This workshop will examine the controversial role of mental health treatment for individuals undergoing gender transition, and explore the relevance of therapeutic support throughout and beyond physiological realignment. The overall aim will be to open the way to making positive therapeutic connections and developing good practice with clients who have Gender Dysphoria / Gender Identity Disorder (transsexualism) or who are Trans-historied.

Participants will gain insight into the relevance of counselling with people pre-, during, and post- transition, as well as those who do not transition full-time, through exploration and discussion of contemporary perspectives and the issues arising.

We are grateful to Tina Livingstone who has agreed to step in at short notice after the unexpected withdrawal of Kenneth Demsky. 

Tina has had a long involvement with trans clients and with Pink Therapy. She is a Pink Therapy Accredited Sexual Minorities Therapist working in the Person Centred Approach. A member of The Gender Trust, the Gender Identity Research and Education Society, and the Organisation Intersex International she has specialised in counselling sexual and gender minorities since 1999.   For further details about the workshop click here

 

Editors: Dr. Darren Langdridge, Dr. Peter Hegarty & Dr. Meg Barker

Why has 'queer theory' affected psychology less than other perspectives?
What would a queer psychology look like?
What does psychology have to offer queer theory?
Does queer psychology differ from LGBT psychology?
Has the straight story of psychology's history obscured queer pasts?
Can psychological models of sexuality afford to accommodate queer theory challenges to the concept of normality? Can they afford not to?
Is there something queer about psychologists' fetish for methodology?
Can queer theory be a resource for psychologists concerned with social justice?
What is the relationship between international and UK-based 'queer' perspectives?
Can and should we queer psychotherapy?
What is queer about psychology's relationship to psychoanalysis?
What are the pitfalls of queer theory for psychology?

Darren Langdridge, Peter Hegarty and Meg Barker invite articles (maximum 6000 words) and commentaries (maximum 1500 words) that address these questions and others within the scope of the proposed book. The deadline for abstract submissions is 17/03/08 (full chapters by 01/12/08 - provisional date tbc). Please send all abstract submissions to Darren Langdridge. Informal enquires and submissions may be sent to any one of the editors:

Dr. Darren Langdridge, Faculty of Social Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA. 01908 652126 (Email: d.langdridge@open.ac.uk)
Dr. Peter Hegarty, Department of Psychology, University of Surrey (Email: P.Hegarty@surrey.ac.uk)
Dr. Meg Barker, Department of Psychology, London South Bank University (Email: barkermj@lsbu.ac.uk)