What's Here?

• LGBT Therapist Network:  Steering Committee Updates
• Groups Offered
• Upcoming Events, Classes & Workshops
• Consultation & Referrals Wanted
• Announcements
• Job Possibilities

PLEASE SHARE INFO REGARDING ANY GROUPS, EVENTS or WORKSHOPS!
Submissions due by: Fri., 2/13.
Members are invited to submit notices & announcements!
Do you run a Group? Or know of an upcoming workshop or event
for our clients or us? Know something that other QLGBTA mental
health professionals may also want to know? Please submit it for
the next eNewsletter! See end of eNewsletter for details.

Steering Committee Update:

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!!!

Next Steering Committee Meeting:
All members are welcome to attend!
Friday, February 13, 2009 - date change
12:15-1:30
Agenda: discuss the topic for spring workshop
100 West Franklin Avenue
Minneapolis, MN  55404
(office of Mindy Benowitz, 612.870.0398)
We welcome more help: Irene, Dennis & Mindy


www.LGBTtherapists.org
Check out our updated website and our new web address:
www.LGBTtherapists.org   Find your information and check out other therapists'
information.

Groups Available:

(1) FTM THERAPY GROUP:
8-week therapy group for female-to-male trans people to assist with issues related to transitioning
 
Led by Psychologist Velma Wagner, specialist in transgender issues
 
Why a group?
Many people make deeper progress faster in group therapy than in individual psychotherapy.  Groups provide a safe place to learn and practice new and healthy skills with the opportunity to receive immediate, honest feedback.  Group participation may assist with meeting the Benjamin Standards of Care.
 
Who is eligible for this group?
The group is for individuals who self-identify as transgender or as male and are
in any stage of transition, whether taking hormones or not.  Minimum age is 20. An intake appointment is needed before starting group unless you are currently in therapy and Velma can consult with your therapist.  Insurance can be used to cover cost, or individuals pay a very reasonable fee.
 
Expectations:
Maintain other individuals' confidentiality, commit to attend all 8 sessions and participate by interacting honestly with other group members.
 
 
Meeting time:           5:30 to 7 pm on a weeknight that works for all members
Group Dates:           Begins in February 2009 and runs for 8 weeks
Cost:                          Co-payment or $25 per session for those without insurance
Location:                  4100 Harriet Avenue South, Minneapolis
 
Velma Wagner, M.A., is a Licensed Psychologist in private practice with over 20 years of experience providing therapy to
adults, adolescents, couples, families and groups.  She has worked with transgender people and provided education to
professionals about trans-related issues for 15 years.

For more information & a flyer, contact Velma at 612-877-1436

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(2)  Women Grieving Women:
Support group for death by any cause of same sex partner in the past two years.
Wednesdays, March 4 - April 8
6:30 - 8 pm
Midway location
$90.00 series or sliding fee.

Register with Judy Young, MEd
Grief Counselor
612-262-7026
 
Manager of Spiritual Care, Bereavement & Integrative
Therapy Services
Allina Home Care, Hospice and Palliative Care
1055 Westgate Drive, Suite 100
St. Paul MN 55114
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(3) Women's Coming Out Groups:
Begin in February. 12 weeks. 75 minutes. Evening and daytime.
For flyer and further info:
Irene Greene, MSEd, Psychotherapist
612.874.6442
irenegreene@earthlink.net

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(4) Sexual Abuse Therapy Group for Adult Women Survivors of Trauma:
A couple openings soon.
Group Meets Tuesdays 4:15-5:45pm
Mindy Benowitz, PhD., L.P. 612.870.0398
Irene Greene, MSEd, 612.874.6442
100 West Franklin Avenue
Minneapolis, MN  55404

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(5) New Group: For Male & Female Partners of People with a DID Diagnosis
Starting in February. 10 weeks. 75 minutes
FFI: Irene Greene, MSEd, Psychotherapist
612.874.6442
irenegreene@earthlink.net

Upcoming Events, Classes & Workshops:

