Pink Therapy

Pink Therapy News
Keeping YOU in the Frame
May 2011
In This Issue
Certificate in Sexual Minority Therapy
I'm Too Sexy For...
International Summer School
Queering the Tranny
Focus on Women
ELOP information Sharing Session
Transgender Conference 2012
Therapy and Counselling Teesside
Equality Act
Pakistan transsexuals
PILOT STUDY
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Greetings!

Dominic Davies
First, can I give you my apologies for the delay in this month's Pink Therapy News.  Two Bank Holidays have played havoc with our normal schedule, plus we have been working on a number of larger projects and had less time to collate the newsletter.

Last night we launched the Art Auction on Ebay to raise money for the International Scholarship Fund.  There are a number of unique one-off items from visual art to men's couture.  Even my dentist has offered a tooth whitening service!  A special edition of the Newsletter will follow this in a day or so, so please look out for it. Or click here if you want to see what's already online. More will be added in the next day or so.

We have also decided to offer our Certificate in Sexual Minority Therapy this September, despite there being a small overlap between courses since demand seems to be high for this course.  Email to register your interest. 

Dominic Davies
Director
Certificate in Sexual Minority Therapy - Accredited by Middlesex University
Sept 2011 - July 2012
PT screen

 

Are you a qualified counsellor, psychotherapist or clinical or counselling psychologist?

  • Are you interested in specialising or adding a specialisation in therapeutic work with sexual minority clients to your work?

Are you flexible, motivated, and committed?

 

Pink Therapy is pleased to be able to offer the UK's first professional training course for counsellors, psychotherapists and psychologists in working with sexual minority clients from a non-pathologising perspective.

 

We offer you:

 

Core Tuition at our popular Continuing Professional Development training events

 

A tutorial group

- meeting monthly, 10 meetings per annum (60 hours group training/tutorials) on a mixture of weekends and Fridays. This will be training supervision and is envisaged to include some developmental and experiential work as well as clinical discussions about clients or professional issues. It is not intended to replace your regular clinical supervision. The groups will be facilitated by our Clinical Associates Damian McCann and Leah Davidson both or whom have extensive experience of training, group supervision and of course of working with a wide range of sexual minority clients

 

Indicative content

is likely to include familiarising participants with nurturing and conflictual discourses of gender and sexuality, working with psychopathology and severe disturbance, understanding more about your own sexual development and it's implications for therapeutic engagement, working with erotic feelings in therapy, understanding abusive experiences and their impact, LGBT health issues, non-pathologising approaches to working with sexual compulsiveness..

 

Clinical Work

Students are expected to work with at least two sexual minority clients per week, and if you don't currently have gender and sexual minority clients in your caseload, we can offer advice and guidance as to how to find some clients. These clients can either be seen at your own premises if suitable, or we may be able to help you find suitable premises. If you are already in private practice, it may be possible to use clients from within that practice. Pink Therapy is not responsible for finding clients for you though, and you should have reasonable plans for access to a suitable pool of clients.

 

The course has now received Accreditation from Middlesex University and some of the core modules are also endorsed by BACP and COSRT.


Click here for more information 



I'm Too Sexy For...
Exploring 'sexual addiction', 'sexual compulsivity' and issues relating to sexual behaviour and sexuality

Saturday 11th June 2011

3_in_bedGay and bisexual men are sometimes concerned about their sex lives being out of control. They may present for help with self-diagnosed "sexual addiction". In this workshop, we will offer some new ways of thinking about sexual compulsivity and explore whether the 'Addiction model' is appropriate for conceptualising and working with such issues.

Sexual addiction is not a recognised and validated diagnostic category in the DSM or ICD.
It is our experience that most treatment approaches are largely sex negative, pathologising and can compound the shame the client is already feeling about their sexuality. They also lack a political and cultural analysis. In this workshop we will offer non-shaming, sexuality affirmative ways of conceptualising sexual expression - and explore some alternative ways of understanding and working with people who feel their sexuality is out of control.

We will explore how you can integrate some of these new concepts into your own therapeutic model. The seminar will be both didactic and experiential with opportunities to explore client and personal material. The workshop is open to therapists of all genders and sexual identities.

 

This workshop will be co-facilitated by Dominic Davies and Tim Foskett, sharing their immense collective experience of working with gay and bisexual men on these issues.  We run this workshop every two years and space is limited so we encourage early application to ensure you don't miss out. 

 

Click here for more information 

 
International Summer School
4-9 July 2011

We are aware from frequent enquiries from counsellors and support workers around the world that they are often faced with gender and sexual minority clients with demanding mental health issues where they themselves have received little or no formal training in how best to offer help.

 

These workers are often working in isolation without formal supervision or consultation support and doing the best they can, but with little opportunity to check out their ideas and discuss their work.

