Sarah Gilbert, LCSW
Friday, May 16, 2025
9 am – 12 pm
3 CECs*
Registration Fee: $75
10% discount for UConn SSW Alumni and Current SSW Field Instructors
This experiential workshop explores the profound reciprocal transformation that occurs in the practice of gender-affirming therapy. Mental health providers working with transgender and gender diverse (TGD) clients are not merely witnesses to their clients’ journeys and supporting them through transition, but are themselves changed through the process of creating and holding therapeutic space. Participants will examine both the challenges of vicarious trauma and the growth opportunities of vicarious resilience, developing concrete strategies for sustainable practice while honoring the sacred nature of this work.
Through multimedia presentations, reflective exercises, case discussions, and collaborative learning, participants will gain deeper understanding of their own experiences while building practical skills for integration and resilience. This workshop uniquely balances honoring the transformative impact of gender-affirming care with developing sustainable clinical practices in the current challenging sociopolitical environment.
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will identify at least three ways in which their work with transgender and gender diverse clients has impacted their professional identity and clinical practice.
- Participants will demonstrate two concrete strategies for managing vicarious trauma while maintaining therapeutic presence in gender-affirming care.
- Participants will develop a personalized sustainability plan that includes specific boundary-setting practices, self-care rituals, and/or professional support mechanisms.