I am Dr. Mohammadrasool Yadegarfard, clinical psychologist and author of "An Introduction to Working with Sexual Minority Clients: A Guide for Psychologists, Psychotherapists, Counsellors and Mental Health Practitioners" (مقدمه‌ای بر روش کار با اقلیت‌های جنسی و جنسیتی: راهنمای روان‌شناسان، روان‌درمانگران، مشاوران و متخصصان بهداشت و سلامت روان). This groundbreaking work stands as the first and only comprehensive Farsi-language resource empowering mental health professionals to provide ethical, affirming care to LGBTQ+ individuals in Iran and Afghanistan.

The Urgent Problem We Face:

Behind closed doors in clinics across our region, a silent crisis unfolds:

• LGBTQ+ individuals endure crushing stigma, with depression and suicide rates 3-5 times higher than the general population

• Well-intentioned therapists desperately want to help but are shackled by:

  • Government censorship blocking access to modern therapeutic approaches

  • Economic collapse making professional materials unaffordable (average book cost = 25% of monthly salary)

  • Complete absence of culturally-adapted training resources in Farsi

• Harmful conversion practices persist simply because better alternatives remain inaccessible

Our Life-Changing Solution:

With your solidarity, we will launch a three-pronged intervention:
✅ Print 1,000+ copies of this vital manual, preserving every carefully researched chapter and culturally-sensitive case study
✅ Establish free distribution channels to bypass economic barriers, delivering books directly to:

• Overworked clinicians in Tehran and Kabul

• Rural mental health outposts

• Underground LGBTQ+ support networks
  ✅ Create ripple effects - Each copy will train approximately 5 professionals, creating a multiplier effect that could reach 5,000+ vulnerable clients annually

Your Transformational Impact:

Every contribution creates measurable change:

• £10 rescues one book from being "just an idea" to a physical lifeline

• £100 equips an entire clinic (5 therapists) with proper training materials

• £200 sponsors 10 books + ensures their delivery to high-risk border regions

• £500+ funds digital archiving to preserve access if physical copies are seized

Why This Matters Now More Than Ever:

In the words of an anonymous Afghan counselor: "Without resources like this, we're forced to choose between abandoning our LGBTQ+ clients or practicing in dangerous ignorance." Your support:

• Directly counters state-sponsored misinformation

• Creates pockets of safety in hostile environments

• Documents best practices that could influence regional policy for decades

About the Author:
With 15 years of frontline experience spanning:

• Clinical practice with Persian-speaking LGBTQ+ diaspora

• Pioneering research on sexual minority mental health in Islamic contexts

• Training over 30 professionals in culturally-adapted affirmative therapy

I've poured every lesson into this 830-page manual - not as a theoretical exercise, but as a practical survival guide for therapists working under impossible conditions. Early readers report it has already helped them:

• Safely navigate government surveillance while providing care

• Develop non-Western frameworks for identity development

• Intervene in crisis situations unique to our cultural context

Join This Historic Initiative:

We stand at a rare moment where academic knowledge, clinical need, and grassroots energy converge. Your support today will determine whether this convergence becomes:
✖ Another missed opportunity
✔ A turning point in LGBTQ+ mental health across the region

Why Physical Books Matter More Than Digital:

• Visible Activism
  Each printed copy is a bold statement - displayed in therapists' offices alongside other professional literature, it:

  • Normalizes LGBTQ+ topics in mainstream mental health spaces

  • Challenges taboos simply by its physical presence on shelves

  • Creates passive awareness when seen by colleagues/clients

• Copyright Protection
  Given weak intellectual property laws in the region:

  • Digital files can be instantly duplicated/altered without attribution

  • Printed batches allow controlled distribution tracking

  • Preserves your authorship and prevents malicious edits

• Access Reliability

  • Internet shutdowns frequently disrupt digital access (Iran had 7 major outages in 2023)

  • Government filters block LGBTQ+ content online, while books can be discreetly shared

  • No tech barriers for older clinicians in rural areas

• Therapeutic Impact
  Research shows physical books:

  • Are 3x more likely to be fully read than digital versions (Journal of Academic Publishing, 2022)

  • Create stronger professional commitment when used as reference materials

  • Enable margin notes and personalized use in clinical practice

• Cultural Resonance

  • Persian literary tradition values physical books as authoritative sources

  • Gifting printed copies builds underground distribution networks

  • Survives device confiscations during clinic raids

• Historical Preservation

  • Printed copies ensure survival if digital platforms are purged

  • Becomes part of secret library collections that outlast regimes

  • Future researchers will trace the physical artifact

• Psychological Weight

  • A tangible book conveys legitimacy that pixels cannot

  • Patients report feeling "validated" seeing professional literature about their identities

  • Therapists take physical resources more seriously

Donate now to be part of writing this crucial chapter in our collective history.