Sacred Healing

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Alex Iantaffi, PhD, MS, SEP, CST, CST-S, LMFT Related seminars and products

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Alex Iantaffi, PhD, MS, SEP, CST, CST-S, LMFT (they/he/lui) is a family therapist, WPATH certified gender specialist, AASECT certified sex therapist, Somatic Experiencing® practitioner, clinical supervisor and author. Alex is a founding member and past chair of the Trans and Queer Interest Network of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) and current president of the Minnesota Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (MAMFT). They have researched, presented and published extensively on gender, disability, sexuality, relationships, and HIV. They are a transmasculine, nonbinary, bi-queer, polyamorous, disabled, Italian immigrant and parent who has been living on Dakota and Anishinaabe territories, currently known as Minnesota since 2008. Alex is the author of award-winning book Gender Trauma: Healing Cultural, Social, and Historical Gendered Trauma and co-author of the books How to Understand Your Gender: A Practical Guide for Exploring Who You Are, Life Isn’t Binary, How to Understand Your Sexuality, and Hell Yeah Self-Care: A Trauma-Informed Workbook. They also host the podcast Gender Stories. You can find out more about them at www.alexiantaffi.com or follow them on Twitter and Instagram @xtaffi.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Alex Iantaffi is the co-owner of Edges Wellness Center LLC and Kinship LLC and has employment relationships with Pink Therapy and the Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca. They receive royalties as a published author. Dr. Iantaffi receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. They have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Alex Iantaffi is a member of the American Association for the Marriage and Family Therapy, the American Association of Sexuality Educators Counselors & Therapists, and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health.

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Objectives

1. Understand the importance of addressing spirituality when working with trans and queer clients.
2. Identify ways in which they can introduce the topic of spirituality as part of queer and trans attuned care.
3. List examples of spiritual practices that might increase the psychosocial wellbeing of trans and queer clients.

Outline

Introduction

• Brief framing of spirituality in queer and trans care
• Common emphasis on religious trauma and why this lens, while vital, can be limiting
• Invitation to consider spirituality as a source of healing, resilience, and belonging

Understanding the Role of Spirituality

• Differentiating between religion and spirituality in clinical contexts
• The dual impact; trauma vs. healing potential
• Why affirming spirituality matters for psychosocial wellbeing in queer and trans clients

Queer and Trans Pathways to Spiritual Healing

• Personal and collective experiences of reclaiming spirituality
• Sources of cultural belonging and affirmation through spiritual practice
• Examples  from a range of traditions and communities

Clinical Applications

• How clinicians can sensitively introduce spirituality in attuned care
• Strategies for navigating conversations without imposing beliefs
• Identifying and supporting client-led exploration of spiritual resources

Examples of Practices that Promote Wellbeing

• Rituals, meditation, and mindfulness
• Community-based or ancestral practices
• Creative, embodied, and nature-based practices

Implications for Practice

• Moving from trauma-only to holistic frameworks
• Supporting integration of spirituality into therapeutic goals
• Enhancing resilience, identity affirmation, and connectedness

Conclusion

• Reaffirming the importance of honoring spirituality in queer and trans attuned care
• Key takeaways for clinicians
• Call to action: widening the lens of care to include spirituality as a healing pathway

Target Audience

• Counselors
• Social Workers
• Marriage & Family Therapists
• Psychologists
• Psychotherapists
• Case Managers
• Physicians
• Mental Health Professionals