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Speaker 1: Welcome to the Therapy for a Black Girl's Podcasts, a

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Speaker 1: weekly conversation about mental health, personal development, and all the

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Speaker 1: small decisions we can make to become the best possible

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Speaker 1: versions of ourselves. I'm your host, Dr joy Hard and Bradford,

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Speaker 1: a licensed psychologist in Atlanta, Georgia. To get more information,

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Speaker 1: visit the website at Therapy for Black Girls dot com.

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Speaker 1: And while I hope you love listening to and learning

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Speaker 1: from the podcast, it is not meant to be a

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Speaker 1: substitute for a relationship with a licensed mental health professional. Hey, y'all,

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Speaker 1: thanks so much for joining me for session fifty eight

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Speaker 1: of the podcast. I'm excited today to bring you a

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Speaker 1: conversation I had with an amazing therapist in North Carolina

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Speaker 1: all about creating affirming spaces for sisters who identify as

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Speaker 1: g L B t Q. Today I'm joined by Adrian Michelle.

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Speaker 1: Adrian is a licensed marriage and family therapist and queer

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Speaker 1: person of color therapists specializing and working with youth, adults, families,

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Speaker 1: and couples. She received her Marriage and Family Therapy degree

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Speaker 1: with the specialization in sex therapy from Thomas Jefferson University.

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Speaker 1: After pursuing a passion in sex education, where she found

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Speaker 1: the community's representation was and continues to be very limited,

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Speaker 1: thus creating barriers for the community to craft healthy relationships

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Speaker 1: that mirror their myriad of experiences. She strives to continuously

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Speaker 1: advocate for positive representation in all areas of sexual, racial,

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Speaker 1: and gender diversity and inclusion. Adrian and I chatted about

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Speaker 1: the fears that members of the g LBTQ community may

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Speaker 1: have in reaching out for therapy, tips on how to

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Speaker 1: find a therapist who is affirming, the work that still

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Speaker 1: needs to be done in the Black community to be

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Speaker 1: more affirmative, and some common vocabulary we should all know

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Speaker 1: to create more affirmative spaces and relationships. If you learn

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Speaker 1: something new or here's something you want to share during

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Speaker 1: this episode, please make sure to share it on social

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Speaker 1: media using the hashtag tb G in session. Here's our conversation.

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Speaker 1: Thank you so much for joining us today, Adrian, Yeah,

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Speaker 1: thank you so much for having me. I would love

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Speaker 1: any opportunity to talk about gener and sexuality, but especially

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Speaker 1: with your podcast and especially how many people it's reaching

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Speaker 1: and definitely reaching a lot of queer films, which is

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Speaker 1: what I identify as, so I definitely appreciate the opportunity

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Speaker 1: to be here and talk today. Yeah, so Adrian, if

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Speaker 1: you could just start, maybe like you already threw out

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Speaker 1: some topics that maybe people are confused about, right, And

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Speaker 1: that's what I really want this to be, like an

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Speaker 1: opportunity for people to learn. You know. I think sometimes

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Speaker 1: it can feel like really difficult or hard to ask

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Speaker 1: questions about what you don't know about. But we do

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Speaker 1: want to make sure that we are being inclusive and

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Speaker 1: being sensitive to everybody. Right, So can you tell me, like,

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Speaker 1: what is the difference between sexual orientation and gender presentation? Yeah, definitely.

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Speaker 1: So your sexual orientation, UM, I like to say that

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Speaker 1: your sexual orientation is who do you go to bed with,

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Speaker 1: and your gender identity or presentation is who you go

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Speaker 1: to bed ass Right, So your gender identity is who

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Speaker 1: you are, who you present yourself to be. Um. Your

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Speaker 1: presentation can include things like how you dress, um, how

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Speaker 1: you wear your makeup, how you wear your hair. Um,

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Speaker 1: obviously I feel like anybody could wear makeup and things

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Speaker 1: like happen in our society. It's definitely seen as a

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Speaker 1: feminine characteristic. And so talking through what gender identity means,

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Speaker 1: gender presentation means, and then talking through sexual orientation. It's

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Speaker 1: all very very different things, and so we do get

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Speaker 1: into a lot of conversations with individuals or parents about

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Speaker 1: how seeing it separately can be really really helpful, got it,

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Speaker 1: And so you know, one of the important things. And

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Speaker 1: of course this entire platform is all about like helping

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Speaker 1: black women to really be okay with therapy, and so

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Speaker 1: taking that first step to find a therapist or to

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Speaker 1: call a therapist can often be a very difficult one.

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Speaker 1: And of course if you are a member of the

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Speaker 1: g l B t q I A community, then it

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Speaker 1: may be even more difficult to find somebody who you

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Speaker 1: feel like it's going to be a good fit. Um. So,

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Speaker 1: do you have um any tips for someone who may

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Speaker 1: be contemplating therapy but are afraid of like what the

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Speaker 1: process might look like? Yes, because, um, you know, I

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Speaker 1: feel like therapy has this connotation that is so scary,

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Speaker 1: right and especially with our one of our community. UM

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Speaker 1: very much is like just pray about it and let

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Speaker 1: it go, you know. And it's so helpful to be

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Speaker 1: able to talk with somebody who doesn't have an investment

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Speaker 1: in your life, doesn't have any bias about the decisions

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Speaker 1: that you're making, but could really, you know, make a

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Speaker 1: decision or help you make a decision based on the

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Speaker 1: goals that you suffer yourself and the things that you

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Speaker 1: want for your life. And so when looking for a therapist,

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Speaker 1: but especially in the LGBTQ community, you want to look

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Speaker 1: for somebody who's not only affirming, but has done some

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Speaker 1: work in the community. UM. I find that I connect

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Speaker 1: more with therapists who work with this population or just

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Speaker 1: lgbt Q HI a therapist in general, and especially people

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Speaker 1: of color, from events, from activism events, from going to

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Speaker 1: your local lgbt Q center, UM, and things like that.

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Speaker 1: And so if you want a therapist that's really affirming

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Speaker 1: and understanding of the community, UM, you want to really

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Speaker 1: go through those avenues of talking to people, talking to

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Speaker 1: people at a center, even talking with your lgbt Q

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Speaker 1: friends about who they might be seeing. I find a

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Speaker 1: lot of times that people are really quiet about being

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Speaker 1: in therapy. And UM, I know we're all watching shows

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Speaker 1: like Insecure now, and you know there's a scene in

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Speaker 1: there where she's talking about where her friends that's in

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Speaker 1: therapy and how helpful and beneficial it is, and just

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Speaker 1: talking to your friends simply if you are in therapy,

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Speaker 1: or talking about it or even thinking about it. That

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Speaker 1: is the perfect way to start UM. And then looking

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Speaker 1: for a therapist. You could go on a website very simply,

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Speaker 1: but just checking in those boxes to make sure, hey,

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Speaker 1: does this person you know? Is this person affirming? Because

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Speaker 1: a big fear people have within the community is gosh,

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Speaker 1: I don't want to go to a therapist and they

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Speaker 1: don't know how you know my sexuality or they don't

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Speaker 1: agree with it, right, And so I even find myself

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Speaker 1: as things as simple is going to the kind of colleges, right,

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Speaker 1: my kind of conscious constantly asked me, Hey, do you

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Speaker 1: want birth control? Hey? Are you on birth control? Do

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Speaker 1: you want birth control? All these questions without asking you know, hey,

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Speaker 1: what's your gender identity? Hey what's your partner's gender identity?

