Understanding and responding to intimate partner violence and abuse in the lives of lesbians, gay men, bisexual and transgender individuals and couples

Workshop Two Focus: 

This workshop will consider the nature of violence and abuse within same-sex, bi-sex and transgender couple relationships.

Attention will also be focused on the incidence of abuse within this population as well as an examination of sexual abuse. Sexual violence is an important concern for individuals and communities who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (Heintz & Melendez, 2006).

The presenter will endeavour to challenge the dominance of a heteronormative and cis-gender model of thinking when addressing violence and abuse with gender and sexual diversities.

Particular attention will be focused on working with difference and the process of ‘othering’ to help clinicians reflect on their own experience of working with same-sex, bi and transgender relationships.

Composite and anonymised cases examples will be utilised throughout and there will be opportunities for attendees to share their own experiences of working with gender and sexual diversities as part of the shared learning.

Note: Expect an interactive format with opportunities for reflection and  break out rooms for deeper discussions. You can register for either workshop individually; there is no requirement to attend Workshop one before Workshop two. 

About the Speaker

Dr. Damian McCann, D.Sys.Psych, is a consultant family and systemic psychotherapist with many years of experience working with children, adolescents and their families within a CAMHS setting. He is also a psychoanalytic couple psychotherapist formerly working at Tavistock Relationships, London, adjunct faculty member of the International Psychotherapy Institute (IPI), Washington, DC, and an editorial board member of Couple and Family Psychoanalysis. His doctoral research was concerned with understanding the meaning and impact of violence in the couple relationships of gay men and he is involved in developing approaches to working with couples more generally in which there is violence and abuse. His edited book ‘Same-Sex Couples and Other Identities: Psychoanalytic Perspectives’ was published by Routledge in 2021 and his co-edited book with Kate Thompson entitled ‘Couples as Parents: Explorations in Couple Psychotherapy’ was published this year by Routledge.

• AFT Member £45
• Non-Member £60  
• AFT Student Members £30