Adolescent Health Lab

Transforming Connections

An Attachment Based Program to Support Caregivers of Gender Nonconforming and Trans Youth

Transforming Connections is a ten-week program that helps caregivers of gender non-conforming and trans teens (aged 12-18) understand their teens better and strengthen the parent-teen relationship.

Caregivers meet in small groups (10 – 14) with two trained leaders for 1.5 hours.

Each session provides caregivers with an attachment perspective on parent-teen relationships and adolescent development. Caregivers watch role plays, do exercises and learn new strategies to better support their teens.

Who can benefit?

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Gender nonconforming and trans youth may face bullying or stigmatization as a result of living in a predominately gender binary society. Caregivers often worry about their teen’s safety and their future, and this can be a source of immense parental distress and family conflict. Caregivers who are looking to connect with their teens better and learn from one another may benefit from this group. 
Who are the leaders?

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The leaders are two clinical psychology graduate students who have been trained as Connect leaders and have experience working with trans youth and their families. They will receive clinical supervision and support throughout the group. 
Research Component
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We are interested in your feedback which will help shape this program.

Parents and youth are asked to complete questionnaires before and after participating in the group. They are compensated with $25. The research is voluntary and parents can withdrawal at any point without affecting their standing in the group. 

Does this program work?
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Transforming Connections is an adaptation of the Connect Parenting Program. Parents who have completed Connect report that they are better able to understand their teen and have seen positive changes in their relationship with their teen.

Caregivers who participated in the first Transforming Connections group, provided overwhelmingly positive feedback, which was presented at the Biennial Conference for the World Professional Association for Transgender Health. 

 

To see the full research poster with our findings, Click here.

Our next group will be held at the Clinical Psychology Centre at SFU starting in February 2017.

To find out more about the program or to register for one of the upcoming groups, contact Antonia Dangaltcheva. All inquiries and responses are completely confidential.

Contact Information

Phone: 778 782 4720

Email: adangalt@sfu.ca