Out On The Couch

Presenter/Instructor: Rachel Jones, M.A.

2.5 CEs Available

Abstract: Microaggressions exist in the form of jokes, insults, biases, questions, and comments. They are often casual and can even be well-intended. On a day-to-day basis, microaggressions are directed toward people of color, women, gender diverse individuals, LGBTQIA+ individuals, relationship expansive individuals, and other people of marginalized groups or communities outside of the cultural norm. Their impacts on mental health range in severity and cause significant distress. While the targets of microaggressions are not responsible for the actions of others, they can develop control over their responses. 

This course will provide clinicians with Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) interventions to increase adult and adolescent clients’ self-efficacy and agency. The course will differentiate between microaggressions and more overt offenses, and cover the implications on mental health and the unique clinical needs of groups and communities commonly targeted. The presenter will teach a selection of DBT skills for clients who struggle with distress, rumination, anger, impulsivity, suicidal ideation, relationship issues, and ineffective communication as a result of microaggressions. The course will be presented in the form of lectures, video demonstrations, and vignettes. 

Learning Objectives

After participants complete this course, they should be able to:

1. Identify microaggressions and describe at least 3 ways in which microaggressions impact mental health
2. Compare the changes in the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems when using DBT skills 
3. Select at least 1 appropriate DBT skill for each of the four modules according to the client’s subjective level of distress 

Rachel Jones, M.A.  – Rachel is an Associate MFT working in private practice, specializing in treating individual adults, couples/multi-partners, adolescents, and children ages 5 and up. She also provides individual therapy in conjunction with phone coaching and skills groups as a part of the Comprehensive DBT treatment team at Suzanne Wallach Psychotherapy.

$75

Buy Now

Licensed therapists who work in nonprofits price is $55. (Enter code NPDBTSkills at checkout)

Student/prelicensed price is $25. (Enter code PLDBTSkills at checkout)

You can also get access to this course and all other courses – current and future – with the Lifetime Membership for a one-time fee. 

The Affirmative Couch, LLC is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Affirmative Couch, LLC maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

Presenter/Instructor: Addyson Tucker, PsyD (they) 

1.5 CEs Available

Abstract: Though clinicians are expanding their competence and knowledge for providing gender affirming care, there are still gaps in the training and research for working with trans and gender nonbinary (TGNB) individuals. Many TGNB individuals experience oppression and microaggressions regularly, which has significant physical, emotional, and cognitive consequences (Nadal et al., 2014). Consistent with Meyer’s minority stress model (2003), these experiences increase psychological distress and may reduce a person’s sense of self-worth, as well as impair their ability to be resilient in the face of ongoing oppression (Bockting et al., 2013; Keng & Liew, 2016; Vigna et al., 2017). Research has shown the value of building resilience to help TGNB people buffer themselves against minority stress (Breslow et al., 2015).

This course will help mental health professionals to understand how to support TGNB clients in a world where they experience oppression and pressure to adapt to white cisgender-heterosexist norms. The presenter will discuss therapy from a gender liberation perspective, uncovering the negative effects of minority stress for TGNB people. The impact of white colonization on transness will also be discussed, as well as the ways that TGNB people demonstrate resilience and persistence.

This course is meant for intermediate audiences.

At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Identify 3+ ways in which TGNB people are impacted by minority stress and oppression.
• Identify 2+ intrapersonal resiliency factors and 2+ interpersonal resiliency factors.

M. Tucker, PsyD - Megan is a psychologist with a small private practice, in addition to full-time work at a university counseling center. Her specialty is working with queer, trans, and gender non-binary people, focusing on topics such as relationships, sex, trauma, oppression, anxiety, and helping many folks to access gender affirming care.

$45

Buy Now

Licensed therapists who work in nonprofits price is $35. (Enter code Resilience at checkout)

Student/prelicensed price is $20. (Enter code Resiliencenp at checkout)

You can also get access to this course and all other courses – current and future – with the Lifetime Membership for a one-time fee. 

Instructor: Addyson Tucker, PsyD 

1.5 CEs Available

Abstract: Self-compassion is the act of "relating to oneself with care and support when we suffer" (Neff & Knox, 2017). Though little self-compassion research has explicitly focused on trans and gender nonbinary (TGNB) participants, research has shown significant benefit of strengthening self-compassion to increase well-being and the relationship with one’s body (Braun et al., 2016; MacBeth & Gumley, 2012; Zessin et al., 2015), as well as building resilience to effectively manage adverse experiences and emotional vulnerability (Keng & Liew, 2016; Vigna et al., 2017). Consistent with the current literature, the TGNB population could benefit from practicing the ultimate act of self-care: self-compassion.

This course will train mental health professionals to support their TGNB clients, especially young adults, to build self-compassion in a world where they often experience oppression and pressure to adapt to white cisgender-heterosexist norms. The presenter will discuss the Buddhist history of self-compassion and ways the philosophy has been adapted in Western Psychology. In addition, the training will review likely benefits of self compassion for TGNB people, including ways to apply the practice to work with young adults. Vignettes will be used to further deepen understanding of clinical work.

This course is meant for intermediate to advanced audiences.

At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Identify 2+ ways in which queer and TGNB young adults might benefit from self-compassion practice.
• Discuss 2+ approaches/interventions that providers can use to help their TGNB clients practice self-compassion.

M. Tucker, PsyD - Dr. Tucker is a psychologist with a small private practice, in addition to full-time work at a university counseling center. Her specialty is working with queer, trans, and gender non-binary people, focusing on topics such as relationships, sex, trauma, oppression, anxiety, and helping many folks to access gender affirming care.

$45

Buy Now

Licensed therapists who work in nonprofits price is $35. (Enter code self-c at checkout)

Student/prelicensed price is $20. (Enter code self-cnp at checkout)

You can also get access to this course and all other courses – current and future – with the Lifetime Membership for a one-time fee.