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Speaker 1: Do you need birth control? And so just asking those questions,

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Speaker 1: you know, can be really helpful, but specifically finding somebody

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Speaker 1: who wants to ask those questions, and so those fifteen

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Speaker 1: constants for fifteen minute consultations that sometimes people will offer.

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Speaker 1: Take that opportunity to ask the questions that you need

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Speaker 1: to feel comfortable in this space. Have you worked with

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Speaker 1: LGBTQ people before UM? Are you understanding of trans identities.

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Speaker 1: Are you understanding of some of the terms that I

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Speaker 1: might use within my community, what are your thoughts about it?

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Speaker 1: And so making sure that your therapist has that information.

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Speaker 1: But also if your therapist doesn't, it gives them the

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Speaker 1: opportunity to say, hey, you know what, I haven't worked

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Speaker 1: with the community before, I would love to, or haven't

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Speaker 1: worked with the community before, and I'm not sure if

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Speaker 1: i'd be a good fit for you, because again, sometimes

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Speaker 1: that's an option, and you don't want to be with

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Speaker 1: someone who isn't gonna be the best of help for you.

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Speaker 1: Such a good idea, Adrian, And you mentioned something UM

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Speaker 1: that I think sometimes is debated, like when we're in

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Speaker 1: our graduate program to become therapists, like this whole idea

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Speaker 1: of like being a part of the community that you're

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Speaker 1: wanting to serve UM. So you mentioned like finding people

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Speaker 1: who have done like maybe activists work in this space.

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Speaker 1: And so I find that sometimes when you are working

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Speaker 1: with more marginalized groups in therapy, it is important to

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Speaker 1: be showing up in places outside of the therapy office

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Speaker 1: so that people do get a feel for you and

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Speaker 1: so that people know who you are. UM. I find

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Speaker 1: that just working within the community. And I'm originally from

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Speaker 1: New Jersey and Philadelphia and so now living in North Carolina,

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Speaker 1: it's the South, which is completely different from me. And

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Speaker 1: rebuilding that community is something that I really still have

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Speaker 1: to do of going out and showing my face because

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Speaker 1: as not just a queer therapist, but as a black therapist,

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Speaker 1: there aren't very many and so making sure that not

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Speaker 1: only are you being seen, but you're leaving some room

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Speaker 1: in your caseload for the community that you really want

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Speaker 1: to serve. And I find that that is really really important.

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Speaker 1: And so Andrean, what are some of the concerns facing

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Speaker 1: the g l B t q I community that might

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Speaker 1: make them turn to therapy or that they might find

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Speaker 1: therapy helpful for? I mean, I think we often hear like,

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Speaker 1: the only reason you might be coming into therapy is

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Speaker 1: because you need to come out or something like that,

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Speaker 1: which is the cour It's not the truth. So what

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Speaker 1: are what are some of the other issues that may

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Speaker 1: come up for people in this community that that therapy

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Speaker 1: could be really helpful for. Yes, oh my god, I

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Speaker 1: get that so much because people are like, oh, you know,

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Speaker 1: if the gay person or a lesbian or transperson is

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Speaker 1: coming to therapy, they've got to be talking about that,

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Speaker 1: and most often they're actually not. You know, we're working

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Speaker 1: on anxiety depression, and if it's around their identity, it's

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Speaker 1: mostly around family work, right. And so what I do

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Speaker 1: is a lot of family attached the UM family attachment therapy,

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Speaker 1: which helps bring a family back together through psycho education,

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Speaker 1: which is helping them understand. Right. If I have a

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Speaker 1: young African American transwoman in my offic this and I'm

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Speaker 1: working with them to help not only them understand and

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Speaker 1: accept themselves, but to feel comfortable in themselves, I have

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Speaker 1: to also look at working with their family as well, right,

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Speaker 1: and helping them understand UM. Something I say really really

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Speaker 1: often UM. And my mom is such an amazing advocate

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Speaker 1: UM and a supporter of the community. But when she

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Speaker 1: was in high school, the truly in skirts were down

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Speaker 1: to her ankles. And so when I think about that,

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Speaker 1: I know that she really didn't get any type of

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Speaker 1: sex education, let a learn gender education. And that's what

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Speaker 1: I tell the youth and the young adults that I

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Speaker 1: work with all the time is be patient with your

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Speaker 1: parents too, because they haven't gotten this information. And so

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Speaker 1: sometimes it is just a smack in the face for them,

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Speaker 1: and they are not understanding, not wanting to be unsupportive,

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Speaker 1: but just not being understanding. And so there's a lot

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Speaker 1: of family work that goes into it. Something else I

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Speaker 1: talk a lot about is when you're working with this community,

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Speaker 1: you have to think about the seas that they're in. Right.

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Speaker 1: I worked in Philadelphia, where the streets are rainbow and

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Speaker 1: there's a gayborhood, and it's very welcoming in some areas,

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Speaker 1: right in other areas, you think about how affirming the

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Speaker 1: spaces are. Are there lgbt Q centers in this space?

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Speaker 1: Are there places for people to seek help or to

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Speaker 1: be around people who look like you, love like you,

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Speaker 1: and act like you, And that's really important for a community.

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Speaker 1: But the first space that usually pops up, if it's

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Speaker 1: not a center, it's a gay bar, right, And so

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Speaker 1: thinking about substance abuse and how that is really inbredded

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Speaker 1: in the community, because before there's an lgbt Q center,

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Speaker 1: there's definitely a bar to hang out with, and so

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Speaker 1: you're developing these habits of oh, these are the small

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Speaker 1: spaces I can be within my community. But it's also

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Speaker 1: centered around alcohol or substance abuse and things that may

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Speaker 1: not be helpful, and so you're learning these habits that, oh,

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Speaker 1: I'm using this to cope. Being around my community feels good.

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Speaker 1: Alcohol also feels good, and we do a lot of

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Speaker 1: substance abuse work. Um and the rates are really high

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Speaker 1: within the community, But there's also got to be an

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Speaker 1: understanding of it. Right. It's like it didn't just pop

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Speaker 1: out of nowhere. It's because we're not invested in the

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Speaker 1: community in certain ways. UM and I find that something

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Speaker 1: else that uh, people might be coming in with our

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Speaker 1: couples therapy. Right. I work a lot with couples because

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Speaker 1: I am a marriage and family therapist, and for couples

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Speaker 1: who are identifying as queer and trans and non binary,

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Speaker 1: there is really not a blueprint for our relationships and

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Speaker 1: so really understanding the basics of your expectations of your partner,

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Speaker 1: your sexual expectations of your partner. UM. I find that

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Speaker 1: that is a huge part of the conversation as well,

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Speaker 1: and that's what a lot of people are coming to

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Speaker 1: therapy for communication with their family and communication with their partner,

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Speaker 1: understanding their relationship. Um And since the only model that's

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Speaker 1: really out there is this heteronormative way of thinking and

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Speaker 1: way of being in a relationship is breaking through those roles, right,

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Speaker 1: And so I find a lot of people who still

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Speaker 1: identify within our community using these heteronormative ways of thinking

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Speaker 1: and their relationship. And so if it's everything from generals

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Speaker 1: from picking up the check to uh, you know, who's

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Speaker 1: taking the trash out and who's cooking the food and

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Speaker 1: things like that, there's more of a conversation to be had.

