MARGINI coalition Skopje and TransFormA are announcing a call for psychologists, psychiatrists, counselors or psychotherapists to participate in a one-day workshop on professional work with transgender and gender-different individuals. The aim of the workshop is to increase the knowledge and sensitivity of psychologists, counsellors, psychotherapists and psychiatrists when working with and offering professional services to transgender and gender diverse individuals.

The one-day workshop will offer information related to ICD and DSM classifications, provide an overview of international professional standards for care of transgender and gender diverse individuals, and outline the role of mental health professionals working with transgender and gender diverse individuals. Additionally, within the framework of the workshop, participants will learn about the criteria and procedures for assessment and referral for gender confirmation treatments, will discuss issues related to cultural and professional competence, and will acquire guidelines for good and inclusive practices.

The workshop will be held on March 16, 2024, in Skopje, and will be led by Dr. Thea Dakić, from Podgorica, Montenegro.

Professional collaborators in the preparation of the workshop are Ana Blaževa and Radmila Zivanović, licensed psychologists in private practice.

Participation in the workshop is free, and participants will receive a Certificate for participation in professional training.

The workshop envisages the participation of a maximum of 15 people.

*We note that if there is a significant interest in participating in the workshop, the MARGINI Coalition announces the possibility of possibly organizing another workshop, which would enable the participation of all those interested.

Interested participants should apply by sending an e-mail to koalijaszpmz@gmail.com, in which they will submit their short or detailed biography, and a letter of interest no later than 25.02.2024.

*We encourage candidates to indicate in the letter of interest specific issues, problems and aspects related to the topic of the workshop that are of interest to them, which would be taken into account in the final definition of the content of the workshop.

After the workshop, the organizers in cooperation with Dr. Thea Dakić will also organize supervisory group meetings regarding the work with transgender persons, for those participants who will have an additional need for them.

For all interested candidates outside Skopje, the MARGINI Coalition and TransFormA will provide coverage of travel expenses from the place of residence to Skopje and back, as well as the possibility of max. 5 people for accommodation.

Tea Dakić is a doctor, specialist in psychiatry and master of science in bioethics, with a history of more than 10 years of dedicated work in medical practice and in the field of human rights. She worked closely with local and regional non-governmental organizations. He has also worked as an educator for other professionals who work with LGBTIQ people and especially with transgender people. Through both her clinical and activist work, she advocates publicly and in professional circles for the depathologization of transgender identities and criticizes regional professional practices that do not conform to the highest ethical and professional standards of transgender care. She is one of the authors of the publication “Medical Aspects of Gender Affirmation: A Guide for Medical Professionals and Health Professionals to Provide Services and Support to Trans People in the Transition Process”, authoring a chapter on “The Transition Process for Gender Nonconforming and Transgender People – Perspective of psychiatry”, which was the first of its kind in our region. She is also the author of a publication on “Good practice guidelines for professionals providing psychosocial support to transgender people experiencing violence and harassment”. He has published many papers and research findings in the field of psychiatry and bioethics in professional academic journals, as well as in governmental and non-governmental publications. He currently works as the head of the Department of Partial Hospitalization at the Psychiatry Clinic, Clinical Center of Montenegro. He also works as the president of the Commission for Ethical Issues and Deontology at the Medical Chamber of Montenegro. More at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tea-dakic-898a3714a/

*** The workshop is part of the projects of the Margini Coalition and TransFormA, financially supported by the Open Society Foundation – Macedonia and the ITF – International Trans Fund.