Special Guest Li Brookens from the Umbrella Collective.
“Centering Diverse Genders and Sexualities in Brave Spaces: An Experiential Workshop”
What diverse gender and sexuality voices are heard at the table? Which ones are less so? How can we make Brave Spaces in our homes and at work to create a more inclusive atmosphere? In this experiential workshop, participants will be invited to consider and experience the topic of diverse gender and sexualities, inclusion, and equity within their professional and personal lives. This engaging workshop will begin with a short introduction of the speaker and a short instruction on inclusive terms as well as practical skills in navigating sexuality and gender diversity in professional and personal contexts. The group will then transition into an experiential group (participation is optional!) where participants will be invited to explore with each other what it might be like to center gender and sexuality margins at home and/or at work. The workshop will end with a short didactic discussion and a question and answer period.
Facilitator Bio:
Li Brookens, LCSW, CGP, WPATH GEI SOC7 Certified Member
Pronouns: they/them
Founder, Clinical Director, Umbrella Collective in Boulder, CO
Li Brookens is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Certified Group Psychotherapist (CGP), WPATH GEI SOC7 Certified Member, and a Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Consultant providing professional consultation and psychotherapy to individuals, families, and groups in private practice. Li is out personally and professionally as a trans, nonbinary, 2nd generation white-passing Latinx, able-bodied person.
Li founded the Umbrella Collective, a private group practice in Boulder CO, which came out of a personal and professional need to visibly see more affirming AND knowledgeable queer/trans therapists in the psychotherapy world. As someone who has both privileged and oppressed identities, navigating systems of oppression without a systems-oriented, liberation therapist or organization behind you can feel daunting, it did for Li. Li utilizes multiple therapeutic approaches in their work with each client. They are particularly concerned with working to understand what clients might experience as repetitive negative patterns and looking for ways to interrupt those patterns together. Li is highly client-centered and always wants to know what is most helpful and effective, as well as what is not helpful or ineffective with each unique person they engage with in the work. Whether in an individual or group session, Li is watching for somatic (body) signals that a person may be having an emotional experience and helps clients put words to that experience.
The general meetings at the Eisenhower Room at the Mamie Dowd Library (Broomfield Library) are open to the public to learn about PFLAG Broomfield, featuring event updates, participation in the community, and usually features a speaker or organization of interest in the LGBTQIA+ Community.
We will be setting up the room and visiting from 2:30 – 3pm. The speaker will be there from 3 – 4pm. Then we breakdown the room and visit some more from 4 – 4:30pm.