Car Talk
Workshop Description
Many parents are uncomfortable with what feels like a daunting prospect—talking to their kids about difficult or personal subjects—and parents of trans youth perhaps more so. How can you as a parent or guardian broach these tentative topics? This session’s title references just one of the ways to engage a youth in meaningful dialogue. After all, escape is difficult when the vehicle is moving! In this workshop, we will discuss and practice techniques for communicating with a child and become more familiar with the possibilities of “car talk.”
Conference Track
Family
Primary Contact
Workshop Presenters
Aydin Olson-Kennedy, MSW, Los Angles Gender Center
Presenter Bio
Aydin Olson-Kennedy, MSW, is the executive director of the Los Angeles Gender Center where he provides therapy for gender-nonconforming and transgender youth, adults, and their families. He has spoken internationally on the importance of an informed-consent model of care, identifying and acknowledging domains of privilege and broadening clinicians and families understanding of gender dysphoria and its impact on the psychosocial well-being of gender-nonconforming and transgender individuals.
Susan P Landon, LMFT
Presenter Bio
As director of the Child and Adolescent Program at the Los Angeles Gender Center, Susan Landon, LMFT, has been providing counseling for individuals, couples, children, and families in Santa Monica, California, for the past 30 years. She is a member of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH). Susan speaks around the country about mental health therapy with gender-nonconforming children and adolescents, as well as facilitating a large parent and youth support group in Los Angeles.