Working with Bisexual Clients: Foundations and Basic Competencies
Course Overview
A growing number of individuals are coming out as bisexual, or as part of what is generally called the bisexual umbrella that includes other identifiers such as pansexual, omnisexual, or otherwise sexually fluid. Individuals identifying as part of the bisexual umbrella are vulnerable to receiving three messages from society at large: (a) there’s no such thing as bisexuality, (b) you are a confused person who has not yet figured things out, and (c) bisexual people use their sexuality in deviant or manipulative ways. All of these messages carry oppressive cognitions about the self and sense of being in the world that can be explored and discussed as trauma issues. In this course, some of the basic terminology, definitions, and statistics about bisexual mental health are covered to help mental health professionals better get to know this population. The concept of oppressive cognitions as traumatic experiences are discussed, and the ways in which uninformed treatment professionals feed into these shaming cognitions are discussed. Solutions for creating and implementing bi-affirming treatment cultures are also presented.
Learning Outcomes
Upon the completion of this course, the learner should be able to:
- Define bisexuality and the bisexual umbrella using several well-accepted definitions in the LGBTQ+ literature
- Discuss the concept of oppressive cognitions as a trauma issue and explain how such cognitions can complicate recovery for bisexual clients
- Articulate a basic trauma-focused treatment strategy for working with bisexual clients
- Evaluate one’s own personal biases surrounding bisexuality and working with bisexual clients
About the Author/Presenter
Jamie Marich, PhD, is a licensed supervising professional clinical counselor and registered expressive arts therapist with 24 years of experience working in social services and counseling, including three years of civilian humanitarian work in Bosnia-Hercegovina. She has authored numerous books and continuing education offerings on trauma recovery, mindfulness, and other therapeutic modalities. Dr. Marich maintains a clinical practice and online education operation, the Institute for Creative Mindfulness (soon to be the Creative Mindfulness Network) in northeast Ohio. Jamie is also an Interfaith seminarian at the Chaplaincy Institute in Berkeley, CA.
Audience/Accreditations and Approvals
TRC Healthcare/ NetCE
In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by TRC Healthcare/ NetCE. TRC Healthcare/NetCE is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
This course is designed for the following healthcare professions (select your profession for details):
Counselor, Psychology, Social Work
If you require special accommodations, please contact Colibri Healthcare Support by clicking here: Contact Us