 

We hope by providing this week-long intensive course you will find a greater sense of confidence and increased knowledge of some of the current ideas and developments in therapeutic practice in working with LGBT people.

 

There will be extensive guided pre-course and post course reading which is both optional and encouraged.

 

English will be the working language throughout the course and participants need to be able to understand written and spoken English.

 

Numbers will be strictly limited and we advise early application to secure a place.  We may be in a position to offer some of the places to UK based therapists, but initially priority will be given to fee paying people from overseas or where distance is an issue.  Please contact us to register your interest if you're a UK therapist and wish to undertake the course.

 

The course will be faciltated by a team of experienced therapists/trainers and the content will be similar to our well established Essentials in Sexual Minority Therapy training programme.


Click here for more information



Queering the Tranny

Alex Dqtt coverrummond is a psychologist who identifies as transgender and has recently written a new and quite personal treatise on transgender issues, with a particular emphasis on male cross dressing.  This is a hugely neglected area - especially from a non-pathologising psychological perspective.  He is both advancing new theory AND sharing his personal story of living as a transgender activist.   You can learn more about the book from his website: Queering the Tranny.

Alex has donated 40 pre-publication copies of the book to support the International Scholarship Fund and so buying this book from us will mean you are also helping us to fund raise to support therapists living and working in countries where gender and sexual minorities have a hard time for finding support and understanding. 

We're asking for a donation of £20 incl P&P  (slightly cheaper than they will be sold on Amazon from June onwards), and the donation will go to the International Scholarship Fund. which is being managed in partnership with London Friend. Cheques should be made out to London Friend for £20 and sent to: Book Offer, Pink Therapy, Apt #3, 3-4 Archer St, London, W1D7AP.

 

Focus on Women

Edition 13 of Focus on Women, Rights of Women's Policy Newsletter is now available for download here.
 
This edition of Focus on Women contains important updates on law and policy affecting women, including preliminary thoughts on the Governments Call to End Violence Against Women: Action Plan. Also announcing in this edition exciting changes to the advice lines. From today, 1 April 2011 will be operating three advice lines on family law, criminal law and immigration and asylum law respectively. Please also note the new advice line times which we hope will be more accessible to women who work and women with caring responsibilities.
 
Calling London-based readers: Please give your feedback on Focus on Women!
 
As part of their work with London Councils, Focus on Women need to make sure that their policy work is supporting the capacity of London-based voluntary, community, and statutory sector organisations to understand and engage in decisions affecting women in London. If you are based in London, they would be very grateful if you could take 2 minutes out to give your feedback.
 
Please click here to complete 5 simple multiple choice questions.

 

www.row.org.uk 

 

ELOP information Sharing Sessions
14th April, 27th May or 23rd June 2011
ELOP, East London's Lesbian & Gay Centre, would like to invite you to an Information Sharing Session on:
Friday 27th May 2011 at 2- 4pm
Or
Thursday 23rd June 2011 at 2- 4pm
 
ELOP information sharing sessions are an opportunity for you to learn about the work of ELOP and the various services they provide to support members of London's LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans) communities against the backdrop of the Big Society.
 
They are also an opportunity to promote your services, to network, pick up some of our promotional materials and discuss opportunities for partnership with ELOP and the other attending organisations.
 
If you have already attended one of their previous information sessions, please feel free to pass this invite on to your colleagues or other professionals who may be interested in attending.

To book your place please call 020 8509 3898 or send an email with your contact details.

info@elop.org 



Transgender Conference 2012 - Trans in the Media
Friday, 22nd July 2011

Trans Community Conference 2011

Trans in the Media:  

broadcast, journalism, screen & social media

convened by Gendered Intelligence, in association with Trans Media Watch

 

The Trans Community Conference 2010 is a one-day gathering featuring a series of workshops for members of the trans community from across the UK, as well as professionals who work with the trans community. The trans community includes family members, partners and lovers and friends and allies. The conference will celebrate our diversity of identities and knowledge, as well as the different groups, organisations and projects that our community offers.


Gendered Intelligence is still calling for papers, workshops and presentation proposals for the Trans Community Conference 2011. This year we are interested in hearing about various concerns around trans identities and communities within the arenas of TV broadcast, journalism, screen and social media. These can be explored in relation to cultural and social theory, equality and diversity, politics and activism, the arts and the voluntary community sector.

We welcome proposals from all. Simply email jay.stewart@genderedintelligence.co.uk a short abstract outlining your proposed paper or presentation before 15th April and we will get back to you within 5 working days.

 

Registration will be available from 4th April.

