Educating Registered Play Therapists on Transgender and Gender Diverse Youth: Myths & Facts about Gender Affirming Care

**THIS IS EVENT IS NOW SOLD OUT. PLEASE EMAIL TEXASPLAYTHERAPY@GMAIL.COM TO BE ADDED TO OUR WAITLIST. Thank you!**

During this presentation participants will learn about gender dysphoria and the mental health challenges transgender youth experience, the facts about gender affirming care, and why it is considered the standard of care from Dr. Ximena Lopez, the founder of Gender Education and Care, Interdisciplinary Support (GENECIS) program. In this highly interactive and experiential training, participants will also be able to meet a transgender person who underwent gender affirming care from the director during adolescence and will be able to ask questions in an informal interview format. Being able to learn from a medical professional who directly works to provide transgender health care can provide vital education for Registered Play Therapists™ to integrate this information into playrooms with children and families. As part of the work of diversity, being able to collaborate and learn from other treatment providers increases inclusive education for the play therapy community.

This training meets diversity requirements for APT continuing education for the REGISTERED PLAY THERAPIST™ credential. This training meets requirements for 3 live contact training hours. 

APT Approved Provider #99-072

TX LPC CE Provider #257

TX LMFT CE Provider #1030

TX Social Work CE Provider #7602

**Stick around to tour the museum afterwards for an additional $12**

***Please note there is an $8 parking fee at the Museum***

Fees

Chapter Members         $0

Non-chapter members  $25

Schedule

9:00am - 10:30pm      Training

10:30am - 10:45am     Break

10:45am - 12:30pm     Training

**Light breakfast and beverages will be provided.**

Learning Objectives

1. Discuss the concept of gender dysphoria and the mental health challenges transgender youth experience and promote how to conceptualize treatment planning for play therapy clients.

2. Describe 3 facts about gender affirming therapy for transgender youth and how to apply this with play therapy clients and families with this lived experience.

3. Compile the Standard of Care recommendations for starting puberty suppression and hormone therapy in transgender youth and discuss how to use parent consultations to enhance treatment with play therapy clients and families with this lived experience.

4. Watch a video provided by the Holocaust and Human Rights museum about the exhibit of the LGBTQ movement and then return to meet in small groups to discuss how to apply in the playroom and with clients and families led by Vanessa M. Sanford.

About the Speakers

Ximena Lopez, MD

Pronouns: She/her/hers

Founder of the GENder, Education and Care Interdisciplinary Support (GENECIS) program

Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology

University of Texas Southwestern and Children's Medical Center, Dallas TX

Dr. Ximena Lopez is a pediatric endocrinologist and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, TX. Dr. Lopez founded the GENder Education and Care, Interdisciplinary Support (GENECIS) program in 2014 with the aim of providing multidisciplinary affirming care to transgender youth. The GENECIS program successfully grew to become the largest one of its type in the Southwest, with more than 1000 patients seen to date. Dr. Lopez’s research in this field has shown that gender affirming treatment in transgender youth improves mental health. Dr. Lopez is a committee member of the Education and Training Initiative at the World Professional Association for Transgender Health and received the Clinician of the Year Award in 2022 by the Pediatric Endocrine Society.

Vanessa M. Sanford, LPC-S, RPT-S™

Owner of Support System, PLLC

Vanessa M. Sanford is a bilingual therapist and was awarded the 2007 Texas Mental Health

Professional of the Year for Child Advocacy Centers of Texas and has been included in

educational films bringing awareness to child abuse. Vanessa is Licensed Professional

Counselor/Supervisor, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™, and Certified Daring Way

Facilitator based on the research by Brené Brown. Vanessa is EMDR certified and also a

Registered Yoga Instructor. Mrs. Sanford is not a symptom-based therapist and prefers to focus

on core issues of shame resilience, vulnerability, courage, self-trust, and self-worth. Vanessa

incorporates expressive art, music, animals, and media in treatment.  Vanessa’s favorite word is

“integration”. She likes to help her clients move what they know in their head into their heart and

daily life. Vanessa views herself as a student and if you listen to her for 5 minutes, there will be

definite details about what books she is reading, what podcast she is listening to, and of course,

Yoga.

Cancellation/Refund Policy

Please contact texasplaytherapy@gmail.com to cancel your registration and/or request a refund at any time. NTC-TxAPT reserves the right to cancel this training in the event of unforeseen circumstances. If such occurs, NTC-TxAPT will notify registrants prior to the workshop and refund any applicable fees.