Richard Brandon-Friedman

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https://hdl.handle.net/1805/29764

Families in Transition: Development of a Therapeutic Group for Gender-Diverse Youth and Their Caregivers

Professor Richard Brandon-Friedman's academic research focuses on sexual and gender identity development among youth, youth sexual wellbeing, LGBTQ+ identity development, youth sexual behaviors, sexuality discourse within social work, and addressing sexuality within the child welfare system. Professor Brandon-Friedman has spent 15 years working with LGBTQ+ youth and their families in mentoring and clinical capacities. In 2015, he helped found the Riley Hospital Gender Health Program and has worked there clinically and as a researcher since that time.

He continually meets with community members, maintaining a list of needs they have identified. He also works with the community clinically, providing ongoing hands-on experience. When examining research opportunities, Professor Brandon-Friedman starts with the population that would be impacted, turning to the members of the population to see how their needs may fit within funding mechanisms. This grounds his research within community members’ experiences.

Families in Transition is a therapeutic support group designed to meet the needs of gender-diverse youth and their caregivers. Developed collaboratively with GenderNexus, GEKCO, PFLAG Fishers, and members of the gender-diverse community, the group will enhance the social and emotional well-being of participants through psychoeducation, skill development, familial relationship and communication building, and community connectedness.

Professor Brandon-Friedman's translation of community-engaged research into practices that promote health and well-being within the LGBTQ+ community is another excellent example of how IUPUI's faculty members are TRANSLATING their RESEARCH INTO PRACTICE.

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Now showing 1 - 10 of 22

Gender Dysphoria
(ABC-CLIO, 2021) Brandon-Friedman, Richard A.
Supporting Caregivers and Families of Transgender and Nonbinary Youth
(Routledge, 2020) Brandon-Friedman, Richard A.; Warden, Rand; Waletich, Rebecca; Donahue, Kelly L.
A young person coming out as transgender or nonbinary (TNB) can affect their entire family system. Feelings of loss, confusion, self-doubt, fear, and anger are common during this time of transition as family members process the young person’s gender identity and the effects of the disclosure. With support, family members can successfully explore these thoughts and emotions and grow to not only accept but actively affirm and advocate for their loved ones. This chapter discusses the developmental processes that family members of TNB youth may experience after the young person comes out, reviews common concerns raised by family members, and provides strategies for supporting family members as they process a TNB young person’s coming out and what it means for the youth, the family, and their broader community. Three case scenarios provide further insight into how familial concerns may present in practice. Altogether, the chapter allows for an appreciation of the complexity and immense value of supporting caregivers and families as a means to enhance TNB youths’ lives.
Assisting Youth with Disclosing their Sexual Orientation and/or Gender Identity using an Ecomap
(Routledge, 2020) Brandon-Friedman, Richard A.; Kinney, M. Killian
Sexual Identity
(ABC-CLIO, 2021) Brandon-Friedman, Richard A.
Intersections between Body Image, Sexual Identity, and Sexual Well-Being among Gender-Diverse Youth
(Routledge, 2021) Brandon-Friedman, Richard A.; Snedecor, Rachel; Ramseyer Winter, Virginia
Body image, sexual identity, sexual well-being, and gender identity interact in complex ways in youths’ lives. While separate concepts, they inherently intertwine as each affects the other socially, emotionally, developmentally, and physically. Gender-diverse youth must navigate the development of their gender and sexual identities in a social environment that often stigmatizes them while also confronting gender dysphoria that can harm their body image. Disruptions in the development of gender and sexual identities and negative body image can lead to reduced levels of sexual well-being, which can negatively impact gender-diverse youths’ overall well-being. This chapter reviews literature regarding body image, sexual and gender identity development, and sexual well-being among gender-diverse youth, with a focus on how the four aspects of gender-diverse youths’ lives intersect. It concludes with recommendations for social work practice, education, and research so that social workers can be better attuned to gender-diverse youths’ complex gender-, sexuality-, and body image-based needs.
Exploring Gender Identity with a Photo Diary
(Routledge, 2021) Kinney, M. Killian; Brandon-Friedman, Richard A.
Gender identity is an abstract component of one’s identity, yet a person’s physical appearance can be a significant source of anxiety and dysphoria or acceptance and integration. Distinct from individuals’ sex assigned at birth, gender identities refer to the internal sense of self. The social construct of gender identity, however, has been predominantly understood as a continuum or dichotomy of masculinity and femininity. According to J. Butler, gender is a performative act with a basis that lies in socialization, whereas sex is a biological categorization of male, female, or intersex according to scientific indicators, including external genitalia, gonads, internal reproductive organs, and sex chromosomes. When working with transgender people of color, A. A. Singh and V. S. McKleroy note the importance of understanding their resilience and how it may have helped them navigate challenges related to race and ethnicity in addition to gender identity. For affirming care, practitioners need to integrate understanding of intersectionality into their practice.
Working with Transgender and Nonbinary Youth in the Child Welfare System
(Routledge, 2020) Brandon-Friedman, Richard A.; Karnoski, Ryan; Hall, Seventy F.
For transgender and nonbinary (TNB) youth, the child welfare system (CWS) is often an unfriendly environment. Many experience continued rejection, discrimination, harassment, and hostility from those who are tasked with protecting them. Working with these youth requires understanding their unique needs and targeted strategies to address concerns related to their gender identities and facilitate healthy development. This chapter begins by exploring the limited data available on the number of TNB youth in the CWS and their experiences within the CWS. Next, the chapter provides recommendations for policy changes to better address the unique needs of TNB youth, before outlining guidelines for working with TNB youth based on a synthesis of prior recommendations. The fourth component of the chapter consists of two case studies, one that explores the experiences of a transgender youth in a pre-adoptive placement and the other looking at a nonbinary youth living in a group home. Following this is a list of resources for professionals seeking additional information on working with TNB youth in the CWS. Through the provision of supportive services within an affirming environment, TNB youth in the CWS can grow and thrive, meeting the primary goals of the CWS.
Outing
(ABC-CLIO, 2021) Brandon-Friedman, Richard A.
LGBTQ+
(ABC-CLIO, 2021) Brandon-Friedman, Richard A.
88. The Impact of Sexual Identity Development On The Sexual Health of Former Foster Youth
(Elsevier, 2019-02) Brandon-Friedman, Richard A.; School of Social Work

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