Transgender ConcernsWorking Group

Working Group Members

• Michael Loewy• Nicholas Denton• Heather Dales-Murray• Heather Aidala• Anne Bartone• Shannon Chavez Korell• Ryan Cheperka• Carmen Cruz• Franco Dispenza• Stacie Fishell• Kristee Haggins• Jack Lockwood• Alessandra Urbano• Mo White• Kendra Saunders

• Shana Hamilton• Tania Israel• Sharalyn Jordan• Kimberly Jorgensen• David Loran• Stella Nelms• Emily Nisley• Parrish Paul• Daniel Walinsky• Theo Burnes• Bobby Kizer• Yung-Lung Chen• Christine Henry• David Perry• Danielle Duplassie

Major Issues Discussed• Increased self-awareness of transphobia needed -

individual, supervisor, faculty• Training - Need for infusion into courses,

practica/internship, research• How to confront transphobia within Division 17/APA

• Research - Need for best practices (e.g., not up-to-date, need alternative methods)

• Community - Need for more involvement and commitment of senior colleagues in order to make change

Major Issues Discussed

• Need for web-based resources (e.g., best practice guidelines, research)

• Need for strength-based approaches to trans practice and research (e.g., assessment tools - MMPI - problematic, confront medical model, inclusion of gender identity in DSM?)

• Students/others with less power having to educate others with more power (e.g., training directors,

advisors) and confront transphobia• Need trans-ally development and support• Micro and macroaggressions - verbal and

physical assault

Goals/Outcomes for Future

Self-Awareness of Transgender Concerns (learning --> action)

• Comprehensive list of transgender resources - including intersectionality (e.g., reading, films, websites)

• Engaging/immersing one’s self in experiential activities (e.g., dialogue groups, “assumptions/biases” paper to explore gender privilege)

• Accept personal responsibility to implement change (e.g., finding your voice)

Goals/Outcomes for Future

Training on Transgender Concerns• Incorporate into APA-accreditation• Training module• Inclusion in social justice curriculum• Trans-affirmative internship sites• Best practice guidelines• Supervision competency standards• Use technology to increase accessibility to resources• Special journal issue on supervision/training issues

Goals/Outcomes for Future

Research - Transgender Concerns• JCP Special issue on conducting trans-

inclusive experience (e.g., comprehensive lit review, qual and quan guidelines, researcher reflexivity, participant/consumer reflexivity)

• Guidelines that promote intersectionality in all counseling psychology (e.g., multidimensons of demographic identity)

Goals/Outcomes for Future

Assessment issues with transgender people• Clinical interviewing (e.g., create semi-structured interview

questions, address problems with forms, therapist training, reflexivity, awareness)

• DSM - do not confound trans with mental health and gender with sexual disorders

• Testing (e.g., renorming assessments for trans folks, develop measures for research with focus on resilience, writing position papers on test administration/interpretation)

Goals/Outcomes for Future

Working with Div 17/APA Power-Holders on Transgender Concerns

• You are invited!! - joint meeting of Div 17, 44, 35, 51 (power-holders) at APA in Boston

• Creating a home for this working group on trans issues • Student hour at APA - how to make a difference when you

don’t have the power• Media attention APA-wide in Monitor• Notation that gender identity is in the ethical code - so

guidelines are there for accountability

Next Steps & Opportunities for Involvement

• Google group• Working in 5 sub-groups• Creating a “home” for working group in

SLGBTA/Div 17• Meeting again at APA Boston - joint meeting• Securing program time at APA Boston

Contact Information for Getting Involved

• lore m. dickey lore.dickey@gmail.com• Anneliese Singh nanakikaur@yahoo.com• Pearl S. Chang pearl.heart@gmail.com