Queer Bodies in Psychotherapy Conference October 17, 2008

Public Programs at CIIS presents this groundbereaking conference as part of a wide range of programs that spark inspiration and dialogue on a variety of important issues. Queer Bodies in Psychotherapy calls attention to queer sexualities, identities, and practices that are inadequately addressed in both psychodynamic and somatic psychologies.

Work with queer populations has been undertheorized, undersupervised, and underdeveloped in both talk therapy and body-oriented psychotherapies. This conference will question and explore ideas concerning how queer sexualities, identities, and lifestyles can be imagined, held, facilitated, and explored in various educational and therapeutic contexts.

The Queer Bodies in Psychotherapy Conference is an opportunity for LGBTQI and straight therapists, queer theorists, somatic therapists and practitioners, members of various queer communities, scholars, activists, and educators to surface questions, develop theories, share case examples, and explore best practices in this emerging field. The Somatic Psychology Department at CIIS is organizing this conference as part of our ongoing commitment to exploring issues of embodied difference, marginalization, and the sociocultural understandings of somatic formation.

The conference, which begins with a special performance of "Sex/Body/Self" by Tim Miller and culminates with a keynote address, "Show Me Your ID," by poet and activist Jewelle Gomez, will feature more than 20 workshops and lectures, including topics that address cultural meanings of gender and sexuality, HIV/AIDS across queer generations, queer parenting/families, as well as the healing potential of BDSM.

The conference is cosponsored by CUAV - Community United Against Violence; Jewish Mosiac: The National Center for Gender and Sexual Diversity; Maia Midwifery and Preconception Services; New Leaf: Services for our Community; Pacific Center; The Psychotherapy Institutute; Women's Therapy Center; and Visual Aid.

$225 for Conference; $25 for Tim Miller Performance (Limited Number of Tickets Available).

Official Website: http://www.ciis.edu/publicprograms/fall08/queerbodies.html