I’m excited to share a FREE educational resource about Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and aging in our LGBTQIPA2+ communities! On the second Wednesday every month at 4-5pm PST via Zoom, the Alzheimer’s Association of Northern California hosts live webinars about Alzheimer’s Disease, brain health, and the unique experiences in our queer and trans communities.

We are so grateful to all who came out to share in the joy of the festival. We met so many people. We reconnected with old friends and we met new ones. We’ve loved hearing your ways that you “ride the wave” of your life and are eager to hear more ways you get through the tough times and celebrate the good ones too. We totally appreciate those who spent time coloring with us, sitting and reading some of our favorite kids’ books, and otherwise chatting with us. Oh and we loved seeing how much all y’all enjoyed finding your favorite fidget and/or sticker to add to your collection.

In my work as a hospice grief counselor, patients would sometimes be reluctant to speak up to ask questions or voice what they need, even though patients, not the doctors or loved ones, are at the center of care.

Kelly Hutton, Registered AMFT speaks about Anticipatory Grief as part of her fabulous Series on LGBTQIPA2+ Grief, Loss, Death, Dying, and Mental Health.

I help partners who feel overwhelmed and stuck to navigate these difficult-to-have conversations.

It is time we increase the visibility of PD, squash the stigma of getting screened, and start talking about PD as an intergenerational behavioral health issue that queer and trans individuals and chosen families should prioritize.

signs you’re experiencing disenfranchised grief:

● You doubt yourself: “Should I be as devastated as I am?” “Or why am I not crying like everyone else says I should be?"

● You’re vacillating between a strong visceral pain and dull sadness (feeling numb), so your emotions can be hard to pin down. It’s like the unhelpful friend that’s been around for so long that you tolerate them, but you’re not ever actually used to them being unhelpful.

. . . [Kelly is] even fluent in Spanish! We have updated our website to highlight one of Kelly’s specialties, couples, partners, and chosen family therapy. Please check it out at https://www.wavespsych.com/couples-chosen-family-therapy . Also see her web page at https://www.wavespsych.com/kellyhutton or sign up for a coveted appointment to work with Kelly at https://doctorabi.clientsecure.me/ She is often able to get clients in within a week. She is officially offering in office visits for vaccinated folks at our Banker’s Hill location while continuing to see clients online. 

I wanted to be in a field that squashes stigma of behavioral health, promotes life-long growth and learning, and shifts my social justice activism to providing anti-racist shoulder-to-shoulder healing spaces for (my) queer and trans communities.