It was a long drive up to Framingham Massachusetts to the state's chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) conference, I got there an hour before my workshop so I checked in and went to see where my room was. Everyone was still at the luncheon keynote address so the room was empty, I went back to my car and got my laptop.
I relaxed after I setup my computer waiting for the workshop to begin, I had my typical before class jitters… will there be anyone showing up… will my computer crash… will they hate my presentation… will they…
About fifteen minutes before my workshop began they started to trickle in and in ten minutes the workshop was filled and the volunteer put up the “workshop full” sign on the door. There were about 30 people for my workshop which was, “A Look at the Culture of the Transgender Community,” the NASW Code of Ethics requires all social workers to have cultural training for the communities that they serve.
I had a friend in the audience who is a therapist in the Springfield area and she brought a friend of hers another therapist who is well known for her work in the trans-community in the Boston area and worldwide. No pressure there!
The workshop went off without a hitch; I mixed my presentation with my personnel experiences and anecdotes. One of the anecdotes that I tell is about how trans-people have to come out to family, their family members tend to notice the little things like showing up at a wedding dressed as a woman.
There were other therapists in the audience who had clients who are trans and they helped with the discussion when questions were asked. They asked a number of great questions, one woman asked me about my supervisor style before I transitioned and if I thought it was influenced by me being transgender.
Afterward, I went out to dinner in the hotel restaurant with my friend and the other therapist. Time got away from us and we didn’t leave until around 8:30 so I didn’t pull into my drive until a little after 10.
I relaxed after I setup my computer waiting for the workshop to begin, I had my typical before class jitters… will there be anyone showing up… will my computer crash… will they hate my presentation… will they…
About fifteen minutes before my workshop began they started to trickle in and in ten minutes the workshop was filled and the volunteer put up the “workshop full” sign on the door. There were about 30 people for my workshop which was, “A Look at the Culture of the Transgender Community,” the NASW Code of Ethics requires all social workers to have cultural training for the communities that they serve.
I had a friend in the audience who is a therapist in the Springfield area and she brought a friend of hers another therapist who is well known for her work in the trans-community in the Boston area and worldwide. No pressure there!
The workshop went off without a hitch; I mixed my presentation with my personnel experiences and anecdotes. One of the anecdotes that I tell is about how trans-people have to come out to family, their family members tend to notice the little things like showing up at a wedding dressed as a woman.
There were other therapists in the audience who had clients who are trans and they helped with the discussion when questions were asked. They asked a number of great questions, one woman asked me about my supervisor style before I transitioned and if I thought it was influenced by me being transgender.
Afterward, I went out to dinner in the hotel restaurant with my friend and the other therapist. Time got away from us and we didn’t leave until around 8:30 so I didn’t pull into my drive until a little after 10.
Sounds like a great success! And I still get the jitters when I present to a new group. The first day of school is jitter-city!
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