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I’m pleased to announce that I’ve launched two new workshops for service providers working with trans, nonbinary and Two-Spirit clients.

Gender Affirming Care for Trans, Nonbinary and Two-Spirit people: a half day intensive for mental health professionals

Fall 2020 – please contact me to be wait listed

Trans, nonbinary and Two-Spirit people struggle to find qualified mental health care. Suicidality, depression and other mental health challenges are over-represented among gender diverse people. Yet many trans people report negative experiences from mental health practitioners who are well intentioned, but lack basic knowledge and training.

In this anti-oppression workshop, you’ll learn how to offer more culturally informed care to trans, nonbinary and Two Spirit clients, starting with key concepts and moving into practice based scenarios. You’ll learn how to adapt your language, policies and practice to help people of all genders feel more affirmed and welcomed. We’ll explore common presenting issues of gender diverse people, including trauma based responses to systemic oppression, and you’ll have the opportunity to practice skills and exercises to best support clients struggling with these issues.

We’ll discuss culturally safer, strength based practices for connection and healing that center Two-Spirit identities, honouring resistance, resilience and healing while not downplaying the impacts of colonization, racism and transphobia.

You’ll be given resources and information to help clients access essential services, including hormones and surgery.

You’ll leave feeling more confident about offering gender affirming, trauma informed practice to all your clients. This workshop is designed for mental health and allied health workers, including counsellors, social workers, psychologists, physicians, nurses, and front line workers. You do not need to have previous experience working with trans clients.

Accessibility: this class takes place at SFU Vancouver. The space and washrooms are wheelchair accessible. Classroom will be scent reduced; please refrain from wearing scented products.

Hormone readiness assessment training for gender affirming care

Fall 2020 – please contact me to be wait listed

Hormones are medically necessary for many gender diverse people, yet the process of starting hormone therapy requires navigating a gatekeeping system that can be challenging and restrictive. As health care professionals, we can be critical of existing systems while working within them to expand access to care, advocate for change, and help our gender diverse clients get the care they need.

In this anti-oppression workshop, you will discover how to conduct a low barrier hormone readiness assessment, and to create the necessary documentation to help gender diverse clients access hormone therapy. You’ll learn about the history of gender affirming care, including how gate-keeping has been built into the system and how practices are slowly changing.  You’ll explore a protocol based on an informed consent model that centers client safety and respect. and will have the opportunity to practice your skills through role plays and case studies. You will also learn the paths to accessing hormone therapy in BC, and be given templates and sample reports to use to create your own reports that will meet WPATH version 7 standards of care.

You’ll leave feeling ready to offer hormone readiness assessments to gender diverse clients. This workshop is designed for health care professionals, including registered clincial counsellors, social workers, psychologists, physicians and nurses. You need to have basic competency working with trans, nonbinary and Two-Spirit clients before taking this training. If not, you can take Gender Affirming Care for Trans, Nonbinary and Two-Spirit people as a re-requisite.

Accessibility: this class takes place at SFU Vancouver. The space and washrooms are wheelchair accessible. Classroom will be scent reduced; please refrain from wearing scented products.