contact:
Shane Warren, Chair
VMHPAA
Comments