Foundations of Psychodynamic Practice with LGBTQ+ Clients
Program Overview
The Post-Graduate Clinical Certificate in Foundations of Psychodynamic Practice with LGBTQ+ Clients provides foundational psychodynamic training for clinicians working with lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, and 2-Spirit clients across diverse practice settings. The certificate integrates core psychodynamic concepts with LGBTQ+-affirmative and anti-oppressive frameworks to support ethical, relational, and culturally responsive clinical care.
The program explores how identity development, minority stress, trauma, family systems, intimacy, and sociopolitical context shape the inner worlds and relational patterns of LGBTQ+ clients. Emphasis is placed on developing comfort with psychodynamic processes such as the unconscious, transference, countertransference, attachment, and defense mechanisms while centering queer and trans lived experience.
Program Structure
Total Modules: 10
Total Instructional Hours: 50 CE hours
Format: Fully online, asynchronous
Estimated Duration: 6–9 months (self-paced)
Assessment Model: 100% auto-graded interactive assessments
Delivery Platform: Thinkific with H5P interactivity and Motrain gamification
Each module is equivalent to 5 CE hours and includes structured learning activities, applied case material, reflective exercises, and auto-graded assessments.
Intended Audience
This certificate is designed for:
Registered social workers and clinical social work practitioners
Psychotherapists, counsellors, and mental health clinicians
Practitioners working in community, healthcare, school-based, or private practice settings
Clinicians seeking foundational psychodynamic training specific to LGBTQ+ affirmative practice
Graduate-level clinical training or equivalent professional experience is expected. Prior psychodynamic training is not required.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the certificate, participants will be able to:
Apply core psychodynamic concepts (the unconscious, attachment, transference, countertransference) in work with LGBTQ+ clients.
Recognize how minority stress, stigma, and systemic oppression shape internal experience and relational dynamics.
Support clients navigating identity development, disclosure, and family or community relationships.
Identify and work with shame, guilt, and internalized oppression in clinical contexts.
Use culturally attuned, LGBTQ+-affirmative psychodynamic formulations to guide intervention.
Reflect on therapist positionality, bias, and countertransference when working with LGBTQ+ clients.
Curriculum Outline
Goal: Build foundational competence in psychodynamic theory while centering LGBTQ+ identities, histories, and clinical realities.
Module 1: Orientation and Contemporary Psychoanalysis
Module 2: Core Psychodynamic Concepts I: The Unconscious and Defenses
Module 3: Identity Development and Intersectionality
Module 4: Psychodynamic Concepts II: Attachment, Enactment, and Shame
Module 5: Psychodynamic Interviewing and Early Sessions
Module 6: Cultural and Political Contexts of LGBTQ+ Lives
Module 7: Sexuality, Intimacy, and Desire
Module 8: Families, Generations, and Lifespan Perspectives
Module 9: Therapist Self and Countertransference
Module 10: Integration and Ethical Practice
Estimated Hours: 50 CE hours
Learning Activities & Time-on-Task (Per Module)
Each 5-CE-hour module includes:
On-Screen Learning (2.0 hrs): Conceptual lectures, clinical illustrations, and applied examples
Guided Reflection (1.0 hr): Structured prompts connecting theory to participants’ clinical work
Interactive Application (1.0 hr): Case-based scenarios and decision-making pathways
Assessment (1.0 hr): Auto-graded quizzes or applied knowledge checks
All instructional and assessment activities are completed within the learning platform and count toward CE credit.
Assessment & Certification Requirements
To earn the certificate, learners must:
Complete all 10 modules
Achieve passing scores on auto-graded assessments
Complete required reflective and interactive activities
There are no written papers, oral exams, or live attendance requirements. Progress is tracked digitally through the learning platform.
Accessibility & Learning Design
The program is designed to meet accessibility and inclusion standards:
Captioned videos and downloadable transcripts
Plain-language instructional materials
Trauma-informed framing and content warnings where appropriate
Flexible pacing to accommodate diverse learning needs
Continuing Education & Ethical Scope
This certificate aligns with continuing education standards for clinical social work and allied mental health professions. Content focuses on clinical practice, ethics, and culturally responsive care.
The program does not include generic wellness coaching, business development, or advanced sex therapy training.
Certificate Award
Upon successful completion, participants receive a Post-Graduate Clinical Certificate in Foundations of Psychodynamic Practice with LGBTQ+ Clients indicating 50 CE hours earned. This certificate may be used for continuing education documentation, professional development portfolios, and post-graduate training records, subject to jurisdictional requirements.
