Human sexuality and relationships exist on an incredibly diverse spectrum, and always have, yet professional awareness is only just beginning to address gaps created by a binary, heteronormative cultural imperative. Well-meaning practitioners may be unaware of how toxic messages permeate our erotic and relational imagination and affect our work. This may disproportionately impact trans- clients, who have been taught that both their bodies and experiences are not what they’re “supposed to” be. How can we help trans- clients (and ourselves!) break free from these harmful paradigms?

In this course, we will:

• Learn how to go beyond scripts and deconstruct narratives that negatively impact understanding of trans sexualities

• Re-envision bodies as playgrounds made for experimentation and possibility

• Re-center pleasure as an expansive and invigorating opportunity for gender euphoria.

These concepts will be explored through the lens of surrogate partner therapy, with concrete examples of how they can be woven into commonly utilized exercises.

In addition to a two-hour lecture, there is almost a full hour of exploring these concepts through generative and community-based conversations.

Learning objectives include:

• Understand conceptual frameworks for gender-inclusive and -affirming work with clients, whatever their gender experience or sex characteristics.

• Define the concept of “gender-pleasure” and be able to articulate at least two (2) examples of how “gender-pleasure” might show up in work with trans and non-binary clients.

• Identify concrete tools for supporting clients of all gender experiences and sex characteristics to engage in erotic embodiment.

About the presenter:

Lucie Fielding, PhD, LPC, LMHC (she/they) is a queer, trans misogyny-affected (TMA) femme, and a therapist practicing in Virginia and Washington (on Monacan and unceded Duwamish land, respectively). In addition to being a therapist, Lucie is a sex and kink educator and the author of Trans Sex: Clinical Approaches to Trans Sexualities and Erotic Embodiments (2021), which was named a 2022 Lambda Literary Award finalist (in the Trans-Nonfiction category) and the winner of the 2022 AASECT Book Award (Book for Sexuality Professionals), the 2024 SSTAR Health Professionals Book Award, and the 2024 APA Division 44 Distinguished Book Award. You can find out more about Lucie at https://luciefielding.com or follow her on Instagram (@sexbeyondbinaries) or BlueSky (@sexbeyondbinaries.bsky.social).

This was recorded live on Friday, August 2, 2024.

This training is centering those practicing Surrogate Partner Therapy and other professionals are welcome to attend.

We are offering this training at three levels of financial support. Please choose the level that feels best to you. We are committed to making this training available to all surrogate partner professionals. Please email us at info@embracespt.org if additional support is needed.

Note that we have paid for this presenter to craft this training specifically for us, the surrogate partner therapy community. Your financial support will help cover their fees and any additional fees will help support our mission in diversifying the field of surrogate partner therapy as well as our subsidizing clients needing financial support in participating in surrogate partner therapy. You can learn more about our mission here.

For AASECT CEs, please email embrace@asterpsychotherapy.com