Transgender and Non-Binary Youth: Advanced Practice Gender-Affirming Interventions to Help Clients Live an Authentic Life

CPD

Handouts

Speaker

Susan Radzilowski, MSW, LMSW, ACSW Related seminars and products

---

Susan Radzilowski, MSW, ACSW, LMSW, has practiced in mental health and educational environments for over 30 years and holds a certificate in gender identity and clinical concerns. She has a private practice in Michigan and is a part time faculty in the school of social work at The University of Michigan and at Wayne State University. Susan consults and trains on issues related to working with transgender youth for the Michigan Dept. of Health and Human Services, NASW, Michigan State University, Michigan Medicine, Wayne State University, The University of Michigan, local school districts, and PESI, Inc. She facilitates a free monthly pediatric gender consult group online for mental health providers.

Susan has published several articles on clinical and ethical issues of providing social work services to the transgender youth and is a contributing author to One Teacher in Ten in The New Millennium (Beacon Press). She was the founding co-chair of GLSEN SE Michigan Chapter (pronounced glisten; formerly the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network); is a past member of the GLSEN National Advisory Committee; and has been a member of the NASW-Michigan Chapter Ethics Committee since 2010.

Susan is the parent of a transgender adult who came out in 2005, at age 15. Her experience as a parent of a trans youth inspired her to shift her professional focus to working with transgender youth and facilities and training professionals to improve access to competent, compassionate care.
 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Susan Radzilowski maintains a private practice and has employment relationships with Michigan Medicine, the University of Michigan School of Social Work, and the Wayne State University School of Social Work. She receives a speaking honorarium, recording royalties, and consulting fee from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Susan Radzilowski serves on the NASW Michigan Chapter Ethics Committee (CEC).

Objectives

1. Practice essential vocabulary and articulate language that is nonjudgmental and affirming while avoiding hurtful and/or outdated terminology and expressions.
2. Analyze and understand increased risk of mental health difficulties including suicidality, negative impact of transphobic comments, and adverse impact of gender dysphoria on daily functioning facing transgender children and adolescents at home, school, and in the community.
3. Support the need for protective factors such as supportive family, school environment and community and access to programs to connect with other trans youth to reduce feelings of isolation, access to gender affirming health care.
4. Appraise risk factors such as peer rejection, lack of access to gender affirming mental and medical care, being subjected to conversion therapy, rejecting family members, being misgendered, and “dead named” all adversely impact health, educational, and mental health outcomes for transgender young clients.
5. Employ safe individual and family counselling to address potentially hurtful, sensitive and/or nuanced behaviours by parents and other adult caregivers to increase support their children in the gender transition process.
6. Implement evidence-based strategies to work with parents and families, including helping parents build a Safe Folder to protect against accusations of child abuse with regard to gender transition and how to reconcile parental disagreements related to child’s transition.

Outline

Beyond Welcoming: Creating Space for Gender Expansiveness

• Accurate, affirming language – how, when, and why it’s used
• Transphobia – it’s impact on sense of self
• Tangible ways to create a welcoming clinical space
• How heteronormality has influenced “Gender Dysphoria”
• Gender identity versus gender expression

Judgement Free Zone: Clinical Assessment and Screening

• Five keys to assessing gender identity
• Interview strategies and questions for children and parents
• Limitations of DSM-5™ Gender Dysphoria Diagnosis
• Transphobia - impact of external and internalized
• Increase protective factors to decrease vulnerability
• Discern for comorbidities eating disorders, selfharm, suicidality

Essential Strategies for Support Through Transitions

• Prepare for transitions – creating support across domains
• Unique trajectory of prepubescent clients
• Manage social transition at home, school and in the community
• Discuss hormone blockers - the importance of psychoeducation for parents
• Cross-sex hormones and surgery – informed consent & letter writing
• Support name changes and gender markers

Developing Child-Specific Gender Support Plans for All Settings

• Evidence-based techniques to alleviate gender dysphoria
• Implement a child-specific gender support plan
• Tools to reduce dysphoria and improve wellness
• Step-by-step suicide assessment with youth
• Holistic consultation with a diverse care team
• Structing an effective group session

In-depth Collaboration with Parents: Do’s, Don’t, & Nuance

• Build rapport with challenging parental qualities or viewpoints
• Manage parental grief over child’s transitions
• How and when to refer parents for mental health support
• Address religious concerns and barriers
• Identify harmful and helpful parent behaviours
• Provide coaching and psychoeducation with ease

Ethical Considerations when Providing Clinical Services

• How to reconcile parental disagreements related to child’s transition
• Centre the child’s voice in the process
• Help parents create a “Safe Folder”
• Expand and staying within scope of practice
• Conversion Therapy – unsafe and unethical aspects
• Critically challenging personal biases

Target Audience

• Counselors
• Social Workers
• Psychologists
• Psychotherapists
• School Counselors
• School Social Workers
• School Psychologists
• School Guidance Counselors
• School Administrators
• Educators
• Speech-Language Pathologists
• Occupational Therapists
• Occupational Therapy Assistants
• Case Managers
• Marriage & Family Therapists
• Addiction Counselors
• Nurses
• Other Mental Health and Helping Professionals Who Work with Children