Topic: Queer Political Resistance in the Therapy Space
Trainers: Aaron Testard, LMFT, LPCC (he/him/his) & Kelly George (They/Them)
Description: Are you feeling the weight of this political moment in your sessions? Struggling to balance validation with hope? Wrestling with your own trauma as your clients face discrimination, legislative attacks, and systemic erasure?
You're not alone—and this work requires more than standard clinical skills.
In this training, you'll learn:
Why LGBTQ+ mental health work is inherently political (and always has been)
How to recognize and challenge institutional, systemic, and discursive power in the therapy room
The history of queer political resistance as an essential tool
A framework for navigating the dynamics of queer therapist working with queer clients
Concrete strategies to help clients resist oppression while staying grounded
How to use narrative therapy to externalize and de-center oppressive narratives
This training is for you if:
You refuse to "stay neutral" when your clients' lives are under attack
You want clinical tools that match the urgency and complexity of this moment
You recognize that your client’s mental health and your work with them is directly tied to the political events in the world right now.
You're experiencing burnout, countertransference, or compassion fatigue from this work
You want to connect with other therapists who understand that therapy IS political action
We'll explore how colonial frameworks erased gender and sexual diversity, why they still shape oppression today, and how our therapy practice can be an act of resistance. You'll leave with solid tools grounded in resilience work and narrative therapy approaches.
This is not 101 training. We assume you're already doing LGBTQ+ affirming work. This is about deepening your practice, caring for yourself, and recognizing that every session where we name injustice, validate impact, and support action is an act of political resistance.
REGISTER NOW!
LOGISTICS
Date & Time: Friday, February 6th from 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Location: In-Person at the Center on Halsted (a Virtual option will also be offered to those interested)
Duration: 5 hours total - 4 hours of education, two 30-minute community breaks
Cost: $100 for those seeking CEUs, $60 for those not interested in receiving CEUs
Continuing Education: For those interested in receiving Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for their participation in this training, we are grateful to our community partners at Howard Brown Health and the Center on Halsted to be able to provide up to 4.0 CEU hours.
Howard Brown Health is approved by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to offer continuing education for psychologists (CE Sponsor License 286-00005). The Center on Halsted is licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to offer continuing education for social work and other related mental health professionals.
Note: All details are pending including the subject, date, and location. But you can be sure to follow along with our website to find out more details as they become announced!