(1) FROM THE SMITTEN KITTEN:
The smart sex toy shoppe

SOCIAL GROUP: Sexy Mamas Sunday Mornings  At Smitten Kitten
I'm a new Mom and I invite all of you other new Moms, Moms-to-be, Dads-to-be, partners, grandparents and friends to meet me and my tyke Tommy at The Smitten Kitten before the store opens to the public for some sharing, shopping and mini-workshops like "Sex Ed Refresher for Parents" and "Orgasmic Birth". 
Sunday, February 8th
2nd and 4th Sundays Every Month
10:00am
Everyone Welcome (partners and tots welcome too)

WORKSHOP:  Self-Pleasuring for Women:
Presented by celebrated sex educator, author, film producer, Jamye Waxman.
February 5th at 7pm. $20. RSVP required

WORKSHOP:  Introduction to Sex Toys For Everyday People
The world of sex toys and equipment can be a difficult one to traverse. This workshop will serve as an introduction to the ever-increasing spectrum of toys and their uses, from dildos to vibrators, lubricants to bondage. Bring a partner or friend and a couple of good questions. 
Sunday, February 22nd
7:00pm at Smitten Kitten
FREE

WORKSHOP:  Beware of the Jelly Menace:  Toxic Toys 101
Unknown to many adult toy users, several of the most commonly known sex toys are toxic. 
Many of the mainstream sex toy industry's products are made from unstable, porous jelly rubber. These toys degrade over time, may expose users to harmful substances, are impossible to sanitize, and have been shown to contain carcinogens.  Unfortunately it is not always readily apparent which toys are safe and which are suspect. 
This workshop will cover the environmental and personal health hazards of these toxic toys as well as the vast array of safe alternatives.  This consumer-empowerment workshop is a must attend! 
Sunday, March 15th 7:00pm at Smitten Kitten
FREE

Call 612.721.6088 for more info.
The Smitten Kitten | www.smittenkittenonline.com | 3010 Lyndale Avenue South | Minneapolis | MN | 55408

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(2) Upcoming Events from Rainbow Families:

Rainbow Families Conference 2009:
Registration is now open for the 14th Annual Rainbow Families Conference! Early bird rates apply through February 13, 2009. Special rates are available for E-12 educators, college students and adult volunteers. Sponsorship, vendor and ad purchase opportunities exist, as well.

The Rainbow Families Conference is the premier community building and learning event for current and prospective LGBT parents, their children, family members and friends, area educators and community members.  This incredible conference is a special resource for Minnesota and surrounding states and is the largest of its kind in the nation. Participants enjoy a day of learning and sharing together and also leave with concrete skills and information relevant to their own lives and needs.
Date:  Saturday, April 18, 2009
Where:  Anwatin/Bryn Mawr Schools
256 Upton Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55405

Feb 8: Sunday Film Screening:
Come watch "Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin" with Rainbow Families! A master strategist and tireless activist, Bayard Rustin is best remembered as the organizer of the 1963 March on Washington, one of the largest nonviolent protests ever held in the United States. He brought Gandhi's protest techniques to the American civil rights movement, and helped mold Martin Luther King, Jr. into an international symbol of peace and nonviolence. Despite these achievements, Rustin was silenced, threatened, arrested, beaten, imprisoned and fired from important leadership positions, largely because he was an openly gay man in a fiercely homophobic era.  Five years in the making and the winner of numerous awards, Brother Outsider presents a feature-length documentary portrait, focusing on Rustin's activism for peace, racial equality, economic justice and human rights.
Date:                Sunday, February 8, 2009
Time:               2:00pm-4:00pm
Location:         Community Room at the YWCA Midtown
                         2121 East Lake Street, Minneapolis, MN 5540
Contact:           651-644-4848 x1 or abby.riskin@familyequality.org <mailto:abby.riskin@familyequality.org >  Childcare is not available. The content of this film is best for older children.

 Feb 12: GLBT Family Village
A Collaboration with Harambee Village and Rainbow Families The GLBT Family Village support group provides opportunities for building relationships with other transracial adoptive, foster and kinship families like yours. At monthly gatherings, parents learn strategies to help their children develop positive racial identity and self-esteem while youth explore African American culture with the support of affirming, positive adults. Dates:              February 12, March 12, and April 9, 2009
 Time:               6:00-7:30pm
 Location:         St. Paul Reformation Lutheran Church
                         100 North Oxford Street, St. Paul, MN 55104 Pre-registration is required and registration is limited to ensure adequate staffing for our youth programming. Registration closes two business days before the event. Drop-ins will not be allowed.
 
