Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) Equality
Last September to October 2022, I participated in the Queer Affirmative Counselling Practice facilitated by the Mariwala Health Initiative (MHI). MHI is a grantmaking and advocacy organization for innovative mental health initiatives, with an emphasis on making mental health services more accessible to marginalized people and communities. You can read more about what they do and the other resources that they offer here.
I hoped to become a better ally and a better practitioner in the Philippines when I applied to be part of this workshop.
The Queer Affirmative Counselling Practice was an intensive 6-day workshop where I met a lot of wonderful practitioners from the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Kenya, most especially since we are part of the first international batch. :) It has expanded my knowledge and training, widened my insights about culture, gender, and sexuality, and has affirmed what I think I have already been doing for my clients, counselees, and other service users.
They have developed a wonderful resource book on Queer Affirmative Counselling Practice that can guide practitioners. :) It's free to download here, but you can also support MHI by buying a hard copy of the book.
"Photo Dump: Bidding goodbye to 2023 on a high note for QACP! 🌈 We are delighted to announce the wrap-up of our 1st QACP batch in Philippines! MHI is grateful to the 48 MHPs from University of Philippines who have now completed the course. 🏳️🌈"
Photo and Caption from the Mariwala Health Initiative Twitter account
Last December 11-13 and 15-17, 2023, the Mariwala Health Initiative held its international Queer-Affirmative Counseling Practice Certificate Course at the University of the Philippines Diliman. I'm grateful to have another opportunity to take this certificate course, this time while learning face-to-face with my colleagues from other offices and departments at UP Diliman, as well as other graduate students in Psychology. It's always an honor to learn from our insightful facilitators - Shruti, Gauri, and Pooja. Here's to reaffirming my commitment to being a queer-affirmative mental health practitioner in the Philippines! 🌈