“Theys and Gheys” – Ethical Decision Making with Queer and Trans Clients

Presentation Description:

As therapists, we can work with people from all walks of life. Sometimes we share identities and lived experiences with our clients and sometimes we don’t. When it comes to the gender and sexual identities of our clients, it can be a challenge to know when those identities are salient to the work and when they are simply another detail in the constellation of identities.

How do I know which is which and what do I do when they are relevant and complex? What happens when I am working in complex family systems where there is conflict over the validity of a member’s identity? What if a client asks me to write a gender affirming surgery support letter? Where do my associations stand on so-called ‘conversion therapy’? What is my position on advocacy for the rights of minors (aka the challenge of morals, ethics, and laws)? What if someone starts discussing gender or sexual identity in the middle of our work together? While we may not answer all these questions in a two-hour training, we will engage with them, engage in exploration of scope of competence, learn ways of asking for help, and set professional growth goals.

Presenter Bio:

Whit Ryan (he/him) holds a master’s from the University of Denver Graduate School of Professional Psychology program, will be finishing his internship at Boston’s Center for Multicultural Training in Psychology, and receiving his PsyD with a specialty in clinical therapy with LGBTQ+ people from DU in August. Whit is the co-author of several chapters on LGBTQIA+ mental health including Even Therapists Need Therapists: Ethical Considerations in Clinical Work with LGBTQI+ Clients and will be joining the Staff at the Institute of Living in Hartford, CT in the fall.

Learning Objectives:

Based on the content of the session, participants will be able to:

1.  Articulate a functional decision-making framework based on an understanding of ethics codes applicable to their work. 
2. Identify their current scope of competence in providing ethical clinical therapy to sexual and gender minority clients.
3. Name for themselves at least two approaches to their work when I am at or beyond their scope of competence in providing ethical clinical therapy to sexual and gender minority clients.