Friday, 16 February

Online Course - Queer and Quirky: neurodivergence in LGBTQA+ people - 2024

This online course explores the range of neurodivergence overlaps with the whole LGBTQA+ community.

By Sam Hope

Date and time

Fri, 16 Feb 2024 05:00 - Sat, 15 Feb 2025 08:00 PST

Location

Online

Refund Policy

Contact the organiser to request a refund.

Eventbrite's fee is nonrefundable.

About this event

365 days 3 hours

Online course - complete at your own pace
Over 3 hours of CPD for therapists and anyone who would like to know more about neurodiversity and LGBTQA+ people
Certificates of completion provided
Cost: 6 week introductory offer £20 - after which £30

The overlap between trans and autistic people is more commonly known about, however it is less widely discussed that there are a range of neurodiversity overlaps with the whole LGBTQA+ community.

This online course explores the impacts of living at the intersections of neurodivergent and queer identities and gives delegates a framework for thinking about individuals and their experiences holistically rather than breaking them down into separate silos of identity, or looking for causation narratives.

With a focus on mental health impacts and minority stress, this session is particularly relevant to anyone working with LGBTQA+ people where mental health is a factor, such as therapists and support workers. However, the session will be useful and informative to anyone with an interest in the subject.

This course is suited to therapists and adjacent professionals, including those who hold LGBTQA+ and/or neurodivergent identities themselves. The trainer is person-centred, but the content is valid for all modalities.

The training covers:

Pathology or identity? The lens through which we view experiences
What we know and don’t yet know about this overlap
Hypermobility and other physical quirks: some co-occurring physical conditions
The misuse of autism diagnosis, past and present, to undermine LGBTQA+ identity
How neurodivergence might complicate LGBTQA+ experiences and vice versa
Diagnoses: benefits, barriers, and other ways of thinking about neurodivergence
Mental health, harm, trauma and minority stress risk factors

Organised by

Sam Hope

Sam Hope is an experienced trainer who has been working in EDI/Anti-oppressive practice for over a decade. Sam mainly works in third sector, education and offering CPD to therapists as well as being a visiting lecturer on a number of therapist training programmes in the UK. Sam’s background is as an accredited, person-centred therapist with specialisms in trauma, anti-oppressive practice and working with diversity. Sam previously worked in education settings and organisations supporting victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse, but now works as a therapist in private practice alongside their training work. The majority of Sam’s clients are members of the queer/LGBTQA+ community, with a particular focus of their work being multiply marginalised people, including trans, disabled and neurodivergent people.

Sam’s book Person Centred Counselling for Trans and Gender Diverse People is available from Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Sam is trans, queer, ace and non-binary themself as well as autistic, ADHD, and mobility impaired. Sam has been actively involved in community organising and facilitation of supportive LGBTQA+ spaces as well as advocacy work and consultancy.

Feedback from previous training by Sam:

“Excellent trainer, very informative”

“The trainer was very good at gauging the group’s knowledge and needs . . . was adaptive and flexible and so managed to keep the training relevant throughout the day.”

“calm and supportive presence in facilitating the group”

£20 – £30