The Ripple Effects of Orlando, Falcon Heights, and recent worldwide violence: We LGBTQ+ Therapists Need to Take Care of Ourselves, Too: A Discussion for LGBTQ+ Mental Health Providers

Sponsored by the
MN LGBTQ Therapists Network

This event has been expanded in scope to include the recent tragedies of Falcon Heights, North Minneapolis, Baton Rouge, Dallas, Istanbul, Bangladesh, Baghdad, et al.

Discussion topics:

1. How is the tragedy in Orlando impacting us personally and in our work with our clients? (i.e., our clinical work with our LGBTQIAP2S clients and our non-queer clients)
   
2. How are the recent events since Orlando impacting us in our roles as compassionate and empathetic helpers?
   
3. How are the intersections of our own gender, sexual identity, abilities, ethnicity, race, religion, and class impacting our work?
   
4. What are oppression fatigue, vicarious trauma, and compassion fatigue?
   
5. Ideas on how to prevent our compassion fatigue while managing our oppression fatigue.
   

Lenny Hayes and Irene Greene will help facilitate this casual round table conversation. (This is not a "workshop" and it is not for CEUs.)

Free to any LGBTQ+ mental health provider, whether you are a member of The MN LGBTQ Therapist Network or not. (We understand that Orlando, and the tragedies since, are upsetting for many people in our communities. Please, though, respect that this particular space is intended for therapists and mental health providers who identify as LGBTQ+.)

Formal registration here is required.

Limited registrations available.

"I have come to believe that caring for myself is not self-indulgent. Caring for myself is an act of survival."
- Audre Lorde

Notes on the process: You must register using the link above.

We are going to cap this gathering at about 20 people. If there is more interest, we will modify our plans; maybe have two simultaneous groups with no more than about 30 people (15 per group). "Liking" our Facebook page does not automatically get you registered. (Though, please do it, as it helps us have a general sense of the interest for this event.)

If Allies (straight and cisgender therapists who are active allies of the LGBTQIAP2S communities and do or do not have queer clients) want to organize their own simultaneous gathering, you are welcome to do so. Some allies have said they would like a space to talk about their straight and cisgender privilege, how they can be more supportive to LGBTQ+ therapists and LGBTQ+ people in general, and more supportive to their LGBTQ+ clients. There's probably other issues, too. We have reserved enough space at Walker for this to happen. Contact me (Irene) and we can coordinate the schedules, amend this event page, share information, etc. (I started to organize a Allies part of this event, and after talking with 3 straight and cisgender therapists who couldn't facilitate it, I let it go and put my energy back into the LGBTQ+ therapist event. I think it would be great if there was an ally event, also.)

Questions or comments to Irene Greene at: MNLGBTtherapists@gmail.com