Working Alongside Trans, Gender Diverse and Questioning People

A two-day training course for therapists and counsellors

About the Course

This two-day course has been created in response to demand for more in-depth and specialist learning from therapists and counsellors themselves, and to the need of the wider trans community for a pool of trans-knowledgeable therapists and counsellors to draw on.

The training is a mix of formal presentations, interactive exercises and reflective discussions delivered in a small group learning environment by two professional trainers who combine extensive therapeutic and trans-specific knowledge and practice.

Upcoming dates

Mon 4th / Tue 5th March 2024

Venue:

All 2023/4 dates are in London, and we are in the process of confirming venues. Unfortunately is not possible to attend online.

Times:

All courses 9:00 arrival for a prompt 9:30 start, close at 4:30

Cost: £350

Please note: prices were uplifted on 1st October 2022 and apply only to new bookings. Any bookings for upcoming sessions that were made before this date are still on the previous pricing.

The course fee includes:

• A course booklet, handouts, extensive list of links and online resources
• Eligibility to join the GI Therapists and Counsellors Network
• An attendance certificate
• Lunch and refreshments on both days




We strongly recommend joining the network - it provides access to ongoing learning and support and also enables you to apply for listing in the Directory which is already bringing new clients to the therapists listed.

(Bursaries are available - see 'Requesting a Place' below)




For:

This course is for practising psychotherapists, therapists and counsellors, working in the fields of talking therapies (as opposed to physical therapies).

You may already be working alongside people who might be described as gender variant, gender non-conforming or gender dysphoric in clinical settings, but who might describe themselves with a very wide variety of different terms including trans, transgender, a person with a trans history, non-binary, gender questioning, gender expansive, genderqueer, gender fluid or agender, or who otherwise have an experience of gender that doesn’t align with society’s expectations in some way.

The course is also for those interested in beginning work alongside gender diverse people.

We particularly welcome bookings from QTIPOC / trans therapists and counsellors.




Numbers: Maximum of 12 participants to ensure individual learning needs are met, and to allow for social distancing within the venue.


This session is also available as an in-house course. Contact us for details


Course Outline

This two-day course will cover:

• Gender diversity in the current social context
• A basic introduction to relevant legislation, including The Equality Act 2010, and how it might relate to service provision
• The WPATH (The world Professional Association for Transgender Health) Standards of care for the Health of Transsexual, Transgender, and Gender Nonconforming People and how they inform good practice
• The treatment pathways and medical contexts relevant to transgender people and their families
• Specific terminology, skills and knowledge relating to the use of language when working alongside trans and gender variant people
• Gender Theory and how it can inform good practice in therapeutic work with trans people and their families
• Theoretical models and psychotherapy practices that support work with trans and gender diverse people
• Current dilemmas in practice with transgender and gender diverse people


The course takes a generic / integrative approach, providing useful tools to take back into your way of working.

Some elements are drawn from Gendered Intelligence's core half-day general course "Introduction to Trans Awareness". If you have previously attended that course, you'll find a few of the exercises on the first day familiar.

Learning Objectives

At the end of the course, participants will:

• Appreciate how sex, gender and sexual orientation interact
• Feel more confident in understanding how gender is constructed and the impact this has on identity, relationships and therapy
• Understand key terms and language, and have strategies to approach their continuing evolution
• Understand the legal and medical contexts for working with trans clients
• Know a range of ideas, tools and theoretical underpinnings to enable better conversations about gender and gender diversity in therapeutic practice
• Be able to identify good practice in relation to working alongside and supporting transgender and gender variant clients
• Feel more confident to engage in conversations about gender and gender diversity
• Have additional learning resources and know where to find further helpful materials

Quotes from Previous Participants

Here are just a few comments from previous delegates:

“Thank you so much for an amazing two days. I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience - not just at a learning level, but also the wonderful energies you've brought with you. This is an area I want to specialise in and I feel much more confident now. I loved the level of interaction and the pace and the fact there was time for reflection between exercises. Amanda and Lee, you co-work with total fluidity - you're brilliant. All done in such a gentle yet informative way.” Marilyn Carre, session participant, Jersey course

“One of the best short courses I have done in a long time. Structure very well organised, thoughtful and good mix of presentations / discussion / trans experience / reflection / info etc. Non judgmental, but effective challenging. Excellent delivery of programme. Good co-ordination between presenters. Rich material. Excellent booklet with info and exercises. Well designed.” Gail Simon, Counselling Supervisor, Manchester course

“Very open, interesting, informative discussions with widely diverse group of therapists and backgrounds. Lived experience was invaluable.” Annabelle Morrison, Clinical Psychologist, CAMHS

“I loved all of it, especially the variety of activities. It was great! Great pace, space to debrief and lots of individual activities to help process and reflect. [The second day] was so hands on and useful, especially the role play and explaining theories of gender. This was such a strong course with fabulous trainers. I feel so much more prepared to have conversations with colleagues/friends around gender identity and how to work with gender variant people. Wish it was 3 days! :-)” Shannon Leoni, High School Social and Emotional Counselor (Belgium)

Requesting a Place

Booking

To request a place, please complete this request form.

Please note: All requests are read and actioned by our staff; places will be allocated on a first come first served basis. Unless you have requested a bursary place (if you have, please ensure you download, complete and return the additional Bursary Form, link below), you should typically receive an email within 48 working hours of completing the request form, confirming whether a place is available and has been allocated to you. At busy periods, it may take up to seven days. If you need an urgent confirmation, please email us.




Payment

Once a place has been confirmed, you will be sent an invoice with payment details. Payment is due in full no later than one month ahead of the session. Our invoicing system allows stage payments, so if you wish to pay the invoice down in stages you can do so.



Cancellation Policy

If you are allocated a place, this constitutes a firm booking and you need to tell us if you no longer plan to attend.
Cancellations more than 1 month in advance of the session will be refunded in full;
Cancellations 2 weeks - 1 month in advance of the session will be charged at 50% fee;
Cancellations closer than 2 weeks will be charged at the full fee.
Payment is due no later than 1 month in advance of the session.



Bursaries

We are able to offer bursaries totalling a value of around £550 for each course. (This is equivalent to 2 fully funded places, exclusive of first year's network membership).

These bursaries are only for those who would otherwise be unable to attend. If you are unable to afford the full course fee, we invite you to apply for a reduced fee place using this form


We are offering these places on an honesty basis – we don’t intend to means test those who apply. However, we ask that you apply only for the reduction you need, no more, so that we can share the bursary pot around to best effect.

Anyone eligible for the course (i.e. a practising counsellor / therapist) is welcome to apply, however priority will be given to counsellors and therapists who are themselves trans / gender diverse, particularly QTIPOC people.

Bursary applications will be reviewed and bursaries allocated no later than 6 weeks before each session, however we will acknowledge receipt of your application, typically within 48 hours of receipt. If you haven't heard from us within a week, please check with us to ensure we have received your place request and bursary application form.

Questions and Further Information

For questions or further information not covered on the website, please contact Cathy:

[email protected]

or call the GI office line on

020 7155 1302

Gendered Intelligence Network for Therapists and Counsellors

The Gendered Intelligence (GI) Network for Therapists and Counsellors aims to support therapists and counsellors to enable a positive experience in a therapy setting for trans people (and their families).

Therapists and counsellors who complete GI’s two day course “Working Alongside Trans, Gender Diverse, and Questioning People” can become members of the GI Therapists and Counsellors Network.

Subject to criteria, delegates who complete the course are also eligible for listing in GI's Therapists and Counsellors Directory

To find out more about the Network and Directory, visit the Network and Directory page

Our directory is also available to view here.