Spokane, WA

Our LCS team includes many 💙 talented & compassionate 💚 people working to improve access to and the practice of behavioral health. Mental Health Clinician Maureen Haeger is one of those people. This spring, along with her advisor Dr. Keely Hope, she co-presented at the National American Counseling Association Conference.

The pair's ongoing qualitative research project is called "Do I Belong? the phenomenon of suicidal ideation in transgender and gender expansive (TGE) young adults."

"We have interviewed several people willing to share their experiences of suicidality. Basically, we know that TGE individuals are at an increased risk of dying by suicide, but we hoped to get some information about what that experience looks like on an individual basis. The ultimate goal of our research would be to help provide more sensitive, nuanced interventions for clinicians. Since many TGE clients first encounter cisgender counselors, we want those clinicians to feel competent and more fully versed in TGE experiences, and able to support those clients without stigma, judgement, or fear (confronting internalized bias!)."

Maureen was kind enough to also share her presentation with our LCS SAFeT Clinical staff during a team meeting.

If you would like to share your story with Maureen and Dr. Hope, please contact khope@ewu.edu

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