Advance your advocacy and practical skills in providing affirming education or therapy experiences for Transgender, Gender Non-Conforming, Gender Expansive, and Non-Binary (TGNCNB) people and communities.
We are committed to improving and relaunching this training program in 2023. Stay tuned!
Nondegree Training Program
100% Online
Comprehensive training in affirmative services for Transgender, Gender Non-conforming, Gender Expansive and Non-binary (TGNCNB) people still lacks in many professions. Due to this gap in training, TGNCNB communities can struggle to find mental health services and education that fits their needs and affirms who they are.
To address this need, Widener has developed two advanced training programs—one for education professionals and one for mental health providers—to support the TGNCNB community.
In both trainings, you'll grow in your knowledge of Transgender and Gender Expansive identity development, TGNCNB advocacy skills, and practical methods that you can apply to your profession right away.
This program is intended to provide Pennsylvania K-12 education professionals—school counselors, administrators, educators, and other staff—the necessary tools to become gender champions in their schools. The program is specifically tailored to effectively support K–12th grade students throughout the state of Pennsylvania.
In this program, you'll learn from a skilled facilitator with extensive experience in creating affirming learning environments for transgender and gender non-conforming youth. You'll learn how to support individual students in their gender development, implement supportive school policy, and create affirming school and classroom environments.
As part of the program, you can expect to:
The Affirmative Therapy for Transgender Communities Program is a yearlong training designed specifically for mental health providers.
Over the course of the training, you can expect to:
Incorporate training into practice of affirmative therapy and exceptional care for TGNCNB clients
Attend a series of training days either in-person or online. Participants must be available to attend ALL of the listed dates and times in the program they choose (except for the bonus day).
Participate in 30 hours of online group supervision
Receive monthly readings that will build TGNCNB knowledge base and skills
Build community with other TGNCNB affirmative providers
Collaborate on an ever-expanding resource database for TGNCNB affirmative services
Earn social work CEUs, in collaboration with the Center for Social Work Education
Want to take your training to the next level and earn a graduate degree in human sexuality studies? With a variety of specializations, dual degrees, and delivery options, we make it easy to advance your education in human sexuality studies.
Here, you'll find welcoming mentors committed to equity, inclusion, diversity, and social justice. Our instructors are leaders in their field and community and are passionate about generating a dynamic training and supervision program. You'll receive their trainings plus on-going online supervision, which is scheduled at times that are convenient for your schedule.
As you build your affirmative skills, you'll also build community with other TGNCNB-affirmative providers and educators. This network of supportive professionals will be an invaluable resource as you continue to integrate these practices into your workplace.
My passion for this work and excitement to be a part of this program is personally fueled by the many individuals who cannot live their lives as their full selves, to stand up proudly as an example for my young child, and to let many people know that living life as a transgender person is a reality of possibilities; and, professionally fueled by the many providers interested in receiving training so that they may better serve all of their clients/patients and so that someday access to trans-affirming and trans-competent care is no longer a barrier for the millions of transgender and non-binary people across the lifespan in the U.S.
As a trans therapist committed to supporting trans communities, I envision this training to be what I wish I had when I began my career - a combination of foundational information from seasoned therapists and ongoing group supervision to apply new knowledge and skills.
Our admissions and financial aid teams are here to support you every step of the way. Have a question? Ask away!
Note: Affirming Schools participants must work in some aspect of K–12 education in a Pennsylvania school.
The application process will reopen soon.
Because Widener is a private institution, we're able to offer financial assistance that brings our education within reach for individuals who might otherwise not be able to afford it.
You might be surprised how much we are able to offer.
Scholarships have been created to assure that these trainings increase the number of therapists and education professionals who can provide affirming experiences for TGNCNB communities. We especially encourage professionals who are people of color and/or TGNCNB to apply for these scholarships. Clinicians with strong religious affiliations are also encouraged to apply for affirming therapy scholarships.
To apply for a scholarship, please include a 250-word statement along with your application materials sharing your personal connection to the goals of the program and how you plan to use this training in your profession.
Widener University also partners with many local organizations and corporations to offer discounted tuition and other incentives to their employees. Don't see your company on the list? Ask them to become a partner. In addition, employers often offer educational reimbursement benefits. We encourage you to explore these opportunities and will be glad to provide any necessary documentation.
Widener is proud to offer several endowed scholarship opportunities to currently enrolled adult and continuing studies students. These scholarships are awarded by the Center for Graduate & Continuing Studies and made possible through generous donor gifts. And the best part? Unlike loans, scholarship awards are yours to keep without the need to pay them back. Students are also welcome to reapply every year.
Learn more about scholarship and grant opportunities
Hyatt Hall
1 University Place
Chester, PA 19013
501 E 13th Street
501 E. 13th Street
Room 104
