SAYFTEE

Reviewer: Melissa MacNish Nishman (she/her/hers), co-director and founder of SAYFTEE

Written by two clinicians who specialize in disordered eating, this book provides a basic 101 for working with transgender and gender diverse communities while also weaving in information about body image and disordered eating. The book provides case studies, reflective questions and useful tips to support gender diverse clients with body image issues and/or disordered eating.

Reviewer: Helen Staab (she/her/hers), LICSW at SAYFTEE

This is a comprehensive resource that serves as a good starting point for clinicians wanting to learn more about gender affirming therapy. Each chapter ends with questions both for the clinician to use with their client as well as for the clinician’s own self reflection.

Reviewer: Jessica Kant (she/her/hers), LICSW and MPH at SAYFTEE

Among the absolute mess of homonormative and cis-centric therapy texts, Tilsen’s Therapeutic Conversations is an absolute revelation. First offering a rich introduction to Post-Structural theory and Narrative practice, Tilsen moves on to explore the worlds of those who traditional LGBT organizations most-often leave out of the conversation. Instead of simply relying on her own queer identity, Tilsen draws on the expert local knowledge of “The Q-Squad”, five queer youth who serve as cultural consultants for the book. As an act of truly embodied Narrative practice, Tilsen invites Q-squad members to reflect on each chapter, to share their stories and offer insights and nuance.

Absolutely prescient during today’s anti-trans assaults, Tilsen’s analysis of the role of assimilationist discourse in LGBT movement history offers a true roadmap for understanding the schisms that exist in the community today, and the complicity these harmful narratives have in upholding anti-queer hegemony.

For years I have been searching for a text for my family therapy students wishing to work with LGBT/queer youth, and this is the first text on actual clinical practice that I can enthusiastically and wholeheartedly recommend. Therapists, especially therapists who identify not as community members but as allies: read this book. A follow-up, Queering your Therapy Practice (2021) will be out soon and is available for pre-order.

Bonus: have you been looking for a way to name, deconstruct and challenge the oppressive messages in Harry Potter (let alone the racist, sexist and transphobic views of its author)? Read page 91.

Reviewer: Nic Wildes (they/them/theirs), LMHC and co-director of SAYFTEE

This conversational style book uses a trauma informed lens to invite the reader to reframe how we think about people’s actions and behavior. When we begin to shift away from “what’s wrong with you? “ to “what happened to you?” we can access more openness and curiosity for ourselves and each other. From this more gentle and compassionate stance healing becomes possible.

Reviewer: Haeden Peaslee (they/them/theirs), LMHC at SAYFTEE

This is a workbook designed for teens using ACT (acceptance and commitment therapy) principles. I appreciate the author’s voice holding strong throughout the book and acknowledging the things he may or may not know about being a teen while navigating “The stuff that sucks, the stuff you care about, the stuff that’s here and now,” and beyond.

Reviewer: Melissa MacNish Nishman (she/her/hers), founder and co-director of SAYFTEE

I have found the exercises in this workbook extremely useful to help support teens in exploring and affirming their gender identity. This book also includes real life scenarios, relevant content and practical guidance for navigating the world as a TG/NB teen. I also loved the colorful and fun illustrations!

Reviewer: Allyson Black-Foley, LCSW (she/her) is a psychotherapist practicing in Philadelphia.

This book gives an excellent overview of the ways in which trauma stems from social conditions and provides approaches for both individual and collective healing. The author walks the reader through the process of ‘regenerating safety’ after a traumatic experience.

Reviewer: Nic Wildes (they/them), LMHC and co-director of SAYFTEE

This book offers an accessible introduction to IFS along with multiple exercises to allow readers to explore this approach first hand. I found myself wanting everyone I know to experience the healing and self compassion that can be obtained through this way of relating to oneself and the world around them.