Registration is free for families who have adopted Minnesota Waiting Children. For all other families, registration is $10 per child, per gathering (we do not charge for adult attendance).  if you are unsure whether you have adopted a Minnesota Waiting Child, or would like more information about our fees. You may register online using our secure server, by coming to our offices in person, or by mailing a registration form (PDF or Word).
 
Facilitator: Mary Ann Bradley and her partner adopted their 7-year-old daughter at 2 weeks old. Being the only European American member of her family, Mary Ann is privileged to experience race through a multitude of rich and varied lenses. Additionally her journey with race and white privilege has been shaped by her work as a family therapist for over 20 years and as the director of an organization that focused on family and individual diversity. 

Contact:           651-644-4848 x1 or abby.riskin@familyequality.org  

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(3) Business Consulting for Private Practice:
Do you think you want to start a private practice but feel overwhelmed? Are you a seasoned professional noticing a decrease in your business? Connie Studer, MA, LAMFT can help you to identify yoru goals and create a plan to make your dreams a reality. When you hire Connie as your business coach you get over 25 years experience in helping businesses grow and be profitable. Connie, like you, is a psychotherapist, who started a private practice (Heteroflexible Therapy, Ltd.) less than 2 years ago and has built it into a profitable business. She understands the unique business and the ethical guidelines you need to consider when marketing your practice.
Call 612.275.1657 or email connie@hftherapy.com to arrange a 30 minute consultation at no charge. You will learn how Connie will work to help you to identify the types of clients you like to work with and then help you to develop a plan to them find you.

Connie Studer, MA, LAMFT
Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist
Heteroflexible Therapy, Ltd
3137 Hennepin Ave South #104
Minneapolis, MN  55408
612.275.1657
connie@hftherapy.com
www.heteroflexibletherapy.com

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 (4) Day of Mindfulness for Clinicians:
Friday, February 27, 2009
830-430pm
Mind Roads Meditation Center,
2046 St. Clair Avenue, St. Paul, 55105
6 CEUs approved.
Therese Jacobs-Stewart,
www.mindroads.com

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(5) Somatic Experiencing Encore!
A Somatic Experiencing® introductory lecture is being offered Thursday, February 19 from 4-7 pm at the Wellstone Center, 179 Robie Street E, St Paul MN. Developed by Dr. Peter A. Levine, author of Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma, Somatic Experiencing® is a naturalistic, body-focused approach to the healing of trauma. It is based on the observation that animals in the wild, though threatened routinely, are rarely traumatized. SE understands that traumatic stress symptoms are often expressions of incomplete survival responses -fight, flight, and freeze-in the lower brain. SE helps people complete these responses and restore their capacity for self-regulation.
The presenter, Dave Berger, MA, MFT, LCMHC, PT, SEP is a SE faculty member from New Hampshire. The cost is $45 and CEU's are available through CABRN, CBBS, and NBCC. Please call MN Training Coordinator, Leigh Ostrander at 952-926-2424 ext 2 for registration and more information.

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(6) WOMYN UNLIMITED MN: FUNDRAISER & SILENT AUCTION:
We are asking you to help us out this year by joining us for an
Evening of Music and Friends Fundraiser/Silent Auction:  
An Evening of Music and Friends 
Friday February 20th, 2009
Plymouth Congregational Church at 1919 LaSalle 
(The corner of Nicollet and Franklin in Mpls.)  
· 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.  
· Music will be provided by local artists  
· Silent Auction  
This is a free social event for LGBT women and friends. 
Donations welcome.  
For those of you who are not familiar with our organization, Womyn Unlimited Minnesota (WUMN) is a Minnesota-based non-profit grassroots philanthropic organization by, of and for diverse community of women.  WUMN is dedicated to providing and facilitating social and networking opportunities around Minnesota.     This is a critical time for WUMN.  In order to keep your organization active and fullfill our mission to women and the LGBT community we need your support.  Additional funds are needed to keep the organization alive and well so we may continue the mission we so love:  returning profits from events to community organizations serving women and/or the LGBT communities of Minnesota.  We need to raise $5,000 to continue our efforts and we will be embracing changes in 2009 for continuing into the future.    
If you require additional information about Womyn Unlimited Minnesota
visit womynunlimitedmn.org online or contact us directly by phone at: 612-250-0119.    
WUMN/Rose Hart, Board Chair 2209 29th Ave. S. Mpls. MN 55406   