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Speaker 1: It doesn't mean that a masculine person or a feminine

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Speaker 1: person needs to do that. And a lot of the

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Speaker 1: times those are not the identities. And so where do

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Speaker 1: we talk or where do we start the conversation about

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Speaker 1: what your relationship looks like? And so that's with friends,

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Speaker 1: that's with family, um And one other thing I do

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Speaker 1: want to mention is that sometimes the family won't be

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Speaker 1: in therapy, they won't be supportive, and they don't want

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Speaker 1: to talk through some of these issues. But my clients

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Speaker 1: still have to have that understanding and to get through

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Speaker 1: the pain and the hurt and the attachment injuries that

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Speaker 1: have occurred. And so something we use a lot is

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Speaker 1: that empty chair method, right where you kind of write

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Speaker 1: a letter or you talk through something as if that

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Speaker 1: person is there who has had such a huge impact

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Speaker 1: in your life. And so family therapy or systemic therapy

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Speaker 1: without the system UM is something that I find really

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Speaker 1: helpful with the community. So, I know that was a mouthful,

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Speaker 1: but there's so many things that might be different that

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Speaker 1: that person is coming to therapy for. Yeah, but also

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Speaker 1: a lot of similarities, right, Like a lot of things

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Speaker 1: that you know, other people who are not a part

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Speaker 1: of the community are coming to therapy for. Also, yeah, yeah, definitely,

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Speaker 1: And so it's like therapists don't have to be scared.

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Speaker 1: It's mostly the same thing, but it might be you know,

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Speaker 1: some different terms in there, but everybody's coming to therapy

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Speaker 1: for issues with family or partners or friends or understanding themselves,

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Speaker 1: and it's really, you know, it's kind of the same work.

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Speaker 1: And so my part of my job is making sure

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Speaker 1: therapists really realized that as well. Yeah, so I'm glad

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Speaker 1: you mentioned the whole issue with family, because I definitely

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Speaker 1: have seen that come up a lot, like in conversations

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Speaker 1: and the Thrived Tribe and just you know, in the

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Speaker 1: responses I get to UM like some of the episodes

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Speaker 1: and people are sending me questions. It does feel like

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Speaker 1: that there are a lot of questions around families not

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Speaker 1: accepting people, or you know, like just a lot of

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Speaker 1: tension in the family because they don't want to allow

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Speaker 1: this person to be who they are. UM. So you've

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Speaker 1: already kind of talked about like maybe using the empty

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Speaker 1: chairs technique in therapy, But do you have other ideas

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Speaker 1: or strategies you could offer people who are struggling in

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Speaker 1: some ways with their family. Yeah, definitely, and so UM,

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Speaker 1: something we have in our community is called chosen family, right,

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Speaker 1: And I know as African Americans, we're so used to

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Speaker 1: having our play cousins and whomever around us, but specifically

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Speaker 1: in our community, we have you know, your game mom

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Speaker 1: or your gay dad or something like that, where you

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Speaker 1: can build your own community and always encourage people who

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Speaker 1: are in this space with their family not being supportive,

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Speaker 1: because I think that UM, from a very young age,

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Speaker 1: a lot of people have realized that they're family is

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Speaker 1: not going to be their main support system and it's

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Speaker 1: not going to be as emotionally supportive as they want.

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Speaker 1: And so you can spend a huge amount of your

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Speaker 1: time worrying and stressing and being really upset with them,

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Speaker 1: or you can fill your life with people who make

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Speaker 1: it worthwhile. And so although you can never replace your

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Speaker 1: birth mother, or you can never replace someone who holds

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Speaker 1: such a significant place in your life, you can't surround

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Speaker 1: yourself with friends and people who love you and support

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Speaker 1: you and even using that time to bring them into

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Speaker 1: therapy to help you understand yourself. UM. Something I do

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Speaker 1: I as UM for people within the community is as

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Speaker 1: your therapist. If you can bring your best friend and

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Speaker 1: or your gay mom and or something like that to

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Speaker 1: talk through some of the issues that you have, because

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Speaker 1: family therapy doesn't always have to be with those that

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Speaker 1: are biologically given to you, because sometimes at the end

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Speaker 1: of the day, you may not have a relationship with

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Speaker 1: them and you may not want a relationship with them,

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Speaker 1: and so really come into peace with that and understanding

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Speaker 1: that we can do as much family work as we want.

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Speaker 1: But if this person is going to be like this

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Speaker 1: and be a disruption in your life, then let's look

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Speaker 1: at some other options, because you don't have to have

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Speaker 1: negativity in your life. And someone who isn't affirming and

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Speaker 1: won't else they won't understand. I won't say uh, doesn't

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Speaker 1: make an effort, but someone who is just willfully not

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Speaker 1: open to understanding you and that's just the unhealthy person

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Speaker 1: in your life. And so I'm treating family that same way,

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Speaker 1: and so building that chosen family is something that is truly,

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Speaker 1: truly important. So something else that you mentioned, Adrian was,

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Speaker 1: you know a lot of the work that you do

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Speaker 1: is related to working with therapists to kind of make

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Speaker 1: sure that they get it. And I think that there

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Speaker 1: is still a great deal of work for us to

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Speaker 1: do as black therapists UM in terms of really checking

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Speaker 1: ourselves to make sure that we are not perpetrating some

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Speaker 1: of these same microaggressions UM in an effort to help

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Speaker 1: you know, the queer and people, the queer and trans

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Speaker 1: people of color who may be coming to us for

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Speaker 1: a therapy. So do you have any ideas about like

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Speaker 1: how we can like internally check ourselves or be you know,

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Speaker 1: making sure that we're checking our colleagues to push, you know,

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Speaker 1: to make sure that we're doing the correct thing and

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Speaker 1: being very sensitive in these spaces. Yes, definitely. So the

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Speaker 1: first thing I will always suggest is doing training open

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Speaker 1: in your mind to help yourself really understand the community

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Speaker 1: and what I say when I leave my trainings UM

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Speaker 1: a lot of times and I've worked with Duke University,

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Speaker 1: I've worked with Jefferson University. I've worked with so many

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Speaker 1: organizations and their counseling departments UM and talking with them

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Speaker 1: about how important training is and to understand. And I'm

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Speaker 1: not asking you to change your views. I'm just asking

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Speaker 1: you to respect the community and understand them in ways

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Speaker 1: that will help them. I mean, we've all taken this

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Speaker 1: oath as healthcare professionals, and so you wanted you no

