Affirmative Treatment of Gender-Variant and Transgender Children, Adolescents, and Their Families

Transgender children, adolescents, and their families are an underserved, and often unrecognized segment of our population. Because of society’s lack of awareness of a simple, yet complex part of human identity — gender — transgender children and adolescents are deeply misunderstood. This lack of understanding feeds family and societal rejection and stigmatization, which often leads to sexual and physical violence directed towards transgender children. The shame and rejection felt by these children in turn may lead to self-harming behaviors, increased drug use, homelessness, HIV/AIDS infection, depression, and suicide.

Working with transgender or gender variant youth and their families may require clinicians to wear many hats in order to help them navigate the common clinical issues that come up for them and their communities. We will discuss and explore affirmative approaches to treatment and creative ways communities are coming together to help these families.

Throughout the day, with the help of video, interactive exercises, and clinical material we will examine our own biases, parental stages of understanding and acceptance, cultural and community issues, meeting the needs of the family, and how to advocate for your clients in a transphobic climate.

At the conclusion of this workshop, attendees will understand:

• the difference between, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression;
• the developmental process for transgender youth and the current treatments available for transgender children and adolescents;
• the key areas that challenge families with transgender or gender-variant children and adolescents; and
• several ways a therapist can help address the needs of these children, adolescents, and their parents or caregivers in ways that are affirming and nurturing.

Workshop Details

Date: Saturday, February 25

Time: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. 

Location: Lewis & Clark College, Templeton Center, Council Chamber. This location is wheelchair accessible and a gender-neutral bathroom will be available. 

Instructor: Shawn V. Giammattei, Ph.D.

Noncredit/CEU: 6 hours, $130 by February 10, $145 after. $40 students - reduced student pricing is limited, register early.

Registration Form

Shuttle: The Lewis & Clark Pioneer Express shuttle offers weekend service from Downtown Portland and the Burlingame Fred Meyer on SW Barbur Blvd. For more information about the shuttle including schedule visit www.lclark.edu/offices/transportation_and_parking/shuttle/. Workshop participants may ride the shuttle free of charge.

Community Resources
A resource table will be available at this workshop for participants who wish to provide materials about community resources.  

About the Instructor

Shawn V. Giammattei, PhD  is a licensed clinical psychologist and gender specialist in private practice in San Francisco & Santa Rosa, CA with a focus on systemic and LGBT affirmative work with individuals, couples, and families. He is currently the Coordinator of Training and an affiliated researcher at the Rockway Institute: A national center for LGBT psychology research, education and public policy; the President of the Association of Family Therapists of Northern California and an active member of American Family Therapy Academy & the World Professional Association for Transgender Health. Dr. Giammattei is also a professor at Alliant International University where he teaches courses in LGBT psychology and couples & family therapy and helped develop a new Certificate Program in LGBTI Mental Health at Alliant International University, which offered him the opportunity to create and teach the first, semester long, course in Transgender Mental Health.  Dr. Giammattei is also a member of the newly formed mental health team working with the Child/Adolescent Gender Clinic in Northern California. For more about Dr. Giammattei’s work visit www.questfamilies.com.

Colleagues and Workshop Participants are Saying…

“Shawn was a joy and an inspiration when we worked together to develop a group session for the 2010 Gender Spectrum Conference.  Shawn’s knowledge about transgender youth is matched only by his passion for engaging and supporting them. Shawn has been an invaluable mentor to me in several capacities, and has undeniably helped me to lay the foundation for my own work with this population.”

– Madeline (Maddy) E. B. Wesh, M.A. PsyD student, Argosy University (SFBA) Intern, The San Diego LGBT Community Center

“Shawn is a dynamic and caring trainer who facilitates learning and exploration.  He very quickly develops a connection with teens and families and creates experiences that help them look at and develop insight about their own beliefs and values.  Shawn brings expertise as well as compassion to all of his trainings making them informative, safe, and enjoyable learning for all.”

–from a co-facilitator

“As director of the Gender and Family Project at the Ackerman Institute for the Family and member of the American Family Therapy Academy, I have had the pleasure of attending Shawn Giammattei’s presentations on several occasions. He is not only an excellent and engaging presenter, he also possess a wealth of knowledge on issues pertaining to gender, sexuality, family and development.

His expertise is broad and includes a unique and sharp understanding of transgender youth and families of transgender people. I have always found his material extremely up to date, broadly and deeply researched and very well organized. He obviously brings forth expertise from a long term and diverse clinical practice with transgender youth and is always extremely useful for other clinicians beginning or deepening their work with this population”