Overview

This activity will be covered in two webinars (1.5 hours each).

Some transgender young people require specialist services, and many others are likely to require affirming generalist mental health care, due to living with discrimination.

While specialists in the field of gender diversity provide high levels of affirming clinical care to transgender young people in Australia, generalists are needed who can provide affirming mental health care.

This activity will:

• provide an overview of affirming clinical care for transgender young people, focused on evidence for the need for affirming care,

• outline what constitutes affirming care, and how psychologists as skilled generalists can provide inclusive care, and

• outline one approach to case formulation, and will apply this to two case studies to aid in attendee understanding of its utility in undertaking generalist mental health work with transgender young people.

Webinar 1:  An evidence-based approach to affirming care for transgender young people

• brief overview of key terms, definitions, and concepts,

• explore evidence for the harmful effects of approaches to clinical care that are not affirming,

• outline research on why transgender young people might need mental health care, and

• outline the evidence base for affirming approaches to clinical care for transgender young people.

Webinar 2:  Case formulation for working with transgender young people

• outline a mnemonic for use in case formulation with transgender young people,

• two case studies from the speaker’s own clinical work will be used to work through the mnemonic, and 

• highlight the specific tools and benefits for affirming care provision including in terms of working with gender specialists.

Level of Learning

Foundational. This activity is targeted to those new to the topic.

Duration of access

Access to this activity is for 12 months from the date of confirmed registration.

APS CPD-Approved

This activity has been assessed against the APS Standards for CPD activities and approved for its education quality.

Learn more about the APS CPD Approval process

CPD Frequently Asked Questions

Refer to the APS CPD Frequently Asked Questions for general and technical information when undertaking APS Professional development activities.

Activity details

• On-demand webinar recording

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of webinar 1, participants should be able to:

• understand best practice for language,

• understand why some transgender young people might need generalist mental health support, and

• understand what constitutes an affirming approach to clinical care for transgender young people.

Upon completion of webinar 2, participants should be able to:

• understand a mnemonic for case formulation with transgender young people,

• understand tools for implementing affirming care provision, and

• understand collaborative work in the provision of affirming care for transgender young people.

Presenter(s)

Professor Damien Riggs FAPS

About the presenter(s)

Dr Damien Riggs is a professor in psychology at Flinders University, an Australian Research Council Future Fellow, and a Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society. Damien is a psychotherapist who specialises in working with transgender young people. He is the author of over 200 publications in the areas of gender, family, and mental health, including Working with Transgender Young People and their Families (Palgrave, 2019).