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Speaker 1: harm and to make sure that you're doing that. And

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Speaker 1: so the first thing would be trainings. Another thing UM

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Speaker 1: that is really important is like a personal bias UM

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Speaker 1: kind of training and activity and I also offer that

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Speaker 1: in my five part series as well. And it is

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Speaker 1: really about looking at your life and how you would

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Speaker 1: respond if your gender was questioned, if your identity was questioned,

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Speaker 1: or even if your identity was taken from you. And

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Speaker 1: so it's about having that real life experience of oh,

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Speaker 1: my gosh, you know, I don't know what would happen

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Speaker 1: without let's say my mom, right, but in the community,

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Speaker 1: somebody might have to move forward without their mom, and

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Speaker 1: getting them to think, wow, you know, if my mom

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Speaker 1: didn't support me, how would my life look different? Depression

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Speaker 1: would look different, anxiety would look different, so many things

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Speaker 1: would be heightened. And so this community is also really

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Speaker 1: plagued with a lot of high diagnoses, you know, like UM,

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Speaker 1: bipolar disorder or even borderline personality disorder for being angry

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Speaker 1: or having these outbursts without really taking an intersectional perspective

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Speaker 1: of their entire life. You know, someone who's angry, what's

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Speaker 1: going on in their life? Oh, their mom isn't supportive,

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Speaker 1: they don't have financial support. You know, their living situation

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Speaker 1: is out of black. Well, of course that person is

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Speaker 1: going to go through a higher level of depression UM.

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Speaker 1: And so something for providers is to UM, I have

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Speaker 1: this worksheet and I like to call it nosy or

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Speaker 1: necessary right to help you figure out what is making you,

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Speaker 1: what's really driving these questions. And some things I would

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Speaker 1: say is when discussing identities, be mindful of the systems

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Speaker 1: of oppression that may affect your client. Right. And so

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Speaker 1: something as simple as going out with friends, which bathroom

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Speaker 1: they're using, UM, how they are presenting that day, will

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Speaker 1: it be UM? Will it be okay? You know? Will

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Speaker 1: violence occur in this moment? And so really recognize the

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Speaker 1: systems of oppression that your client might be going through UM.

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Speaker 1: If you have a client who comes into your office

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Speaker 1: and it's talking about their identity and really questioning it

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Speaker 1: UM or identifying as trams, and don't just bring up

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Speaker 1: all the things that you feel it would be helpful

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Speaker 1: for your client. I have some therapists that are like, oh, yeah,

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Speaker 1: if my client is trans I have a full list

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Speaker 1: to give them surgeries and all of this stuff. And

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Speaker 1: being mindful that every person who identifies a certain way

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Speaker 1: is going to transition or move through their journey differently.

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Speaker 1: And just because you identify as lesbians doesn't mean you

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Speaker 1: need to go out and get a female identified partner

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Speaker 1: right now. Just because you identifies trance doesn't mean you

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Speaker 1: need to lay down how you're going to transition. And

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Speaker 1: being mindful of that UM. When talking about family, I

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Speaker 1: really tell therapists to expire your view of family. And

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Speaker 1: that's what I was talking about earlier. You know, what

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Speaker 1: if what if it's not about their parents or their siblings,

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Speaker 1: What if their conflict or their attachment injuries are wrapped

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Speaker 1: in friendships? Right and being open to see how family

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Speaker 1: and friends are really causing a lot of that UM.

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Speaker 1: Something else again when talking about sexual orientation. You want

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Speaker 1: to forego a heteronormative thinking, right, and so UM. I

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Speaker 1: remember going to a therapist very very early on my

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Speaker 1: partner and I and the therapist said, oh, so you're

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Speaker 1: more of the man, and that was like, ah, you know,

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Speaker 1: I'm just so angry because I was just like, why

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Speaker 1: why keep um perpetuating these views of this heteronormative relationship

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Speaker 1: as two women are sitting in front of you, and

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Speaker 1: so really being mindful of not mentioning or not moving

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Speaker 1: towards that heteronormative thinking. UM. Something that is really helpful

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Speaker 1: too is talking about pronouns. And I think that in

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Speaker 1: the community, you know, we don't talk enough about what

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Speaker 1: that means when you hear a sheet or a heat

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Speaker 1: or a they. And so I find that even if

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Speaker 1: you know, if you want to do something really really interesting,

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Speaker 1: go home to whomever your partner is, right and tell

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Speaker 1: them a story about someone who's female identified, and then

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Speaker 1: tell them a story about somebody's whose male identified. And

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Speaker 1: it could be the same exact story. You get totally

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Speaker 1: different connotations from it. And so you want to ask

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Speaker 1: about pronouns. You want to ask how people UM want

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Speaker 1: to be you know, respected, in the space. And so

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Speaker 1: something I do when I introduced myself to people within

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Speaker 1: the community or clients is I say, Hi, my name

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Speaker 1: is Adrian Michelle. I use she and her pronouns right,

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Speaker 1: And so that doesn't put my client on the spot

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Speaker 1: to share their pronouns. If they want to, they can

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Speaker 1: and that would be great, UM. But it opens up

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Speaker 1: this space for them to know that they can share

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Speaker 1: their pronouns and to open up a conversation about gender

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Speaker 1: that they may not have been expecting. Something also I

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Speaker 1: want to add to that list is I've been talking

432
00:23:44,520 --> 00:23:48,159
Speaker 1: about relationships. So when you're talking about somebody's parents, you know,

433
00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:51,600
Speaker 1: just a parent, you know, saying mom or dad, um.

434
00:23:51,640 --> 00:23:54,119
Speaker 1: I find it's really triggering for some people, even not

435
00:23:54,280 --> 00:23:57,760
Speaker 1: people in the LGBTQ community. If you know one of

436
00:23:57,800 --> 00:24:01,119
Speaker 1: your parents have passed away or one of your parents

437
00:24:01,240 --> 00:24:03,960
Speaker 1: wasn't in your life, it becomes a harder conversation. And

438
00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:07,320
Speaker 1: so just asking about someone's parents or their siblings kind

439
00:24:07,320 --> 00:24:09,639
Speaker 1: of opens the door for them to share more about

440
00:24:09,680 --> 00:24:14,000
Speaker 1: them than you're asking UM. And also when talking about

441
00:24:14,040 --> 00:24:18,600
Speaker 1: gender expression, discussed with them how they see themselves UM,

442
00:24:18,760 --> 00:24:23,680
Speaker 1: and been discussing things like hormones or something about body image.

443
00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:27,520
Speaker 1: Be mindful about why you're asking those questions. I always

444
00:24:27,560 --> 00:24:30,520
Speaker 1: say this the therapist. You know, are you asking because

445
00:24:30,560 --> 00:24:33,200
Speaker 1: you feel like it's really gonna help the client or

446
00:24:33,240 --> 00:24:35,600
Speaker 1: are you asking because you feel like you want to

447
00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:38,800
Speaker 1: know like it's going to create a fuller story for you.

448
00:24:39,160 --> 00:24:42,280
Speaker 1: And so just being mindful and being able to check yourself.

