Professional Development Workshops
Course Information

Committed or not? Relationship therapy with sexual minorities - Damian McCann & Leah Davidson
Saturday 09 May 2009 1pm – 7pm £105 for Directory members £115 for others

This workshop is devoted to developing a framework for the thinking and practice of undertaking therapy with sexual minority couples.

Current thinking about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender lifestyles in relation to coupledom will be examined. Although the workshop will identify specific challenges facing sexual minority couples, some of which may bring them for help, attention will also be paid to the factors which contribute to healthy functioning within couple relationships.

A key objective of this workshop is to help participants develop conceptual frameworks for undertaking effective assessment and therapy with sexual minority couples. To that end, research findings, theory and practice in the field will be utilised. The role of the therapist in relation to couple work will also be explored and dilemmas and challenges facing the therapist will be considered.

Issues to be explored include, amongst others;

•  getting into or out of relationships

•  making relationships work

•  managing change and conflict

•  addressing sex and sexuality

•  considering parenthood

Participants are encouraged to bring examples from their own practice to develop thinking and there will be ample room for discussion and debate.

Damian Mc Cann UKCP Reg. is a qualified and experienced systemic psychotherapist and supervisor. He is also a Clinical Associate of Pink Therapy and has developed a practice devoted to working with sexual minority couples. For many years, he has trained practitioners from a variety of backgrounds in thinking about their work with LGBT individuals and couples. He is the co-author of a recent paper on Lesbian & Gay Parenting, and is currently studying for his Doctorate in Systemic Practice at the Tavistock Centre, where he is conducting research on the meaning and impact of violence in the couple relationships of gay men.

Leah Davidson MBACP (Senior Accred.) - is a psychotherapist and supervisor working with individuals, couples and families both in private practice and in the NHS. She is a Clinical Associate of Pink Therapy who has worked with sexual minority clients for over 20 years. She has facilitated workshops around various issues to do with sex and sexuality in statutory and voluntary sectors, and is currently running a number of workshops exploring sexual feelings in the consulting room.

Click here to download a booking form

Click here to download an A4 flyer/poster