"Born Perfect: Recruitment for the Second Survivor 'Conversion Therapy' Mental Support Group"
Has you ever experienced discrimination and violence
simply because of their sexual orientation, bisexuality, or transgender identity?
Has you ever voluntarily or involuntarily tried to become "normal"
by receiving various types of counseling, training, or therapy
with the goal of changing their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression?
If you feels upset, confused, and anxious because of these experiences and cannot confide in or receive support from others, then come join our "Born Perfect" support group! This group is formed by individuals with similar experiences and is led by professional psychological counselors.
We, as sexual/gender minority groups, have been indoctrinated with the belief that we are "sick," "defective," "evil," or somehow "abnormal" and that we need some form of "treatment." Some organizations and individuals claim to be able to provide "correction" to profit from it, and such practices are known as "conversion therapy." Common forms of conversion therapy include psychological counseling, medical treatment, religious activities, internet addiction rehabilitation schools, superstitious/witchcraft activities, and so on. These so-called therapies have not only been found to be ineffective by the World Health Organization, but they often cause profound harm to the individuals involved. More and more providers of "conversion therapy" are being punished by the law. In December 2014, the Haidian District People's Court in Beijing ruled that the provision of "conversion therapy" by an organization was illegal and ordered it to apologize to the plaintiff and pay compensation. In June 2016, a man in Zhumadian City, Henan Province, sued a local hospital for forcing him to undergo "conversion therapy." The court ruled that the hospital publicly apologize and compensate him. We are willing to provide psychological support and healing to those who have been harmed by "conversion therapy."
In March 2022, we launched the first survivor support group for "conversion therapy," allowing survivors to establish connections and share their stories in a safe environment. The evaluation results showed that the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) index of the participants decreased by an average of 51%. Participants also said that "effective support helped them successfully overcome difficult times" and "they gained growth and change." In the second half of the year, we will once again recruit and provide a space for those who need to confide in and receive support from other "conversion therapy" survivors.
Tingting
Meet our counselor
TingTing is a feminist counselor who holds a bachelor's degree in sociology from Wuhan University (with a double degree in psychology from Huazhong Normal University) and a master's degree in anthropology from the University of London, where she also received a postgraduate certificate in humanistic and psychodynamic counseling. She is a member of the Clinical Psychology and Supervision Committee of the Guangdong Psychological Society, a certified facilitator for the Death Cafe, a sex and intimacy counselor, and a second-level national psychological counselor (certificate number: 1817000008213806).
She has extensive cognitive, research, and practical training experience in gender, feminism, LGBT, sex, and intimacy-related issues. Since 2021, she has been providing training and sharing on gender/sexual minorities and feminist psychology for groups such as psychological counselors and social workers. Since 2018, she has been practicing as a psychological counselor, providing one-on-one fee-based counseling for about 1000 hours and leading group sessions for over 100 hours. She has led support groups for sexual assault survivors, LGBT growth groups, "conversion therapy" survivor support groups, and Owen's interpersonal group. She has over 200 hours of experience in psychodynamic therapy and nearly 400 hours of individual and group supervision experience. She is a multicultural and feminist-oriented psychological counselor, a growing psychological supervisor, and an advocate for gender and sexual minority issues.
Group Goals：
1. To provide a safe environment for survivors to share their stories and connect with each other.
2.To establish connections and support among survivors, fostering more supportive interpersonal relationships.
3.To obtain healing and support from the trauma of "conversion therapy."
4.To increase survivors' self-esteem and self-confidence, helping them to accept themselves more fully.
5.To learn trauma-related knowledge and skills in the group, to help regulate and cope with emotions.
What can be gained from this experience?
"By participating in the weekly two-hour group sessions, you will be able to:
1.Establish connections with individuals who have gone through similar experiences in a safe environment, where they can receive support and be heard.
2.Reflect on and organize their past experiences, leading to increased self-affirmation.
3.Gain knowledge and coping skills related to trauma, which will aid in accepting oneself and past experiences.
4.Through group work, engage in a process of healing and restoration from psychological trauma caused by societal pressures such as "conversion therapy" and discrimination based on sexual orientation/gender identity."
Activity Schedule:
Group Size: 4-8 people
Eligibility: Individuals who have undergone "conversion therapy" with a desire to participate in the group for the purpose of self-growth and healing, and who can commit to attending the sessions regularly.
Format: Online meetings via the Tencent Meeting app. Members are expected to have their cameras on throughout the duration of the meetings.
Time:
The group will commence in May and meet every Tuesday from 7:00-9:00 pm for a total of 8 weeks.
Deposit:
A deposit of 300 yuan is required, which will be refunded in full upon completion of all sessions.
Registration:
Add the assistant's WeChat account → Fill out the registration form → Schedule an interview with the assistant → Confirm registration → Pay the fee in full (non-refundable if the member decides to withdraw from the group).
*If you have any questions, please add the assistant's WeChat account: jmchannel33