449
00:24:42,320 --> 00:24:45,360
Speaker 1: But again, trainings. But those things that I list there

450
00:24:45,359 --> 00:24:48,200
Speaker 1: are something that I find really really helpful. So are

451
00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:53,439
Speaker 1: you being nosy or is it necessary information there? That

452
00:24:53,480 --> 00:24:56,120
Speaker 1: sounds like an amazing work sheet, Adrian, Maybe we can

453
00:24:56,200 --> 00:24:58,040
Speaker 1: add that or add a link to that in the

454
00:24:58,119 --> 00:25:00,639
Speaker 1: show notes if you're wanting to share that, because it

455
00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:02,800
Speaker 1: does sound like that is a very good conversation for

456
00:25:02,840 --> 00:25:04,520
Speaker 1: people to have and to be able to check in

457
00:25:04,560 --> 00:25:07,720
Speaker 1: with themselves. Yeah, definitely, I will definitely go ahead and

458
00:25:07,760 --> 00:25:11,119
Speaker 1: send that to you. Yeah, So something else that you mentioned,

459
00:25:11,119 --> 00:25:12,880
Speaker 1: and it sounds like there are a lot of very

460
00:25:12,920 --> 00:25:15,520
Speaker 1: small things that we can do that actually make a

461
00:25:15,640 --> 00:25:18,440
Speaker 1: very big impact for our clients, like opening the door

462
00:25:18,480 --> 00:25:20,720
Speaker 1: to talk about what your pronouns are and just letting

463
00:25:20,720 --> 00:25:23,320
Speaker 1: them know that that kind of conversation is okay to

464
00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:27,240
Speaker 1: have in this space. So I do know that you

465
00:25:27,280 --> 00:25:30,880
Speaker 1: know the terminology and like making sure that we are

466
00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:34,480
Speaker 1: like using correct phrases and things. It's really important. Again,

467
00:25:34,680 --> 00:25:36,880
Speaker 1: very small touches that I think can make a very

468
00:25:36,880 --> 00:25:39,320
Speaker 1: big difference. So can you give us a little like

469
00:25:39,400 --> 00:25:43,159
Speaker 1: crash course in like what kinds of terminology is appropriate

470
00:25:43,200 --> 00:25:45,399
Speaker 1: to use and maybe some things that are not appropriate

471
00:25:45,440 --> 00:25:49,240
Speaker 1: to use? Yes, definitely. UM. So I also will send

472
00:25:49,280 --> 00:25:52,000
Speaker 1: you something I have which is called the trans umbrella,

473
00:25:52,119 --> 00:25:56,200
Speaker 1: and it has all different kinds of um just length

474
00:25:56,240 --> 00:25:58,720
Speaker 1: of that the community uses in terms that can be

475
00:25:58,800 --> 00:26:03,160
Speaker 1: really helpful. But there are really five terms that will

476
00:26:03,240 --> 00:26:07,480
Speaker 1: really be beneficial in your practice if you learn them

477
00:26:07,880 --> 00:26:11,120
Speaker 1: and have a great understanding of them. And those are

478
00:26:11,440 --> 00:26:19,280
Speaker 1: sis gender, transgender, gender, nonconforming, sis, sexism, and transphobia. Right,

479
00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:23,719
Speaker 1: and so since gender is when you are um, what

480
00:26:23,760 --> 00:26:27,080
Speaker 1: I'll say is when you're born. People say biological sex

481
00:26:27,119 --> 00:26:29,600
Speaker 1: all the time. And biological sex is actually another one

482
00:26:29,600 --> 00:26:32,680
Speaker 1: of the terms that are really helpful, right, because biological

483
00:26:32,760 --> 00:26:35,639
Speaker 1: sex makes it seem like the doctor has done some

484
00:26:35,720 --> 00:26:38,719
Speaker 1: type of biological tests to make sure of your gender.

485
00:26:38,880 --> 00:26:41,840
Speaker 1: When an actuality, we know that that doesn't happen. So

486
00:26:41,960 --> 00:26:44,080
Speaker 1: something that we like to say, is a signed male

487
00:26:44,160 --> 00:26:46,359
Speaker 1: at birth or as signed female at birth. So that

488
00:26:46,359 --> 00:26:49,080
Speaker 1: would be a map or a fab that your clients

489
00:26:49,080 --> 00:26:51,720
Speaker 1: are saying, a map or a fab, that's what they're

490
00:26:51,720 --> 00:26:54,320
Speaker 1: talking about as signed female or as signed male at birth.

491
00:26:54,520 --> 00:26:57,400
Speaker 1: And that just tells you what society has labeled your

492
00:26:57,440 --> 00:27:01,600
Speaker 1: biological gender. Something else cis gender, that would mean that

493
00:27:01,680 --> 00:27:04,840
Speaker 1: you still identify with what you were assigned at birth.

494
00:27:05,040 --> 00:27:08,200
Speaker 1: So for example, I was assigned female at birth. I

495
00:27:08,200 --> 00:27:11,639
Speaker 1: identify as female now, so I would be cis gender

496
00:27:11,920 --> 00:27:16,000
Speaker 1: someone who's transgender. And again that's an umbrella term, but

497
00:27:16,160 --> 00:27:20,919
Speaker 1: that basically means somebody who does not identify as the

498
00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:23,640
Speaker 1: gender that they were given at birth. So if I

499
00:27:23,720 --> 00:27:26,960
Speaker 1: was assigned female at birth and I grow up to

500
00:27:27,119 --> 00:27:29,640
Speaker 1: learn that I don't identify with that, I don't see

501
00:27:29,680 --> 00:27:33,639
Speaker 1: myself as female feminine at all, and identify more with

502
00:27:33,720 --> 00:27:37,200
Speaker 1: male pronouns or identify as not binary, then that would

503
00:27:37,200 --> 00:27:42,919
Speaker 1: be transgender gender nonconforming. That means that you're not conforming

504
00:27:42,960 --> 00:27:46,040
Speaker 1: to the gender norms. Right, and so as we see

505
00:27:46,119 --> 00:27:48,640
Speaker 1: a female is supposed to be dressed a certain way,

506
00:27:48,680 --> 00:27:51,359
Speaker 1: act a certain way, look a certain way in society.

507
00:27:51,800 --> 00:27:54,520
Speaker 1: That means that this person is not going to conform

508
00:27:54,800 --> 00:27:58,560
Speaker 1: towards what is acceptable for female or what is acceptable

509
00:27:58,640 --> 00:28:02,080
Speaker 1: as male. And that bring me to talking about binary, right,

510
00:28:02,080 --> 00:28:04,440
Speaker 1: and so the binary is this idea that there are

511
00:28:04,520 --> 00:28:08,919
Speaker 1: only male and female, when in actuality we believe in

512
00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:12,080
Speaker 1: more of a spectrum and so um. Something also that's

513
00:28:12,080 --> 00:28:14,960
Speaker 1: really helpful when talking about that is the gender unicorn

514
00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:18,360
Speaker 1: because it really separates things in terms of your gender identity,

515
00:28:18,480 --> 00:28:22,159
Speaker 1: your presentation, your romantic attraction and all of that. And

516
00:28:22,200 --> 00:28:25,879
Speaker 1: so it's very all encompassing, but gender not conforming again,

517
00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:30,480
Speaker 1: meaning you're not conforming to either gender. CIS sexism is

518
00:28:30,520 --> 00:28:35,200
Speaker 1: really important because of transphobia, right, and of gender phobia.

