Intersections of Sexuality

Intersections of Sexuality: Exploring Best Practices with LGBTQIA+/BIPOC Clients

Workshop Description:

 While sexuality is a central aspect of being human it is, unfortunately, too often a topic that is overlooked and avoided in therapy. This is due, in part, to clinicians' discomfort and lack of knowledge regarding addressing and treating sexually related issues with their clients. Overall, research indicates that clinicians are not receiving adequate training regarding sexuality and sexual wellness. Moreover, a significant portion of the research literature on sexuality and relationships is from heterosexist and couple default position. Historically, largely due to a lack of available research, literature has suggested that the current approaches can be generalizable to the LGBTQIA+ and diverse relationship populations. Mental health professionals have found that this is not a successful approach for working with the BIPOC community and that more nuanced care that is sensitive to the client's culture and worldview is needed.

This  workshop will provide mental health professionals with a foundation for best practices when working with clients who have multiple minoritized identities, specifically LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC. Key treatment pillars will be examined as necessary for ethical, efficacious practice when working with marginalized groups. Best practice models of treatment will be reviewed and participants will have the opportunity to apply that knowledge with case vignettes. Participants will gain an understanding of the importance of working from a client's worldview which may include indigenous and spiritual practices of healing and away from Eurocentric models of treatment.

 

Course Objectives:

• Gain a framework and understanding of key treatment pillars for clinicians addressing sexuality when working with minoritized communities.
• Gain knowledge of coming out/minority stress models for the LGBTQIA+/BIPOC community and tasks for mental health professionals to support clients through that process.
• Best practice treatment models for LGBT+/BIPOC populations and application of that knowledge through case vignette examples.
• Participants will gain an understanding of the importance of working from a client’s worldview which may include indigenous and spiritual practices of healing and away from Eurocentric models of treatment.

Audience:

• Professional Counselors
• Social Workers
• Marriage and Family Therapists
• Psychologists

Date and Time:

• Friday, April 19th, 2024: 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM CST

Location:

1700 W Irving Park Rd, Suite 302 Chicago, IL 60613
Virtual option available. Link will be emailed prior to workshop date.

Presenters:

Frances McClain, PhD, LCPC, NCC
Director of Clinical Training, Assistant Professor
The Chicago School
Co-Founder, Past President
Association of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness, ACA Organizational Affiliate

Dr. McClain is the Director of Clinical Training in the Counseling Psychology Department at The Chicago School. Throughout her career Dr. McClain has worked in several different capacities that includes individual, family, and group clinical work, clinical and administrative supervision, grant writing, program development and implementation, case management, psychosocial rehabilitation, community liaison work with both private and state psychiatric hospitals, and consultation with mental health centers around program development and accreditation preparation, She has presented at the local, state, and national level on topics related to cultural sensitivity, professional ethics and values conflicts, and human sexuality, especially as it relates to the LGBTQ+ community. She is a co-founder and Past President of the Association of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness (ACSSW), an Organizational Affiliate of the American Counseling Association. Dr. McClain is also on the editorial board of the Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education (ISSN: 2577-1299) and is the editor of the quarterly ACSSW newsletter. For the past three years, she has coordinated a series of webinars, that were done in partnership between ACSSW and The Chicago School focused on sexuality and sexual wellness. While she was President of ACSsw, she put together a BIPOC Task Force to examine the education/training and research needs specific to the BIPOC community. She maintains a limited private practice where she provides pro bono psychotherapy services, as well as providing training and consultation for community agencies, area hospitals, Cook County probation, and Cook County Judges office staff. Her areas of interest in research include social justice, anti-racism, and counseling sexology.

Monica Boyd-Layne, PhD, LCPC
Associate Professor
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program
Adler University
Task Force Member
BIPOC Task Force
Association of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness, ACA Organizational Affiliate

Monica F. Boyd-Layne PhD, LCPC is an Associate Professor at Adler University on the Chicago Campus in the Clinical Mental. Health Counseling program. Dr. Boyd-Layne is also the owner and principle of Pierce Counseling and Consulting services and is trained in Internal Family Systems (IFS). Counselors at the practice provide individual and couples therapy. The clinical focus of the practice includes perceived fraudulence, racial, trauma, and cultural issues with many clients in the community who are members of LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities. Dr. Boyd-Layne has over 25 years of combined counselor/counselor educator experience. She has written a book chapter, peer reviewed journal articles, and completed presentations/trainings around issues connected to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). Every week she hosts "Therapy Thursday" live on Instagram offering a variety of topics and guest speakers focused on mental health awareness. Dr. Boyd Layne is a member of ACSSW and was asked to be a member of the 2022-23 BIPOC Task Force.

 

This program is recognized as providing 4.0 CE Hours for:
• LPC/LCPC (IDFPR license # 197.000360)
• LSW/LCSW (IDFPR license # 159.001584)
• Licensed Psychologist (IDFPR license # 268.000146)