Consultation & Referrals Wanted:

(1) I am looking for an LGBT friendly psychiatrist - preferably self identified as part of the community, but not necessarily so for gay couple. One of the two has moderate to severe depression that has benefited in the past from SSRI use, but for a variety of reasons now requires adjustment.  The other has an excessive daytime sleepiness that does not at this point seem related to any underlying mood disorder.  I believe he would benefit from evaluation by a psychiatrist to consider what if any pharmacologic adjustment might be helpful. I would like to give them the name of a psychiatrist (perhaps even call that physician to get some initial thoughts on what we might try).  

If you have recommendations, please contact: Samuel Willis, MD, Family Medicine Physician
http://doctorsam.familydoctors.net <http://doctorsam.familydoctors.net/ >
612.219.9233
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(2) Anyone know any LGBT therapists or therapists who are LGBT sensitive  in the UW-Stout area?
Contact: Irene Greene, 612.874.6442 or irenegreene@earthlink.net

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ANNOUNCEMENTS:

(1) PFUND Scholarships:
Scholarships are available for Outstanding LGBTA Student Leaders from Minnesota or attending school in Minnesota
Application materials must be post-marked by February 1.
Scholarships range from $2,000 - $5,000. Previous recipients and applicants ARE eligible.
Questions about PFund Scholarships should be directed to Alfonso at awenker@PFundOnline.org
Alfonso Wenker
Programs Manager
PFund Foundation
1409 Willow Street, Suite 210
Minneapolis, MN 55403
(612) 870-1806 Office
(612) 871-6587 Fax
www.PFundOnline.org    
awenker@PFundOnline.org

(2) Uptown Office Space:
Full and part-time. Beautiful space, great location, good price, short term lease available, other therapists in the building.
Karen Willette
Kwillette@usinternet.com <mailto:Kwillette@usinternet.com >
   
 

Job Possibilities:
 
Mental Health Therapist:
Exciting independent contractor opportunity. Epona Counseling Center LLC is growing and relocating as part of a larger health and wellness center located in Cambridge. Provide therapy to clients within a supportive environment that offers additional health and wellness services including acupuncture, homeopathy, massage therapy, chiropractic, fitness, yoga, dance, naturopathic physician services, nutrition, corporate health. Referrals, scheduling and billing provided as well as generous personal discounts on health and wellness services. Must be independently licensed, insured and fully credentialed with most major insurance companies. Satellite office located in North Branch. Call Dawn at 612.390.6232 for more information. Looking for flexible, self-directed individual who is interested in growing their practice in an alternative setting.
Dawn Brennan
dawnbrenn@gmail.com <mailto:dawnbrenn@gmail.com >
 

About this eNewsletter:
The MN LGBT Therapist eNewsletter is a free networking tool for members of the
LGBT Therapist Network. All Network members are welcome to contribute to this
grass-roots bi-weekly eNewsletter. Just send your referral question, announcement,
member accomplishment, space available information, event, conference, workshop,
group information, or other pertinent notice to irenegreene@earthlink.net .

The MN LGBT Therapist eNewsletter is sent out every second Tuesday of the month. 
All responses to questions, ads, workshops, etc. should be emailed directly back to
the contact person in the notice. If you want your name added or deleted from the
Network email list, please contact us.  Please note that
if you do decide to delete your email, you will no longer receive general Network
communications, such as event announcements. If you want to become a member of
this organization please visit:  <http://www.LGBTTherapists.org >
Thank you! Irene Greene, MN LGBT Therapist eNewsletter Coordinator