Binaries Are Meant to be Broken
How Non-Dualistic Thinking Can Ground A Gender-Affirming Approach to Care
You know the basics. You use correct pronouns. Maybe you've even updated your intake forms.
But do you know just HOW deep the binary thinking goes in your own mind?
When a genderfluid client seeks hormones but not certain physical changes, do you find yourself questioning their self-knowledge?
When parents mention "social contagion," do you have a framework for responding that goes beyond defensive reassurance?
It's time to examine the binary thinking embedded in our clinical training—
and develop a nondualistic approach that can hold the complexity your clients bring.
The Problem Hiding in Plain Sight
Most clinical training treats gender diversity as an add-on to existing frameworks. We learn to be "inclusive" while unconsciously maintaining binary thinking that was never neutral to begin with.
The gender binary isn't just limiting—it's a colonial construct that systematically erased Indigenous gender diversity worldwide and continues to shape our diagnostic tools, assessment measures, and clinical judgments in ways we rarely examine.
Your trans and gender diverse clients need you to understand this history and its current impact on your practice.
What This Training Reveals
Deconstructing the Binary
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How the gender binary was constructed and why it persists (it's worse than you think)
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The difference between biological sex, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation
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Understanding gender as a spectrum versus a set of categories
A Nondualistic Lens
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Why conventional assessment measures consistently misrepresent transgender clients
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Moving beyond the "gatekeeper" model to informed consent approaches
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Avoiding "trans broken arm syndrome" in your clinical work
Frameworks That Actually Work
- Gender Affirmative Model: Positioning clients as experts of their own gender
- Minority Stress Theory: Understanding the source of psychological distress
- SHARP Framework: Addressing socially-engineered trauma
- Recognizing elements of white supremacy culture in clinical settings
Challenging Your Clinical Biases
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Case scenarios that reveal unconscious binary thinking
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Working with clients whose goals don't fit medical transition narratives
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Supporting youth while addressing family concerns about "social contagion"
Practical Implementation
- Psychological testing considerations for transgender clients
- Creating truly affirming assessment processes
- Balancing evidence-based practice with community wisdom
Who this Training is For
Essential if you:
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Conduct psychological assessments with LGBTQ+ clients
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Write letters for gender-affirming medical care
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Work with transgender youth and their families
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Want to understand the historical context shaping current clinical practice
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Find yourself defaulting to binary thinking despite inclusive intentions
Perfect for:
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Psychologists, therapists, and psychiatric providers
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Clinicians seeking to move beyond surface-level cultural competency
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Providers working in gender-affirming care settings
- Trainees, new employees, and students
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Anyone ready to examine the colonial legacy in their clinical training
What You'll Walk Away With
- Historical literacy about how gender binary became encoded in Western medicine and psychology
- Assessment competency for working with psychological testing and transgender clients
- Clinical frameworks including Gender Affirmative Model and minority stress theory
- Case consultation skills for complex gender-affirming care scenarios
- Self-reflection tools to identify white supremacy culture elements in your own practice
- Practical strategies for moving from gatekeeper to affirming provider
Beyond Cultural Competency to Clinical Excellence
Most gender training focuses on respectful language and basic affirmation.
This training examines the deeper structures shaping clinical practice—the diagnostic frameworks, assessment tools, and underlying assumptions that can either support or undermine your gender-affirming intentions.
Because truly affirming care requires more than good intentions.
It requires understanding how binary thinking has been embedded in our field and developing the clinical skills to practice differently.
Training Details
Format: 60-minute didactic with 20 minutes of Q&A
CE Credits: 1.5 contact hours available for multiple disciplines*
Materials: Assessment guidelines, clinical frameworks, historical resources, case scenarios
*Accredited for Physicians, Psychologists, Social Workers, Nurses, PAs, NPs, Pharmacists, and more
Tuition
Choose Your Option
[Register for Live Training] - Interactive case discussions and real-time consultation
[Get Recording Access] - Self-paced learning with lifetime access to materials
[Explore Complete Curriculum] - 46 AMA PRA Category 1 credits in gender-affirming care
Communities move fast, science moves slowly. Nondualistic, affirming practice requires willingness to practice in the tension between gold standard evidence and what communities are telling us about themselves.
Ready to examine the foundations of your clinical practice?
Training Formats
Live Training + Q&A
Interactive sessions with real-time discussion and personalized responses to your specific practice questions.
On-Demand Access
Self-paced learning with lifetime access to recorded sessions, downloadable materials, and supplemental resources.
Custom Group Training
Tailored professional development for organizations, with content adapted to your specific population and setting.
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