Workshop 9 - Practice Adaptations for Affirming CBT for Transgender and Gender Diverse Adults
Saturday, November 18, 2023
8:00 AM – 11:00 AM PST
Location: 405 (Kachess), Level 4
Earn 3 Credit
Keywords: CBT, Professional Development, Resilience Level of Familiarity: Basic to Moderate Recommended Readings: Hope, D.A., Holt, N. R., Woodruff, N., Mocarski, R., Meyer, H. Puckett, J. A., Eyer, J., Craig, S., Feldman, J., Irwin, J., Pachankis, J., Rawson, K.J., Sevelius, J., Butler, S. (in press). Bridging the gap between practice guidelines and the therapy room: Community-derived adaptations for psychological services with transgender and gender diverse adults in the Central United States. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice. doi: 10.1037/pro0000448, Holt, N. R., Huit, T. Z., Shulman, G. P., Meza, J. L., Smyth, J. D., Woodruff, N., Mocarski, R., Puckett, J. A., & Hope, D. A. (2019). Trans Collaborations Clinical Check-in (TC 3 ): Initial Validation of a Clinical Measure for Transgender and Gender Diverse Adults Receiving Psychological Services. Behavior Therapy, 50(6), 1136–1149. doi: 10.1016/j.beth.2019.04.001, Hope, D.A. (2022). Mitigating the mental health impact of marginalization and discrimination. Cognitive and Behavioral
Practice, 29(3), 533-536. doi:10.1016/j.cbpra.2022.03.001, Holt, N. R., Ralston, A. L., Hope, D. A., Mocarski, R., & Woodruff, N. (2021). A systematic review of recommendations for behavioral health services with transgender and gender diverse adults: The three-legged stool of evidence-based practice is unbalanced. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice., Holt, N. R., Hope, D. A., Mocarski, R., & Woodruff, N. (2019). First impressions online: The inclusion of transgender and gender nonconforming identities and services in mental healthcare providers' online materials in the USA. International Journal of Transgenderism, 20(1), 49-62, doi.org/10.1080/15532739.2018.1428842
Trans Collaborations Local Community Board Chair Trans Collaborations Lincoln, Nebraska
The recent increase in empirical research on the transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people’s mental health concerns and affirmative mental health services offer CBT therapists an opportunity to serve these clients with an evidence-based approach for the first time. This workshop is based on the work of Trans Collaborations, our community-based participatory research (CBPR) collaborative that centers the voices and lived experience of transgender and gender diverse adults, especially in underserved areas. After a brief introduction to terminology and TGD communities’ lived experience, this workshop will emphasize practical applications that clinicians can use immediately to transform their practice and clinical work to be affirming for TGD adults. Presenters will describe the community-based, empirically-derived Trans Collaborations Adaptations for Psychological Services as applied to case-formulation driven CBT for adults. Topics will include incorporating TGD intersectional identities into case formulations, adaptations for common CBT interventions, common themes in cognitive work with TGD clients, affirming use of cognitive restructuring around experiences of marginalization, therapists’ implicit assumptions about gender, and progress monitoring tools. We will also address assessing the practice environment to be TGD-affirming. Although the emphasis will be on CBT for common outpatient mental health concerns, we will include some discussion of the CBT therapist’s potential contribution to social, legal, and medical gender affirmation. Consistent with the CBPR approach, presenters represent both the academy and community. Teaching methods will include didactics, roleplays, video demonstrations, and Q&A.
Outline: 1. Introductions and context of community-based participatory research approach 2. Trans 101 – basic information about transgender and gender diverse people, sociopolitical context, resiliency, and mental health disparities 3. Evidence of efficacy of CBT with transgender and gender diverse clients 4. Overview of Trans Collaborations Practice Adaptations 5. Application of the Practice Adaptations (roleplays and video demonstrations) a. Setting of services b. Therapist behaviors and considerations c. Case conceptualization d. Cognitive restructuring e. Common specific behavioral interventions f. Multidisciplinary collaborations and referrals g. Progress monitoring 6. Role of advocacy 7. Q & A
Learning Objectives:
At the end of the session, the learner will be able to:
Implement cognitive restructuring in an affirming manner with adults who identify as transgender or gender diverse seeking treatment for anxiety, depression, marginalization stress, or other common outpatient concerns.
Adapt at least two common CBT interventions (e.g., exposure, behavioral homework) to be affirming of the lived experience of adults who identify as transgender or gender diverse.
Assess their website and practice for barriers to care for adults who identify as transgender or gender diverse.
Incorporate gender and other identities within an intersectional framework into case formulation for all clients.
Implement affirming progress monitoring tools.
Long Term Goal: Attendees will have foundational knowledge and skills to serve transgender and gender diverse adults in current best practices and to form a basis for continuing education as the evidence-base develops.