On today's podcast I talk with Dr. Sand Chang who wrote a chapter in the upcoming Altogether Us book.
Dr. Sand Chang is a Chinese American nonbinary psychologist, DEI consultant, certified IFS therapist, consultant, and trainer. Their work is centered on body liberation, particularly in the realms of trans health, eating disorders, and trauma recovery.
We talk about:
- Trans-affirming IFS (that's what the chapter in Jenna's book is about)
- Teaching an IFS foundations course to queer and trans therapists and the importance of affinity trainings (with Nic Wildes)
- Body liberation, eating disorders, de-pathologizing parts that use disordered eating to help someone to survive in a white supremacist, fatphobic, transphobic culture
- Creating affirming spaces - knowing that each person's liberation is tied to others' liberations
- The 9th "C" of Self energy being community/collectivism and how this plays out not just in the world but specifically in IFS training spaces.
As an Assistant Trainer Mentee and someone who is moving toward being an IFSI trainer, these are things which Sand feels very passionate. They desire to create the spaces that don't always exist and have often harmed trans and queer folks.