LGBTQAI+ Affirming Counseling

(9-week class)
Date: Mondays, September 30 through November 25, 2024
Time: 1:00 – 2:30 p.m.
Instructor: Douglas Aupperle, Ph.D., H.S.P.P. (he/him/his)
Cost:  $275
Format: In-Person preferred (Hybrid via Zoom upon request)
CEU: 13.5 (certificates of attendance provided)

Registration deadline: September 23, 2024: Register click here

Note: Course materials will be shared via email once you’ve registered for the class.

Description: The LGBTQAI+ Affirming Counseling course is for clinicians, clinical students, & pastoral counselors who seek to better understand and assess the mental health treatment needs of child, adolescent & adult clients who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, asexual, agender, intersex, and/or with other gender-expansive & sexual minority identities (LGBTQAI+) and engage in more inclusive and effective therapy and counseling with them. It will help care providers better understand the critical concepts, current research, and key clinical issues with regard to these populations.

Objectives: Understand key clinical issues and the most  inclusive and effective assessment and counseling approaches with clients who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, asexual, agender, intersex, and/or with other gender-expansive and sexual minority identities (LGBTQAI+). Participants in this in-depth, 9-week, 13.5-hour LGBTQAI+ Affirming Counseling course will:

 
  1. Gain a better understanding of the research and evolving conceptualizations of gender identity, sexual orientation, and assigned sex to better ground their work with LGBTQAI+ populations.
  2. Increase their awareness and understanding of the key factors for inclusive, effective assessment and treatment with LGBTQAI+ populations, including children, adolescents, seniors/elders, couples, and those who are conflicted about their identities.
  3. Focus on the issues and needs specific to gender identity, including for clients who identify as transgender, genderqueer, non-binary, gender-nonconforming, and/or with other gender-expansive identities.
  4. Learn to identify and begin to confront the common biases and assumptions that often limit understanding and effectiveness in this clinical work.
  5. Learn how to create a more welcoming and safe therapeutic environment for these client populations.

Participants will also learn how to address the unique challenges confronting LGBTQAI+ clients, including:

  • heterosexist and cisgender bias, homophobia/transphobia, and internalized homophobia/transphobia
  • impact of minority stress and trauma
  • impact of spiritual violence and trauma
  • the coming out process
  • unique aspects of clients navigating and creating intimate relationships & supportive communities for themselves
  • risks and challenges faced at different life stages (e.g., children, adolescents, seniors/elders)
  • the integrative process of identity development for sexual minority and gender-expansive people, its challenges, and resolutions.

For questions, contact your instructor at daupperle@mindspiritcenter.org or call 515-274-4006 x138

Instructor Bio:

Doug Aupperle, Mind & Spirit Counseling Center

Douglas Aupperle, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist working primarily with children, adolescents and their parents for over three decades. He received a BA in Psychology from Creighton University in Omaha, followed by an MA and PhD in Clinical Child Psychology from DePaul University in Chicago. He completed training at the Family Institute of Chicago and an APA-accredited pre-doctoral internship at the Des Moines Child & Adolescent Guidance Center. In addition, he is trained in EMDR trauma therapy and has also undergone considerable training in play therapy and LGBTQAI+ Affirming Counseling over the years. He is also a member of the American Psychological Association.  He employs a number of therapy modalities through an Integrative Problem-Centered Therapy framework to address a wide range of issues children and adolescents are facing. These include abuse, attention disorders, anxiety, autism spectrum disorders, depression, emotional regulation, grief/loss, LGBTQ+ issues, stress & coping and trauma. He also utilizes spiritually-integrated therapy to the degree that children, teens and their families need and wish to. He also provides psychological testing for children and teens to address a variety of cognitive and emotional questions.