519
00:28:36,040 --> 00:28:39,040
Speaker 1: The thing is, sis sexism does exist, right. I do

520
00:28:39,200 --> 00:28:42,160
Speaker 1: have a privilege as being a CIS gender person, and

521
00:28:42,200 --> 00:28:44,960
Speaker 1: so I'm very mindful too in those spaces that I

522
00:28:45,040 --> 00:28:47,720
Speaker 1: talked through because I'm a CIS gender person and I

523
00:28:47,760 --> 00:28:50,000
Speaker 1: don't want to take up too much space. But I

524
00:28:50,080 --> 00:28:53,000
Speaker 1: do this work constantly for the community and working for

525
00:28:53,040 --> 00:28:56,320
Speaker 1: about ten years, and so talking about sis sexism is

526
00:28:56,360 --> 00:28:59,880
Speaker 1: really important because we do have certain privileges that's the

527
00:29:00,040 --> 00:29:03,680
Speaker 1: one who is transgender does not have, and so that

528
00:29:03,800 --> 00:29:09,080
Speaker 1: access to jobs, that access to healthcare, UM, finding a therapist,

529
00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:13,560
Speaker 1: being understood, even young kids going to school and realizing

530
00:29:13,600 --> 00:29:16,840
Speaker 1: this to sexism there um, and so that's really important.

531
00:29:16,920 --> 00:29:22,440
Speaker 1: And again transphobia. UM, people are not understanding of transpeople.

532
00:29:22,560 --> 00:29:24,600
Speaker 1: And I've learned that being in the South. It's a

533
00:29:24,600 --> 00:29:28,200
Speaker 1: completely different conversation. And so some people are not open

534
00:29:28,280 --> 00:29:33,560
Speaker 1: to understanding hiring, standing next to, or walking through life

535
00:29:33,760 --> 00:29:37,320
Speaker 1: with people who identify differently than them, and so realizing

536
00:29:37,360 --> 00:29:40,680
Speaker 1: and respecting your client when they're sharing with you this

537
00:29:40,840 --> 00:29:45,000
Speaker 1: oppressive identity. Similarly as you would listen to someone talking

538
00:29:45,000 --> 00:29:48,200
Speaker 1: about their race and so just being clear about that.

539
00:29:48,720 --> 00:29:52,640
Speaker 1: Another one that I would say that's important to understand

540
00:29:52,760 --> 00:29:56,400
Speaker 1: is the term queer. And so as a black person,

541
00:29:56,480 --> 00:29:59,360
Speaker 1: as an African American person, I have a very sticky

542
00:29:59,440 --> 00:30:03,040
Speaker 1: relation ship with that word. Being from Jersey and New York,

543
00:30:03,080 --> 00:30:06,440
Speaker 1: we really didn't use that word and cleer was seen, um,

544
00:30:06,640 --> 00:30:09,800
Speaker 1: just as more of a derogatory term. But I find

545
00:30:09,840 --> 00:30:12,280
Speaker 1: that in the South and even more often now, the

546
00:30:12,440 --> 00:30:15,920
Speaker 1: term queer is used really positively and it can describe

547
00:30:16,240 --> 00:30:20,120
Speaker 1: your sexual orientation, it can describe your gender identity in

548
00:30:20,320 --> 00:30:23,440
Speaker 1: terms of saying I'm gender queer, very similar to gender

549
00:30:23,680 --> 00:30:28,080
Speaker 1: not conforming or gender non binary, right, and so those, uh,

550
00:30:28,160 --> 00:30:30,040
Speaker 1: those you want to be mindful of. So if your

551
00:30:30,040 --> 00:30:32,080
Speaker 1: client comes in you don't want to say, hey, you

552
00:30:32,120 --> 00:30:34,800
Speaker 1: identify it as queer, maybe just ask the terms that

553
00:30:34,880 --> 00:30:37,920
Speaker 1: they use. And so another term within the community that

554
00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:41,520
Speaker 1: people use will be cut POC and so that is

555
00:30:41,720 --> 00:30:46,560
Speaker 1: q T p o C and that's queer trans people

556
00:30:46,680 --> 00:30:50,040
Speaker 1: of color, right, and so some of your clients might

557
00:30:50,160 --> 00:30:52,920
Speaker 1: use that term or even just use que pop to

558
00:30:53,040 --> 00:30:56,760
Speaker 1: describe themselves. And those are really really important, just small

559
00:30:56,920 --> 00:30:59,640
Speaker 1: terms to use, and of course there are so many,

560
00:31:00,320 --> 00:31:02,880
Speaker 1: but just for the sake of time, I'll go through

561
00:31:02,920 --> 00:31:06,400
Speaker 1: that those terms and then um, one more term that

562
00:31:06,560 --> 00:31:09,800
Speaker 1: is really really important to learn as intersex. And that

563
00:31:10,000 --> 00:31:13,560
Speaker 1: is a term for people who have a combination of chromosomes,

564
00:31:13,600 --> 00:31:17,920
Speaker 1: going ads, hormones, um, just inter internal sex organs and

565
00:31:18,000 --> 00:31:21,880
Speaker 1: generitals that may differ from what you're expecting. And so

566
00:31:22,080 --> 00:31:24,520
Speaker 1: people say intersex all the time. And of course we

567
00:31:24,600 --> 00:31:27,920
Speaker 1: know the derogatory term for that used to be hermaphrodite.

568
00:31:28,240 --> 00:31:31,920
Speaker 1: But in reality, there are more intersex people in this

569
00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:37,000
Speaker 1: world than there are redheads. And so really thinking through, wow,

570
00:31:37,600 --> 00:31:40,640
Speaker 1: what does that mean? That means that we have had

571
00:31:40,720 --> 00:31:43,320
Speaker 1: a lot of people who have been born intersex, but

572
00:31:43,440 --> 00:31:46,640
Speaker 1: we are still using this binary and being mindful that

573
00:31:46,720 --> 00:31:49,040
Speaker 1: we might have to change our way of thinking as

574
00:31:49,080 --> 00:31:52,400
Speaker 1: we learn more of the truth of what's um, what's

575
00:31:52,440 --> 00:31:54,840
Speaker 1: going on in terms of a gender spectrum. But it's

576
00:31:54,880 --> 00:31:58,160
Speaker 1: definitely all about understanding. And if you find that your

577
00:31:58,240 --> 00:32:01,760
Speaker 1: therapist or as a thing because you don't understand something,

578
00:32:02,000 --> 00:32:04,480
Speaker 1: just ask your client, because they're more than happy to,

579
00:32:04,600 --> 00:32:06,720
Speaker 1: you know, help explain it. The worst thing you could

