Filipino psychologists and counselors participated in a two-day national training workshop on how to conduct public education and advocacy sessions dubbed “LGBT Psych 101”. The workshop, the first of its kind in the Philippines, was organized by the Arcus Project, an initiative of the Psychological Association of the Philippines (PAP), with support from the Arcus Foundation.
Eighteen participants from Metro Manila, Cavite, Cebu, Dumaguete, Palawan, Davao and Pangasinan learned fundamental concepts of sexual orientation, gender identity, LGBT human rights, and minority stress and LGBT well-being in Day 1 of the workshop. Day 2 covered skills in preparing for an LGBT Psych 101 session, lecturing and facilitating active learning exercises, using the PAP’s (2011) landmark nondiscrimination policy in advocacy, evaluating outcomes, and handling difficult audiences, dissent, and disclosure. A highlight of the workshop was a special panel discussion on Filipino LGBT life, love, and coming out with invited friends from the Filipino LGBT community.
The overall aim of the training was to build of pool of talent – Filipino psychologists and counselors – who are committed to carrying out PAP’s (2011) LGBT-affirmative policy and have fundamental knowledge, skills, and value awareness for conducting reach-out and advocacy in the form of LGBT Psych 101 education sessions.
Attendees of the workshop concluded their participation by making a commitment to conduct at least two LGBT Psych 101s in their respective institutions and with community partners within the next six months.
Co-organizing the event were the Ateneo de Manila University Social Psychology Action Research Laboratory and the University of the Philippines Center for Women’s Studies.
