"Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maria Kobabe" Bookclub Style CE workshop
Presented by
Amelia Upton, MA, LMFT, ATR-BC, MHPBook club would meet 2 times, for one hour each time. Initial meeting begins with an educational presentation for psychotherapists on the topic gender affirming care. Clinicians will learn affirming language and definitions of gender expansive identities, developmental stages of gender identity, and cultural differences for folks with gender expansive experiences.
Overview
Recorded: Spring 2025 2 CE
Book Club Style CEU: "Gender Queer" by Maia Kobabe
Book club would meet 2 times, for one hour each time. Initial meeting begins with an educational presentation for psychotherapists on the topic gender affirming care. Clinicians will learn affirming language and definitions of gender expansive identities, developmental stages of gender identity, and cultural differences for folks with gender expansive experiences. Clinicians will then engage in discussion of how Gender Queer offers lived experience of stages of gender identity development and Maia Kobabe’s experience as a nonbinary person. Outlines of how to support gender exploration through Narrative Therapy, Art Therapy, and Internal Family Systems will be provided. Concluding in discussion of how application of affirming care would impact characters from Gender Queer.
Learning objectives:
1st Meeting Clinicians will learn how to establish gender affirming rapport, essential tasks of providing gender affirming care to clients and families, and therapeutic methods supporting exploration of gender identity. Clinicians will learn how harm reduction and building a supportive family and care network benefit gender expansive folx.
2nd Meeting -essential tasks of providing gender affirming care -how to establish affirming rapport -developmental stages of gender identity -therapeutic ways to express and explore gender identity -cultural impact on gender identity -3 methods to support gender exploratio
Course Outline:
1st Meeting -Define affirming language and gender expansive identities -Define developmental stages of gender identity -Compare Contrast cis vs. trans gender identity formation -Describe cultural diverse experiences of gender -Discuss author’s lived experience as expressed through Gender Queer -Discuss clinicians reflections on reading Gender Queer in context as self vs. as provider -Q & A
2nd Meeting -Discuss how to establish gender affirming rapport as clinicians -Define essential tasks of providing gender affirming care with clients, families, and systems -Discuss ways to establish and maintain safety, benefits of harm reduction approach -Describe frequent tasks to support clients receiving affirming care from schools, housing, work, and medical systems
-Describe 3 methods to support gender exploration: Narrative, Art Therapy, and Internal Family Systems -Discuss how characters from Gender Queer may be impacted by receiving affirming care from their support network. -Q & A
About the Presenter
Amelia is an Art Therapist, Art Therapy Supervisor, Marriage and Family Therapist and approved supervisor in training. They received their undergraduate degree from Indiana University Bloomington and their master's degree from Antioch University Seattle. Amelia has been working as a mental health provider since 2017, and has worked both in community mental health and private practice. She has experience supporting people of diverse experiences, mental health needs, as well as socio economic and cultural backgrounds. Amelia identifies as queer, disabled, culturally Jewish, and anti-racist. They value honesty, transparency, and an anti-oppression growth mindset. Amelia specializes in supporting LGBTQ+ folx with gender affirming care and people with chronic conditions and d/Disabilities. She enjoys supporting youth, teens, adults, couples, and family constellations with a variety of mental health needs including anxiety, depression, infertility, trauma, grief and loss, and life transitions. In their spare time, they enjoy baking experiments, gardening, and hiking with her dog.