 

For more information go to:

www.genderedintelligence.co.uk 

or e mail:

admin@genderedintelligence.co.uk 

 

Central School of Speech and Drama,

Eton Avenue, London, NW3

 

A SPECIAL EVENING FUNDRAISER EVENT

6.30-8.30pm

Gendered Intelligence Film Night

Programmed by members of the GI Youth Group


Therapy and Counselling Teesside (TACT) - Courses

TACT logoSeparation hurts young humans in much the same way as physical pain.
4th & 5th June 2011

Facilitated by Karen Davies Hough & Kathy Finkel

The purpose of the weekend is to explore the dynamics of attachment and separation with particular emphasis on clients who have had separations in childhood through admittance to the social care system or through adoption and how this may emerge in their current relationships as well as within the therapeutic relationship. The training will focus on the impact on the client of their attachments and separations from their family of origin and more importantly how we work within the therapeutic relationship to help improve the quality of life for those who are or have been in care and heal the pain so that clients can believe in relationships.

Who's that girl? Who's that boy?
11th & 12th June 2011
Facilitated by Steven B Smith

The purpose of the weekend is to explore the dynamics of gender, sexuality and culture as they emerge in the therapeutic relationship.  How do we conceptualise these aspects of identity and more importantly how do we work with Erotic transference and counter-transference, gender identity and cultural and counter-cultural claims of what constitutes being a boy or a girl, and indeed a man or a woman?

Venue: TACT, 44 Newcomen Tce, Redcar, Cleveland TS10 4NL

 

For more information visit the website: www.tact-ltd.co.uk

 

email info@tact-ltd.co.uk or call 01642 491212 or 01642 653322


Equality Act

Government

 The Government appears to be consulting on scrapping the entire Equality Act, which includes all anti-discrimination legislation in the UK, which protects LGB&T people from being fired for being LGB&T, amongst many other important protections.

 

The consultation is here  

http://www.redtapechallenge.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/equalities/ 

should you wish to give feedback.


 

Pakistan allows transsexuals to have own gender category
BBC NEWS

BBC TransPakistan has taken the landmark decision to allow transsexuals to have their own gender category on some official documents.
The country's Supreme Court has ruled that those Pakistanis who do not consider themselves to be either male or female should be allowed to choose an alternative sex when they apply for their national identity cards as a third gender.   

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13192077

PILOT STUDY OF SCORE QUESTIONNAIRE FOR LESBIAN, GAY AND BISEXUAL PERSONS

Yang Yang Teh is completing a Master's in Family Therapy at King's College London. This project is about a questionnaire known as SCORE, (Systemic Clinical Outcome and Routine Evaluation). This questionnaire measures changes over time in the relationships of people living together, or with those whom they count as their families. Measures like SCORE are often developed with heterosexual persons in mind. At present, there have been no measures in the UK developed to measure such relationship changes for lesbian, gay and bisexual persons. He hopes to conduct this pilot study to find out:

1.      How useful do clinical professionals perceive SCORE as a measure to support their work with lesbian, gay or bisexual persons?
2.      How reliable is SCORE in measuring changes in relationship functioning for lesbian, gay and bisexual persons?
3.      How do the language and questions used in SCORE fit with lesbian, gay or bisexual persons and their families?

There are 3 parts to this research:

1. Focus Groups with Clinical Professionals

Looking to gather focus groups, each comprising not more than 10 clinical professionals such as counsellors, psychotherapists, psychiatrists and social workers. Preferably these will be professionals who have at least 6 months of working experiences with lesbian, gay and bisexual persons. Interested to generate discussions on the usefulness of SCORE for your clinical work with lesbian, gay and bisexual persons.

Please contact the lead researcher, Yang directly at yang_yang.teh@kcl.ac.uk for your preferred and available date(s).

2. Reliability Testing of Questionnaire

Looking for at least 80 participants who self-identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual persons and age 18 or above to complete and return the questionnaire with the consent form at http://SCORE15.questionpro.com. Participants are requested to complete and submit the questionnaire two weeks apart to help us see whether the questionnaire design is reliable and collects the same information over time when used. To protect the identities of the participants, the questionnaire is anonymised.

3. Focus Groups with LGB persons

There will be follow-up focus group discussions in May-June 2011 at Section of Family Therapy, Institute of Psychiatry, Portacabin on the Green (POG), Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AZ, for participants to hear further views and feedback from one another regarding the SCORE questionnaire. Registration is available at the end of the questionnaire at http://SCORE15.questionpro.com. You can choose to either attend these groups or those with clinical professionals, which ever you deemed to fit more with you.

Please feel free to get in touch if you would like any further information about the project:

Yang Yang Teh
Lead Researcher
yang_yang.teh@kcl.ac.uk

 

That's all for this month, thanks for your attention, and please do send us things that have a specific relevance to people working with gender and sexual minority clients.
Dominic Davies
Pink Therapy