The current social and political discourse in the United States is
causing high levels of distress for many Transgender and Gender-Diverse individuals. These clients need Gender-Affirming care. To provide culturally Competent care to TGD clients requires more than just being personally affirming; therapists need to provide solid trauma-informed care in an affirming environment.
This 4-hour workshop provides therapists with practical strategies and a framework for delivering affirming care to transgender clients. This course targets social workers and other clinicians who are interested in expanding their knowledge and cultural competency on the topic of gender diversity. This course was presented live on May 11, 2025, and this is the recording of that presentation. 

$5 from every paid course donated to a trans charity. 


Program Goal
Attendees will learn about intersectionality, barriers to care, and therapeutic approaches that foster trust, safety, and empowerment for Transgender and Gender-Diverse Clients.  

Learning Objectives


1. Examine the impact of unconscious biases on interactions with transgender clients by reflecting on personal experiences.

2. Describe three healthcare and social barriers faced by transgender individuals.

3. Apply affirming care principles to create an inclusive therapeutic environment.

4. Identify strategies for addressing the unique challenges faced by Transgender and Gender-Diverse older adults by integrating knowledge of intersectionality and minority stress.

5. Describe at least three ways affirming care improves therapeutic outcomes for transgender and gender-diverse clients.

Outline of Class

1. Foundations and Unconscious Bias
2. Best Practices For Affirming Care
3. Understanding Barriers to Care for Transgender Clients
4. Intersectionality
Neurodiversity
Older TGD Clients
Minority Stress
5. Therapeutic Approaches for Trauma-Informed-Affirming Care
Additional Affirming Care Principles
Case Example

CE Information


This activity is approved for professional continuing education by:
Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program Foundations of Gender-Affirming Therapy: A Workshop for Therapists  # 6361 is approved by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program to be offered by Cathy Hanville, LCSW, as an individual course. Individual courses, not providers, are approved at the course level. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may accepted for continuing education credit.
ACE course approval period: 7/2/25-7/2/27.
Social workers completing this course receive 4 clinical continuing education credits.
ASWB is accepted widely for Social Workers, but you must verifythat your specific license accepts this approval. This is a course-specific approval for those who live in NJ.
You must watch the entire course and fill out the evaluation and pass the post-test with a 75% grade to get CE's.  

Course curriculum

    1. Introduction to Course

    2. Course Handouts

    3. Course Video

    1. Evaluation-Foundations of Gender-Affirming Therapy

    2. Post Test-Foundations of Gender-Affirming Therapy

About this course

  • $75.00
  • 5 lessons
  • 4 hours of video content

Cathy Hanville, LCSW

Cathy Hanville, LCSW

Cathy Hanville, LCSW (They/She) They have been in private practice since 2001. First in San Francisco, then the East Bay, and now both in CA and PA, where they now live. They identify as Gender Queer and Neurodivergent (ADHD). They have a passion for teaching others to do their best work with Queer, Trans, Gender-Diverse, and Neurodivergent clients.

Cathy Hanville, LCSW

Cathy Hanville, LCSW (They/She) They have been in private practice since 2001. First in San Francisco, then the East Bay, and now both in CA and PA, where they now live. They identify as Gender Queer and Neurodivergent (ADHD). They have a passion for teaching others to do their best work with Queer, Trans, Gender-Diverse, and Neurodivergent clients.

Let’s make affirmation the baseline, not the bonus.-Its time to go beyond good intentions

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