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Sebastian Barr, PhD

Affirming and Effective Work with Trans and Nonbinary Adolescents and Young Adults

Sebastian Barr, PhD

Week 4: July 21-25, 2025

Monday - Friday: 9:00a.m. - 12:30p.m. EDT | 30-Minute Break Daily

15-Hour Course |  Delivery Format: In-Person or Live-Online

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Course Description

Mental health clinicians and other youth workers across diverse settings and specialties are increasingly called upon to provide competent and sensitive care to trans* adolescents and young adults. In an era where young people have more freedom to determine and express diverse gender identities, our society has seen a marked increase in the proportion of out trans youth, while interpersonal bias, structural hostility, and lack of affirmation continue to put these young people at high risk for psychological distress and in need of adequate support and mental healthcare. And yet, many clinicians and other youth workers have not received focused training on the unique experiences and needs of trans adolescents and young adults, nor the specific challenges and opportunities in working with this group. This course aims to address the gap between current need and existing education/training, with a grounding mission of contributing to a world in which trans youth have unbridled access to joy and thriving.


Over five focused but engaging days, we will delve into what is known about trans young people’s mental health – reviewing the research and clinical literature, listening to trans people’s stories, and sharing case examples; we will apply multiple models to better understand the holistic picture of trans youths’ psychological distress and wellbeing. We will then focus on clinical approaches, moving from broad strategies and considerations to specific interventions that both address the harm and risk these young people face and build upon existing strengths to foster resilience and joy. This course will also include specific attention to how clinicians can work effectively with clients’ micro- and even macro-systems (e.g., family, school, faith group, sociopolitical climate), as these are key facets of young people’s world and have an incredible impact on trans youths’ wellbeing.


*The term trans is used here as an adjective that is inclusive of all whose gender differs markedly from the sex label they were assigned at birth, including nonbinary youth, trans girls/women, and trans boys/men.

Course Agenda (click to expand)

Course Objectives (click to expand)

About the Instructor

Sebastian Barr, PhD

Speaker Disclosures:

Financial: Sebastian Barr has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations. He receives a speaking honorarium from MAK Continuing Education, LLC, Cape Cod Institute.

Non-financial: Sebastian Barr has no relevant non-financial relationships with ineligible organizations.

Sebastian Barr, PhD (he/him), is a counseling psychologist who works as a psychotherapist, researcher, consultant, and educator. He has contributed to multiple academic and clinical texts on affirming and trauma-informed psychotherapy with members of the trans community, including two chapters in the recently published American Psychiatric Association textbook Gender-Affirming Psychiatry, and he frequently offers lectures and workshops on this topic. Dr. Barr was the recipient of the 2014 Trans Research Award from American Psychological Association’s Society for the Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity and the 2023 Early Career Clinical Practice Award from the Society for Counseling Psychology. Additionally, he is a past scholar-in-residence at Faberllull in Olot, Catalonia/Spain. Dr. Barr is a proud trans man, and incorporates personal and community perspectives in his work as appropriate.

Sebastian Barr, PhD
Sebastian Barr, PhD
Sebastian Barr, PhD
45th Cape Cod Institute Course Brochure
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Sebastian Barr, PhD

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What Alumni are Saying...

"I am not overstating it when I say this course was absolutely life-changing, personally and professionally. Dr. Barr is a gifted teacher." - 2024 Participant

"This course gave me everything: in-depth information/knowledge, hope and excitement for my profession and the work, and a real strong sense of community." - 2024 Participant

"Sebastian is a talented and gifted presenter. I learned much needed content in this area as well as being impressed with his facilitation skills. He both enriched the training with his personal experience as well as citing relevant research and had an uncanny mix of speaking and gaining participation from the participants. He made the week truly memorable." - 2024 Participant

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