580
00:32:06,720 --> 00:32:09,560
Speaker 1: do is have someone talking to you about these terms

581
00:32:09,640 --> 00:32:12,400
Speaker 1: or about their identity and you not have a clue

582
00:32:12,480 --> 00:32:16,080
Speaker 1: about what they're talking about, and UM for them also

583
00:32:16,320 --> 00:32:19,360
Speaker 1: to have to um have to wonder if you if

584
00:32:19,400 --> 00:32:22,360
Speaker 1: you understand, and so taking that one down approach is

585
00:32:22,400 --> 00:32:25,400
Speaker 1: really helpful as well. Yeah, that definitely would be a

586
00:32:25,440 --> 00:32:28,320
Speaker 1: situation where it would be necessary as opposed to know

587
00:32:28,720 --> 00:32:33,200
Speaker 1: to ask a question. Yeah, I mean, and I do

588
00:32:33,320 --> 00:32:35,600
Speaker 1: think you know, you mentioned the importance of training, and

589
00:32:35,600 --> 00:32:37,920
Speaker 1: I just want to underscore that because I do think,

590
00:32:38,080 --> 00:32:42,200
Speaker 1: you know, we are always learning more UM and it

591
00:32:42,240 --> 00:32:44,120
Speaker 1: really is important to kind of make sure that we're

592
00:32:44,160 --> 00:32:46,520
Speaker 1: kind of getting the latest information so that we are

593
00:32:46,600 --> 00:32:50,640
Speaker 1: able to kind of assist as many clients as possible. Yeah,

594
00:32:50,720 --> 00:32:52,960
Speaker 1: and I find that, you know, trainings are hard to

595
00:32:53,000 --> 00:32:55,960
Speaker 1: come by, even UM I used to work in Philadelphia

596
00:32:56,000 --> 00:32:58,320
Speaker 1: and so the trainers were pretty much mandatory for a

597
00:32:58,320 --> 00:33:02,040
Speaker 1: lot of nonprofit organised stations UM and even moving down

598
00:33:02,040 --> 00:33:05,200
Speaker 1: to North Carolina, UM I started working for this program

599
00:33:05,480 --> 00:33:09,400
Speaker 1: and developing something that was really geared towards education, but

600
00:33:09,520 --> 00:33:11,320
Speaker 1: not just in a health care field, but in a

601
00:33:11,400 --> 00:33:13,960
Speaker 1: corporate field as well, because what you have is a

602
00:33:13,960 --> 00:33:17,240
Speaker 1: lot of people identifying differently in the workplace and then

603
00:33:17,320 --> 00:33:19,480
Speaker 1: not being respected, and we know there aren't a lot

604
00:33:19,520 --> 00:33:22,280
Speaker 1: of laws that are really helpful with that UM. And

605
00:33:22,320 --> 00:33:24,480
Speaker 1: so I just want to say that the books that

606
00:33:24,560 --> 00:33:27,280
Speaker 1: I find helpful if you can't find training that is

607
00:33:27,520 --> 00:33:31,840
Speaker 1: close by or affordable, because again, it can be expensive

608
00:33:31,880 --> 00:33:35,240
Speaker 1: because it's not mandatory training and it's not something that's

609
00:33:35,280 --> 00:33:38,720
Speaker 1: typically offered UM in a graduate program. But a book

610
00:33:38,720 --> 00:33:42,959
Speaker 1: that I always use is trans Bodies, Trans Cells, and

611
00:33:43,000 --> 00:33:45,800
Speaker 1: it's a resource for the transgender community. But it has

612
00:33:45,920 --> 00:33:51,480
Speaker 1: a lot of information about mental health resources, about body resources,

613
00:33:51,520 --> 00:33:55,440
Speaker 1: about depression, about anxiety, about dysphoria as well, and so

614
00:33:55,560 --> 00:33:57,880
Speaker 1: being sure that you know you have something like that

615
00:33:58,000 --> 00:34:00,680
Speaker 1: on hand. And for parents there are of books like

616
00:34:00,760 --> 00:34:04,520
Speaker 1: the Transgender Team or Raising the Transgender Child, or for

617
00:34:04,560 --> 00:34:08,239
Speaker 1: people who are just understanding their gender, we have the

618
00:34:08,280 --> 00:34:11,120
Speaker 1: Gender Quest Workbook, and so that's a workbook for like

619
00:34:11,200 --> 00:34:15,279
Speaker 1: smaller children. But always keep reading and training and understanding

620
00:34:15,400 --> 00:34:18,400
Speaker 1: and reaching out for supervision, which is also something that

621
00:34:18,440 --> 00:34:21,799
Speaker 1: we offer. So um, a lot of like hands on

622
00:34:21,960 --> 00:34:24,359
Speaker 1: deck here to help make sure we're not doing any

623
00:34:24,400 --> 00:34:27,600
Speaker 1: harm to the community as well. Yeah, that's how You've

624
00:34:27,600 --> 00:34:30,440
Speaker 1: offered some books that it sounds like maybe helpful for therapists,

625
00:34:30,480 --> 00:34:32,880
Speaker 1: But do you have books for non therapists that you

626
00:34:32,960 --> 00:34:37,120
Speaker 1: really enjoyed that you think would be a good resource. Yeah, definitely. UM.

627
00:34:37,200 --> 00:34:40,800
Speaker 1: So there is a book that's really interesting, UM called

628
00:34:40,840 --> 00:34:44,120
Speaker 1: Girls Sex one on one and as though it sounds

629
00:34:44,200 --> 00:34:47,799
Speaker 1: really really binary, I find that it is a very

630
00:34:47,960 --> 00:34:51,160
Speaker 1: neutral way to talk about sex, to talk about bodies,

631
00:34:51,200 --> 00:34:55,480
Speaker 1: to talk about yourself, um in terms of um sexuality.

632
00:34:56,160 --> 00:34:58,880
Speaker 1: Another book that I find helpful, and this is a

633
00:34:59,000 --> 00:35:02,960
Speaker 1: two part book actually for partners who might be identifying

634
00:35:03,000 --> 00:35:06,560
Speaker 1: as trans, and one is called Hung in the Middle UM,

635
00:35:06,640 --> 00:35:09,359
Speaker 1: and the other one is called My husband looks Better

636
00:35:10,120 --> 00:35:13,560
Speaker 1: in Women's Clothing or in lingerie, and I find that

637
00:35:13,640 --> 00:35:17,480
Speaker 1: helpful for couples. Again, trans Body trand Selves is really

638
00:35:17,520 --> 00:35:20,960
Speaker 1: good for individuals, but can also be really good for

639
00:35:20,960 --> 00:35:24,919
Speaker 1: for therapists. So for clients trans Bodies trans Selves as well,

640
00:35:25,040 --> 00:35:28,120
Speaker 1: it's a really good book to help them understand themselves.

