This course will examine basic clinical approaches from a psychodynamic, trauma informed, sex positive, harm reduction and anti-oppressive perspective to working with trans and gender non-conforming people. We will use the term trans as an umbrella term that can cover a wide range of sexual and gender identities that may or may not fall outside of a binary understanding of gender performance. We will explore trans affirming and anti-oppressive approaches to mental health, particularly during clinical assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, and during the evaluation of therapeutic progress.
We will examine the role that prejudice, misogyny, heteronomativity, cisnormativity, transphobia, racism and mental health stigma play in the lives of trans people and their social workers. We will explore central issues for this population such as suicide, and effective ways to address it in treatment. This course draws from psychoanalytic literature, trans and queer theory, and critical race theory as applied to anti-oppressive clinical practice and will be taught from a cis-gendered perspective when working with trans clients. We will have access to trans identified clinicians, academics and community workers supporting this course remotely.
We will use clinical composites that disguise session material as well as drawing on movie characters to bring client concerns to life while maintaining confidentiality in a world where confidentiality is often misaddressed. We will also integrate the voices of trans and gender non-conforming clients/clinicians wherever possible. We will particularly emphasize the safer and more effective use of the clinician’s self (for instance countertransference) to prevent and work through transphobic enactments/injuries that when left unprocessed could lead to treatment derailment/impasse.
We will examine the role that prejudice, misogyny, heteronomativity, cisnormativity, transphobia, racism and mental health stigma play in the lives of trans people and their social workers. We will explore central issues for this population such as suicide, and effective ways to address it in treatment. This course draws from psychoanalytic literature, trans and queer theory, and critical race theory as applied to anti-oppressive clinical practice and will be taught from a cis-gendered perspective when working with trans clients. We will have access to trans identified clinicians, academics and community workers supporting this course remotely.
We will use clinical composites that disguise session material as well as drawing on movie characters to bring client concerns to life while maintaining confidentiality in a world where confidentiality is often misaddressed. We will also integrate the voices of trans and gender non-conforming clients/clinicians wherever possible. We will particularly emphasize the safer and more effective use of the clinician’s self (for instance countertransference) to prevent and work through transphobic enactments/injuries that when left unprocessed could lead to treatment derailment/impasse.
- Instructor: Mischa Peck
- Instructor: Marco Posadas