I am an expert trainer with more than fifteen years of experience presenting to thousands of people at organizations, schools, and companies.

I offer training, presentations, and workshops on a range of topics, including but not limited to:

• Affirming Practice with LGBTQ Individuals
• Affirming Practice with Transgender and Gender Nonconforming People
• Creating Safer Schools for All Students
• Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Diversity in the Workplace
• Group Treatment with Clients with Co-Occurring Disorders
• Harm Reduction Approaches to Substance Abuse Treatment
• LGBTQ-Affirming Substance Abuse Treatment
• Motivational Interviewing
• Trauma-Informed Therapy and Practice
• Thriving as Therapists, Providers, and Helpers

Testimonials

“Aren’s training for mental health and substance use disorder providers was the highest rated training of the year! Aren’s straightforward approach left people feeling more confident in providing affirming treatment with LGBTQ people.” —Maya Doe-Simkins, Heartland Health Outreach

“Best workshop on gender I’ve ever attended!” –participant, “Engendering Inclusion”

“Everything was valuable yet in particular the interactive exercises and the level of comfort and intimacy that Aren created in the first few minutes…Aren creates a warm and welcoming atmosphere and navigates this sensitive topic very smoothly.” — participant, “Engendering Inclusion”

Recent Workshops and Presentations

“Microaggressions & Gender Identity: Preventing, ‘Seeing,’ and Responding to ‘Invisible’ Injuries in Treatment & Supervision,” EFT Supervisors’ Retreat, ICEEFT, Oakland, CA, August 2018.

“Trauma-Informed Substance Abuse Treatment with LGBTQ People,” co-presented with Destinee Moore, Chicago, IL, March 2017.

“Enhanced Clinical Practice for Gender-Affirming Surgery,” co-presented with Jacqueline Boyd, Chicago, IL, January 2017.

“Providing Affirming Healthcare to LGBTQ Patients,” co-presented with Imani Rupert-Gordon, Chicago, IL, January 2017.

“Trauma-Informed Substance Abuse Treatment with LGBTQ People,” Decatur, IL, April 2016.

“Engendering Inclusion: Providing Affirming Services to Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Adults,” Professional Development Program at the University of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration, Chicago, IL, March 2016.

“Building Transgender Cultural Competency into Graduate Social Work Education,” University of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration, Chicago, IL, February 2016.

“Group Treatment with Clients with Co-Occurring Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders,” Mount Vernon, IL, February 2016.

“Gender Diversity in Schools: What Every Educator Needs to Know,” Grant High School, Fox Lake, IL, January 2016.

“Toward Affirmation and Inclusion: A Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Practice Model,” co-presented with Bonn Wade, LCSW at UCAN, December 2015.

Upcoming Workshops and Presentations

There are no upcoming workshops or presentations scheduled at the moment.

If you would like to talk more about a possible workshop, presentation, or training project, please contact me or call me at (773) 263-4168.