641
00:35:28,360 --> 00:35:32,520
Speaker 1: And another plug I would say is YouTube. A lot

642
00:35:32,560 --> 00:35:36,360
Speaker 1: of people aren't writing that much information about the community

643
00:35:36,440 --> 00:35:40,479
Speaker 1: and about the intersection of black people and these queer

644
00:35:40,520 --> 00:35:44,359
Speaker 1: identities or trans identities, and so going on YouTube and

645
00:35:44,440 --> 00:35:48,279
Speaker 1: researching and really looking at people like take Milan and

646
00:35:48,360 --> 00:35:52,200
Speaker 1: his wife Kim Could could Trent I believe her name is,

647
00:35:52,719 --> 00:35:56,040
Speaker 1: and looking at YouTube and looking at people really live

648
00:35:56,080 --> 00:35:58,160
Speaker 1: in their lives in this way can help you have

649
00:35:58,280 --> 00:36:02,000
Speaker 1: a better understanding of health. And so I utilize you

650
00:36:02,040 --> 00:36:05,560
Speaker 1: do as much as possible as well. And even these books,

651
00:36:05,600 --> 00:36:08,480
Speaker 1: I may make copies for my clients for pages that

652
00:36:08,520 --> 00:36:11,920
Speaker 1: I feel is helpful for them. But definitely trans Bodies

653
00:36:11,920 --> 00:36:15,839
Speaker 1: Train Cells for everybody, Okay, I definitely will include all

654
00:36:15,880 --> 00:36:18,560
Speaker 1: of those in the show notes. So is there any

655
00:36:18,600 --> 00:36:21,280
Speaker 1: news that you'd like to share, Adrian, any upcoming events

656
00:36:21,280 --> 00:36:24,520
Speaker 1: are and your trainings that you have, Yeah, definitely on

657
00:36:24,520 --> 00:36:29,400
Speaker 1: our website um GS diversity dot com. You can see

658
00:36:29,440 --> 00:36:32,520
Speaker 1: the list of our trainings and opportunities for me to

659
00:36:32,560 --> 00:36:35,799
Speaker 1: come out and speak with your organization and just to

660
00:36:35,880 --> 00:36:40,000
Speaker 1: talk through UM some of the the barriers to healthcare

661
00:36:40,080 --> 00:36:42,600
Speaker 1: and and things like that. So the training dates this

662
00:36:42,680 --> 00:36:45,640
Speaker 1: year would be we have one in May, one in September,

663
00:36:45,640 --> 00:36:48,400
Speaker 1: and one in November, and then again we go out

664
00:36:48,520 --> 00:36:51,279
Speaker 1: and UM if you request to train and we will

665
00:36:51,320 --> 00:36:53,920
Speaker 1: come out and do that. UM. I also have a

666
00:36:53,960 --> 00:36:57,880
Speaker 1: website and that's Adrian Michelle Therapy dot com and my

667
00:36:57,960 --> 00:37:02,000
Speaker 1: Instagram is saying Adrian hell Therapy UM and you can

668
00:37:02,040 --> 00:37:05,320
Speaker 1: find a lot of information there in terms of upcoming training,

669
00:37:05,400 --> 00:37:08,840
Speaker 1: by upcoming speaking opportunities UM, and if you would like

670
00:37:08,920 --> 00:37:11,319
Speaker 1: for me to come out and speak to your organization

671
00:37:11,680 --> 00:37:15,160
Speaker 1: about gender and sexuality. I definitely love doing that and

672
00:37:15,280 --> 00:37:18,319
Speaker 1: still half of my time with speaking. Actually it's been

673
00:37:18,320 --> 00:37:22,000
Speaker 1: really good, very cool. And I will include links to

674
00:37:22,000 --> 00:37:24,200
Speaker 1: all of your information because I'm sure some people will

675
00:37:24,239 --> 00:37:26,200
Speaker 1: want to get in touch with you, UM to ask

676
00:37:26,239 --> 00:37:28,880
Speaker 1: more questions or to schedule you for a training. Yeah,

677
00:37:28,960 --> 00:37:31,919
Speaker 1: that would be great. Thank you so much. You're welcome. Well,

678
00:37:31,920 --> 00:37:34,120
Speaker 1: thank you for spending some time with us today. Adrian,

679
00:37:34,160 --> 00:37:36,839
Speaker 1: I really appreciate it. Yes, of course, thank you for

680
00:37:36,880 --> 00:37:38,880
Speaker 1: having me. I know I can talk about this first

681
00:37:39,760 --> 00:37:42,600
Speaker 1: so long and there's so many terms and everything, but

682
00:37:42,680 --> 00:37:45,839
Speaker 1: I just hope that the audience really leaves with more

683
00:37:45,920 --> 00:37:48,799
Speaker 1: questions than they had coming and listening to this and

684
00:37:48,840 --> 00:37:51,800
Speaker 1: continue to reach out and have a better understanding of

685
00:37:51,880 --> 00:37:54,400
Speaker 1: the community. So thank you so much for having me

686
00:37:54,680 --> 00:37:57,160
Speaker 1: and giving me the platform to talk about this topic.

687
00:37:57,480 --> 00:38:01,080
Speaker 1: You're welcome. I'm very grateful that Adrian was able to

688
00:38:01,120 --> 00:38:04,399
Speaker 1: share her expertise with us today. To check out all

689
00:38:04,440 --> 00:38:08,319
Speaker 1: the amazing resources she shared, visit the show notes at

690
00:38:08,360 --> 00:38:12,760
Speaker 1: Therapy for Black Girls dot com slash session, and please

691
00:38:12,800 --> 00:38:15,160
Speaker 1: be sure to share your thoughts about the episode with

692
00:38:15,239 --> 00:38:19,040
Speaker 1: us on social media. You can use the hashtag TBG

693
00:38:19,239 --> 00:38:22,759
Speaker 1: in session, and you can also tag our accounts. You

694
00:38:22,800 --> 00:38:26,000
Speaker 1: can find us on Twitter at Therapy for the Number

695
00:38:26,040 --> 00:38:29,239
Speaker 1: four b Girls, and you can find us on Instagram

696
00:38:29,360 --> 00:38:33,520
Speaker 1: and Facebook at Therapy for Black Girls. If you're looking

697
00:38:33,560 --> 00:38:36,439
Speaker 1: for a therapist in your area, be sure to visit

698
00:38:36,480 --> 00:38:40,240
Speaker 1: the therapist directory at Therapy for Black Girls dot com

699
00:38:40,360 --> 00:38:44,640
Speaker 1: slash directory. And if you want to continue this conversation

700
00:38:44,960 --> 00:38:47,360
Speaker 1: and join a community of other sisters who listen to

701
00:38:47,440 --> 00:38:51,000
Speaker 1: the podcast. Join us over in the Thrive Tribe at

702
00:38:51,040 --> 00:38:55,040
Speaker 1: Therapy for Black Girls dot com slash tribe. Make sure

703
00:38:55,080 --> 00:38:58,800
Speaker 1: you answer the three questions that are asked to gain entry.

704
00:38:59,120 --> 00:39:01,480
Speaker 1: Thank y'all again for joining me this week, and I

705
00:39:01,560 --> 00:39:04,319
Speaker 1: look forward to continue in this conversation with you all

706
00:39:04,600 --> 00:39:06,319
Speaker 1: real soon. Take care,