Professional Development Workshops
Certificate in Sexual Minority Therapy
Course Information
Learning Objectives
The primary objective of this learning programme is to foster and develop non-pathologising therapeutic attitudes to sexual minority clients in professional therapists and counsellors. We will be taking a cross-cultural, multi-cultural and anti-oppressive stance to this subject incorporating ‘isms' and disadvantage as much as possible and where information exists in the teaching and learning on this course.
We aim to do this through information, experiential learning and supervised practice:
Information:
• We are aiming to prepare therapists for the diversity of sexual minority therapy issues that are likely to present, whilst also allowing them to select a topic which are of particular interest to their practice needs, and encouraging exploration of issues with which they are unfamiliar.
• To support the integration of a non-pathologising attitude into trainees' own theoretical framework.
Practice:
• To improve clinical excellence and confidence as a therapist working with sexual minority clients.
• To support the integration of non-pathologising attitudes and behaviours into trainees' own practice.
Specific Outcomes:
Trainees will:
• Develop their ability to deconstruct heterosexist and homophobic structures, values and processes;
• Understand and 'work through' the impact of these on themselves;
• Understand the potential impact of these on others e.g. clients;
• Recognise why, how and when their own sexuality is important and when it isn't;
• Distinguish why, how and when their client's sexuality is important and when not;
• Develop knowledge of the cultural climate as it exists for members of sexual minorities now, and throughout their earlier life;
• Demonstrate respect for the strategies adopted by members of sexual minorities for surviving in hostile environments;
• Develop appropriate and coherent therapeutic responses to the presentations of self formed through experience of being a member of a sexual minority.
• Be able to articulate their personal and professional development as a therapist working with sexual minority clients.
• Secondary outcomes:
• To gain confidence in presenting ideas and learning to others
• Students will be encouraged to have a personal mentoring session with the Programme Director, or by agreement, another member of the teaching team, to develop an individual learning programme.
Information and experiential learning will be provided through the training programme, and students will create an individual learning programme developed in collaboration with the Programme Director which will provide opportunities for working on their own internalised oppressive structures, examination and exploration of heterosexism, homophobia and shame in particular.
Assessment methods
• Supervision Report by course supervisor
• A seminar to be presented to peers and Pink Therapy Clinical Associates who will give feedback
• Written Self-assessment of Seminar – on content, learning outcomes and presentation.
• Written assignment to be marked by one of our Clinical Associates and a fellow student. If the work is a ‘Refer' or ‘Not passed ' to be second marked by another Associate/Course Director.
• Satisfactory completion of attendance requirements.
• End of course self-assessment document outlining your personal and professional development as a therapist